Daniel

Thomson^{(i) 1} In the third year of the reign of Joakim king of Juda, Nabuchodonosar the king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it. ² And the Lord delivered into his hand Joakim king of Juda and a part of the vessels of the house of God, which he carried to the land of Sennaar to the house of his god: and having deposited the vessels in the treasure house of his god, ³ the king ordered Asphanez his high chamberlain to bring in of the children of the captivity of Israel, namely, of the seed royal and of the nobility, ⁴ some youths who had no blemish, and who were of a good countenance, studious of every science, improved in knowledge and understanding and qualified to stand in the house before the king; and to instruct them in the learning and language of the Chaldeans. ⁵ And the king ordered them a daily allowance from the king's table, and of the wine for his own drinking; and that they should be dieted for three years and after that stand before the king. ⁶ Now there were among them of the children of Juda, Daniel and Ananias and Azarias and Misael; ⁷ and the high chamberlain gave them names, to Daniel, Baltasar; and to Ananias, Sedrach; and to Misael, Misach; and Azarias, Abdenago. ⁸ And Daniel having resolved not to pollute himself with the table of the king nor with the wine which he drank, intreated the chamberlain that he might not be denied. ⁹ Now God had brought Daniel into favour and compassion with the high chamberlain, ¹⁰ therefore the chamberlain said to Daniel, I am afraid of my lord the king who hath appointed your meat and your drink. Perhaps he may see your countenance more uncomely than the youths of your age, and you may endanger my head with the king. ¹¹ Thereupon Daniel said to Amelsad, whom the high chamberlain had set over Daniel, Ananias, Misael and Azarias, ¹² Try thy servants, we pray thee, ten days, and let them give us vegetables to eat and water to drink; ¹³ and let our countenances and the countenances of the youths who eat of the king's table be examined in thy presence; and, as thou seest, deal with thy servants. ¹⁴ So he hearkened to them and tried them ten days. ¹⁵ And at the end of the ten days their countenances appeared more comely and their flesh firmer than that of the youths, who had eaten of the king's table; ¹⁶ whereupon Amelsad took away the food and the wine for their drink and gave them vegetables. ¹⁷ And as for these four youths, God gave them knowledge and understanding in all literature and science; and Daniel was skilled in all visions and dreams. ¹⁸ And at the end of the years which the king had appointed for introducing them, the high chamberlain brought them in before Nabuchodonosar. ¹⁹ And the king conversed with them. And among them all there were none found equal to Daniel and Ananias and Misael and Azarias. So they stood before the king. ²⁰ And in every subject of wisdom and science on which the king questioned them he found them ten times more skilled than all the soothsayers and the magians who were in the realm. ²¹ And Daniel continued to the first year of Cyrus the king.