rd

Daniel 1

2 The captivity of Jehoiakím King of Judáh. 4 The King chuseth certain yong men of the Jewes to learn his law 5 They have the King’s ordinary appointed, 8 But they abstain from it.
1.In the athird year of the reign of Jehoiakím King of Judáh, came Nebuchad-nezzár, King of Babél unto Jerusalém, and besieged it.
2.And the Lord gave Jehoiakim King of Judáh into his hand, with part of the vessels of the house of God, which he carried into the land of bShinár, to the house of his god, and he brought the vessels into his god’s treasury.
3.And the King spake unto cAshpenáz the master of his dEunuches, that he should bring certain of the children of Israél, of the eKing’s seed, and of the princes:
4.Children in whom was no blemish, but well ffavoured, and instruct in all wisdom, and well seen in knowledge, and able to utter knowledge, and such as were able to stand in the King’s palace, and whom they might teach the glearning, and the tongue of the Caldeans.
5.And the King appointed them provision every day of a hportion of the King’s meat, and of the wine, which he drank, so nourishing them ithree year, that at the end thereof, they might stand kbefore the King.
6.Now among these were certain of the children of Judáh, Daniél, Hananiáh, Mishaél, and Azariáh.
7.Unto whom the chief of the Eunuches lgave other names: for he called Daniél, Belteshazár, and Hananiáh, Shadrách, and Mishaél, Meshách, and Azariáh, Abednegó.
8.¶ But Daniél had determined in his heart, that he would not mdefile him self with the portion of the King’s meat, nor with the wine which he drank: therefore he required the chief of the Eunuches that he might not defile him self.
9.(Now God had brought Daniél into favour, and tender love with the chief of the Eunuches)
10.And the chief of the Eunuches said unto Daniél, nI fear my lord the King, who hath appointed your meat and your drink: therefore if he see your faces worse liking then the other children, which are of your sort, then shal you make me loose mine head unto the King.
11.Then said Daniél to Melzár, whom the chief of the Eunuches had set over Daniél, Hananiáh, Mishaél, and Azariáh,
12.Prove thy servants, I beseech thee, oten days, and let them give us ppulse to eat, and water to drink.
13.Then let our countenances be looked upon before thee, and the countenances 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 qcountenances appeared fairer, and in ^better liking then all the children’s, which did eat the portion of the King’s meat.
16.Thus Melzár took away the portion of their meat, and their wine that they should drink, and gave them pulse.
17.As for these four children, God gave them knowledge, and understanding in all learning rand wisdom: also he gave Daniél understanding of all svisions and dreams.
18.Now when the time was texpired, that the King had appointed to bring them in, the chief of the Eunuches brought them before Nebuchad-nezzár.
19.And the King communed with them: and among them all was found none like Daniél, Hananiáh, Mishaél, and Azariáh: 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 then all the inchanters and astrologians, that were in all his realm.
21.And Daniél was unto uthe first year of King Cyrus.

Notes

1-a.
Read 2 Kings 24.1 and Jer. 25.1.
2-b.
Which was a plain by Babylon where was the Temple of their great god, and is here taken for Babylon.
3-c.
Who was as master of the wards.
3-d.
He calls them Eunuchs whom the King nourished and brought up to be rules of other countries afterward.
3-e.
His purpose was to keep them as hostages, and that he might show himself victorious, and also by their good entreaty and learning of his religion, they might favour rather him then the Jews and so to be able to serve him as governors in their land: moreover by this means the Jews might be better kept in subjection, fearing otherwise to procure hurt to these noble men.
4-f.
The King required three things, that they should be of noble birth, that they should be witty and learned, and that they should be of a strong and comelie nature that they might do him better service: this he did for his own commodity therefore it is not to praise his liberality: yet in this he is worthy praise, that he esteemed learning, and knew that it was a necessary mean to govern by.
4-g.
That they might forget their own religion, and country fashions, to serve him the better to his purpose: yet it is not to be thought that Daniel did learn any knowledge that was not godly: in all points he refused the abuse of things and superstition, in so much that he would not eat the meat which the King appointed him, but was content to learn the knowledge of natural things.
5-h.
That by their good entertainment they might learn to forget the mediocrity of their own people.
5-i.
To the intent that in this time they might both learn the manners of the Caldeans and also their tongue.
5-k.
Aswell to serve at the table, as in other offices.
7-l.
That they might altogether forget their religion: for the Jews gave their children names, which might ever put them in remembrance of some point of religion, therefore this was a great tentation and a sign of servitude which they were not able to resist.
8-m.
Not that he thought any religion to be in the meat or drink (for afterward he did eat) but because the King should not entice him by this sweet poison of forget of his religion and accustomed sobriety, and that in his meat and drink he might daily remember of what people he was and Daniel brings this in to show how God from the beginning assisted him with his Spirit, and at length called him to be a Prophet.
10-n.
He supposed they did this for their religion, which was contrary to the Babylonians, and therefore herein he represents them, which are of no religion: for neither he would condemn theirs nor maintain his own.
12-o.
Meaning, that within this space he might have the trial, and that no man should be able to discern it: and thus he spake, being moved by the Spirit of God.
12-p.
Not that it was a thing abominable to eat dainty meats and to drink wine, as both before and after they did, but if they should have hereby been won to the King and have refused their own religion, that meat and drink had been accursed.
15-^.
Ebr., fatter in flesh.
15-q.
This bare feeding and that also of Moses when he fled from the court of Egypt, declares that we must live in such sobriety as God does call us unto, seeing he will make it more profitable unto us, then all dainties: for his blessing only suffices.
17-r.
Meaning, in the liberal sciences, and natural knowledge, and not in the magical arts which are forbidden, Deut. 18.11
17-s.
So that he only was a Prophet and none of the other: for by dreams and visions God appeared to his Prophets, Num. 12.6.
18-t.
Of the three years above mentioned in verse 5.
21-u.
That is, he was esteemed in Babylon as a Prophet so long as the commonwealth stood.