1 IN the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah came Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon unto Jerusalem, and besieged it.
2 And the Lord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand, with part of the vessels of the house of God: which he carried into the land of Shinar to the house of his god; and he brought the vessels into the treasure house of his god.
3 And the king spake unto Ashpenaz the master of his eunuchs, that he should bring certain of the children of Israel, and of the king’s seed, and of the princes;
4 Children in whom was no blemish, but well favoured, and skilful in all wisdom, and cunning in knowledge, and understanding science, and such as had ability in them to stand in the king’s palace, and whom they might teach the learning and the tongue of the Chaldeans.
5 And the king appointed them a daily provision of the king’s meat, and of the wine which he drank: so nourishing them three years, that at the end thereof they might stand before the king.
6 Now among these were of the children of Judah, Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah:
7 Unto whom the prince of the eunuchs gave names: for he gave unto Daniel the name of Belteshazzar; and to Hananiah, of Shadrach; and to Mishael, of Meshach; and to Azariah, of Abed-nego.
8 But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king’s meat, nor with the wine which he drank: therefore he requested of the prince of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself.
9 Now God had brought Daniel into favour and tender love with the prince of the eunuchs.
10 And the prince of the eunuchs said unto Daniel, I fear my lord the king, who hath appointed your meat and your drink: for why should he see your faces worse liking than the children which are of your sort? then shall ye make me endanger my head to the king.
11 Then said Daniel to Melzar, whom the prince of the eunuchs had set over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah,
12 Prove thy servants, I beseech thee, ten days; and let them give us pulse to eat, and water to drink.
13 Then let our countenances be looked upon before thee, and the countenance of the children that eat of the portion of the king’s meat: and as thou seest, deal with thy servants.
14 So he consented to them in this matter, and proved them ten days.
15 And at the end of ten days their countenances appeared fairer and fatter in flesh than all the children which did eat the portion of the king’s meat.
16 Thus Melzar took away the portion of their meat, and the wine that they should drink; and gave them pulse.
17 As for these four children, God gave them knowledge and skill in all learning and wisdom: and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams.
18 Now at the end of the days that the king had said he should bring them in, then the prince of the eunuchs brought them in before Nebuchadnezzar.
19 And the king communed with them; and among them all was found none like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah: therefore stood they before the king.
20 And in all matters of wisdom and understanding, that the king inquired of them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and astrologers that were in all his realm.
21 And Daniel continued even unto the first year of king Cyrus.AMES BIBLE

1In the thirde yere of the reigne of Iehoiakim King of Iudah, came Nebuchad-nezzar King of Babylon, vnto Ierusalem, and besieged it.

2And the Lord gaue Iehoiakim king of Iudah into his hand, with part of the vessels of the house of God, which he caried into the land of Shinar to the house of his god, and he brought the vessels into the treasure house of his god.

3 And the king spake vnto Ashpenaz the master of his Eunuches, that he should bring certaine of the children of Israel, and of the kings seed, and of the Princes:

4Children in whom was no blemish, but well fauoured, and skilfull in all wisedome, and cunning in knowledge, and vnderstanding science, and such as had abilitie in them to stand in the Kings palace, and whom they might teach the learning, and the tongue of the Caldeans.

5And the King appointed them a daily prouision of the kings meat, and of the wine which he dranke: so nourishing them three yeeres, that at the ende thereof they might stand before the king.

6Now among these were of the children of Iudah, Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah:

7Unto whom the Prince of the Eunuches gaue names: for he gaue vnto Daniel the name of Belteshazzar; and to Hananiah, of Shadrach; and to Mishael, of Meshach; and to Azariah of Abednego.

8 But Daniel purposed in his heart, that he would not defile himselfe with the portion of the kings meat, nor with the wine which he dranke: therefore hee requested of the Prince of the Eunuches, that hee might not defile himselfe.

9Now God had brought Daniel into fauour and tender loue with the Prince of the Eunuches.

10And the Prince of the Eunuches said vnto Daniel, I feare my lord the king, who hath appointed your meat, and your drinke: for why should he see your faces worse liking then the children which are of your sort? then shall yee make mee indanger my head to the King.

11Then said Daniel to Melzar, whom the Prince of the Eunuches had set ouer Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah,

12Proue thy seruants, I beseech thee, ten dayes, and let them giue pulse to eat, and water to drinke.

13Then let our countenances be looked vpon before thee, and the countenance of the children that eat of the portion of the Kings meate: and as thou seest, deale with thy seruants.

14So hee consented to them in this matter, and proued them ten dayes.

15And at the end often dayes, their countenances appeared fairer, and fatter in flesh, then all the children, which did eate the portion of the kings meat.

16Thus Melzar tooke away the portion of their meat, and the wine that they should drink: and gaue them pulse.

17 As for these foure children, God gaue them knowledge, and skil in all learning and wisedome, and Daniel had vnderstanding in all visions and dreames.

18Now at the end of the dayes that the King had said he should bring them in, then the Prince of the Eunuches brought them in before Nebuchadnezzar.

19And the King communed with them: and among them all was found none like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah: therefore stood they before the King.

20And in all matters of wisedome and vnderstanding that the king enquired of them, hee found them ten times better then all the Magicians and Astrologers that were in all his Realme.

21And Daniel continued euen vnto the first yeere of king Cyrus.

I == 2nd Kings 24:1 ; 2nd Chr 36:6

II == Gen 10:10 ; 11:2 ; 2nd Chr 36:7 ; Isa 11:11 ; Jer 27:19-20 ; Zech 5:11

III == 2nd Kings 20:17-18 ; Isa 39:7

IV == Lev 24:19-20 ; Acts 7:22

V == Gen 41:46 ; 1st Kings 10:8 ; Dan 1:19

VII == Gen 41:45 ; 2nd Kings 24:17 ; Dan 4:8 ; 5:12

VIII == Deut 32:38 ; Ezek 4:13 ; Hos 9:3

IX == Gen 39:21 ; Ps 106:46 ; Prov 16:7

XVII == Num 12:6 ; 1st Kings 3:12 ; 2nd Chr 26:5 ; Dan 5:11-12 , 14 ; 10:1 ; Acts 7:22 ; James 1:5 , 17

XIX == Gen 41:46 ; Dan 1:5

XX == 1st Kings 10:1

XXI == Dan 6:28 ; 10:1

1 In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim, king of Judah, King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon came and laid siege to Jerusalem.

2 The Lord handed over to him Jehoiakim, king of Judah, and some of the vessels of the temple of God, which he carried off to the land of Shinar, and placed in the temple treasury of his god.

3 The king told Ashpenaz, his chief chamberlain, to bring in some of the Israelites of royal blood and of the nobility,

4 young men without any defect, handsome, intelligent and wise, quick to learn, and prudent in judgment, such as could take their place in the king's palace; they were to be taught the language and literature of the Chaldeans;

5 after three years' training they were to enter the king's service. The king allotted them a daily portion of food and wine from the royal table.

6 Among these were men of Judah: Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah.

7 The chief chamberlain changed their names: Daniel to Belteshazzar, Hananiah to Shadrach, Mishael to Meshach, and Azariah to Abednego.

8 But Daniel was resolved not to defile himself with the king's food or wine; so he begged the chief chamberlain to spare him this defilement.

9 Though God had given Daniel the favor and sympathy of the chief chamberlain,

10 he nevertheless said to Daniel, "I am afraid of my lord the king; it is he who allotted your food and drink. If he sees that you look wretched by comparison with the other young men of your age, you will endanger my life with the king."

11 Then Daniel said to the steward whom the chief chamberlain had put in charge of Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah,

12 "Please test your servants for ten days. Give us vegetables to eat and water to drink.

13 Then see how we look in comparison with the other young men who eat from the royal table, and treat your servants according to what you see."

14 He acceded to this request, and tested them for ten days;

15 after ten days they looked healthier and better fed than any of the young men who ate from the royal table.

16 So the steward continued to take away the food and wine they were to receive, and gave them vegetables.

17 To these four young men God gave knowledge and proficiency in all literature and science, and to Daniel the understanding of all visions and dreams.

18 At the end of the time the king had specified for their preparation, the chief chamberlain brought them before Nebuchadnezzar.

19 When the king had spoken with all of them, none was found equal to Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah; and so they entered the king's service.

20 In any question of wisdom or prudence which the king put to them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters in his kingdom.

21 Daniel remained there until the first year of King Cyrus.

The book of Daniel is called an apocalypse, meaning unveiling, as are Isa. 24-27, Ezekiel 37-48, Zechariah’s visions, 1:7-7:8 and the book of Revelation. An apocalypse showed the wicked condition existing and eventual triumph of righteousness. Many figures and symbols are used. The writer, Daniel, “God is my Judge*, was about 13-16 when he was in the first deportation under Nebuchadnezzar, 605 BC. He served until 535 BC and would have been around 85. His wisdom exceeded that of the wise men of the east, and he was appointed first of the three highest officers in Medo-Persia. Daniel was recognized by Christ, quoted many times in the New Testament and is the key to the book of Rev. It prophecies events from the beginning of the Times of the Gentiles to the end. God’s program for Gentile nations, from 2:4b-7:28, is written in Aramaic, but 1:1-2:4a and Ch. 8-12 are written in Hebrew . *Later, Bel is my protector.
v 1,2. Nebuchadnezzar means “may Nebo protect the crown”. His father died, he rushed home to become jubg and returned to battle. Jehoiakim (burned scroll) was in his 3rd year, Hebrew or fourth year Babylonian reckoning, when he surrendered without much resistance. Some of the temple vessels were taken to the temple of Marduk or Bel, to show Israel’s submission, but Jehoiakim later rebelled, 2 Ki. 24:1.
v 3-5. Originally these excellent young men made eunuchs were probably just hostages, but they were to begin a three year course of training for the kings service.
v 6,7. The “el” and “iah” in these youth’s names honored God, while the names given to them honored gods Bel, Nebo, the other two, verbs of submission to gods.
v 8. The new names were intended to influence the youths from their God to the gods they would be expected to serve. The diet was luxurious, but it was contrary to Jewish law. All would be defiled by Gentile hands, but it no doubt contained unclean meats, and they, offered first to idols. This would have been strong wine, which the Jews would have diluted with from 3 to 10 parts water. He was resolved, determined.
v 9,10. Daniel’s behavior won the man’s favor, but God also prepared his heart. It is understandable that he did not want to risk his life by complying with the request. 
v 11-14. Originally refused by Ashpenaz, Daniel convinced the guard to intercede and allow a ten day test period of grains and vegetables grown from seeds.
v 15,16. What a fast working diet! In ten days, instead of looking worse, they looked better, so they were permitted to stay on this food which did not conflict with their beliefs. This was a specific case, and is not a pitch for vegetarianism. 
v 17. These four not only had clearer minds than those using wine, but God was especially preparing them for service. To Daniel he added understanding of dreams and visions. Israel was forbidden to use the heathen forms of divination.
v 18-21. At the end of the three years of training they were all interviewed by the king, and these four were far superior. (Ten times frequently implies many times, and is not used as a specific number.) Babylon’s wise men included those who dealt in the occult, those who used enchantments and those who sought revelations from the stars. The latter were astrologers who developed the signs of the moon, the zodiac etc. They also included true legitimate astronomers who set up time and calendar devices, even telescopes and microscopes. They could accurately predict where the sun and planets would be thousands of years later.