Love Jesus 13

Daniel 1

1 Three years after King Jehoiakim began to rule in Judah, Babylon’s King Nebuchadnezzar attacked Jerusalem with his armies, and the Lord gave him victory over Jehoiakim. When he returned to Babylon, he took along some of the sacred cups from the Temple of God and placed them in the treasury of his god in the land of Shinar.

3-4 Then he ordered Ashpenaz, who was in charge of his palace personnel,[a] to select some of the Jewish youths brought back as captives—young men of the royal family and nobility of Judah—and to teach them the Chaldean language and literature. “Pick strong, healthy, good-looking lads,” he said; “those who have read widely in many fields, are well informed, alert and sensible, and have enough poise to look good around the palace.”

5 The king assigned them the best of food and wine from his own kitchen during their three-year training period, planning to make them his counselors when they graduated.

6 Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah were four of the young men chosen, all from the tribe of Judah. 7 However, their superintendent gave them Babylonian names, as follows:

Daniel was called Belteshazzar;

Hananiah was called Shadrach;

Mishael was called Meshach;

Azariah was called Abednego.

8 But Daniel made up his mind not to eat the food and wine given to them by the king. He asked the superintendent for permission to eat other things instead. 9 Now as it happened, God had given the superintendent a special appreciation for Daniel and sympathy for his predicament. 10 But he was alarmed by Daniel’s suggestion.