1 During the third year that Jehoiakim (YAHUYAQIM) was King of Judah (about 605 B.C). Nebuchadnezzar King of Babylon came to Jerusalem and surrounded it with his Army. 2 And YAHUAH allowed Nebuchadnezzar to defeat Jehoiakim King of Judah. Nebuchadnezzar even took all the dishes and other things from YAHUAH’S Temple (THAT SOLOMON BUILT) and carried them to Babylon (Shinar/Sumer), placing them in the Temple of his own deities.
3 Then King Nebuchadnezzar ordered Ashpenaz, the man in charge of his Eunich officials to bring some of the boys into the palace to train them. (A EUNICH IS USUALLY A CASTRATED MAN BUT SOMETIMES IT MERELY REFERS TO AN OFFICIAL TITLE). He was to include boys from among the Israelites, nobles from important Judean families, and from the Royal family of Judah. 4 King Nebuchadnezzar wanted only healthy boys who did not have any bruises, scars, or anything wrong with their bodies. He wanted handsome, smart young men who were able to learn things quickly and easily to serve in his palace. He told Ashpenaz to teach these young men the language and writings of the Chaldeans.
5 King Nebuchadnezzar gave the young men a certain amount of food and wine every day, which was the same kind of food that he ate. He wanted them to be trained for three years, and after that they would become servants of the King of Babylon. 6 Among those young men were Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah from the Tribe of Judah. 7 Ashpenaz also gave them Babylonian names. Daniel’s new name was Belteshatzar, Hananiah’s was Shadrach, Mishael’s was Meshach, and Azariah’s was Abednego.
8 Daniel did not want to eat the King’s rich food and wine because it would make him unclean. So he asked Ashpenaz for permission not to make himself unclean in this way. 9 And for his loyal obedience to YAHUAH’S Instruction, YAHUAH caused Ashpenaz, the man in charge of the Eunichs, to be kind and loyal to Daniel. 10 But Ashpenaz told Daniel, “I’m afraid of my Master, the King. He ordered me to give you this food and drink, and if you don’t eat, you’ll start to look weak and sickly. And of the King sees you looking worse than the other young men your age, he’ll be angry with me, and might even cut off my head. And it would be your fault!”
11 Then Daniel talked to the guard who had been put in charge of Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah by Ashpenaz. 12 He said, “Please test us for ten days: Don’t give us anything but vegetables to eat and water to drink. 13 Then after ten days, compare us with the other young men who eat the King’s rich food. Then see for yourself who looks healthier, and decide how you want to treat us, your servants.”
14 So the guard agreed to test Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah for ten days. 15 And after ten days (and lots of push-ups?), Daniel and his mates looked healthier than all the young men who ate the King’s food. 16 So the guard continued to take away the King’s rich food and wine and to only give Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah vegetables to eat. 17 And YAHUAH gave these four young men the wisdom and ability to learn many different kinds of writing and science. Daniel could also understand all kinds of visions and dreams.
18 At the end of the three years of training, Ashpenaz the Chief of the Eunichs, brought all the young men to King Nebuchadnezzar. 19 The King talked to them and found that none of the young men were gifted like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. So these four young men stood before the King, as his servants. 20 And every time the King asked them about something important, they showed great wisdom and understanding. Infact the King found that they were ten times more talented than all the magicians, astrologers and wise men in his Kingdom. 21 So Daniel served the King until the first year (ABOUT 539–538 B.C) that Koresh was King (BETTER KNOWN AS THE PERSIAN KING CYRUS).
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