Dan 1:1-21 · Read 7 min · think and write 15 min
Long before, when Hezekiah was king of Judah, the prophet Isaiah said to him: “Behold, the days come that all that is in your house, and that which your fathers have laid up in store to this day, will be carried to Babylon. Nothing will be left,” says the LORD (2 Kgs 20:17).
This lesson reads about the time when the king of Babylon came to Jerusalem, and about some young men of Judah who were brought into the king’s palace in Babylon. One of them was named Daniel.
1In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it.
2The Lord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand, with some of the vessels of the house of God; and he carried them into the land of Shinar to the house of his god. He brought the vessels into the treasure house of his god.
3The king spoke to Ashpenaz, the master of his eunuchs, that he should bring in some of the children of Israel, even of the royal offspring and of the nobles:
4youths in whom was no defect, but well-favored, skillful in all wisdom, endowed with knowledge, understanding science, and who had the ability to stand in the king’s palace; and that he should teach them the learning and the language of the Chaldeans.
5The king appointed for them a daily portion of the king’s delicacies and of the wine which he drank, and that they should be nourished three years, that at its end they should stand before the king.
6Now among these of the children of Judah were Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah.
7The prince of the eunuchs gave names to them: to Daniel he gave the name Belteshazzar; to Hananiah, Shadrach; to Mishael, Meshach; and to Azariah, Abednego.
8But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the king’s delicacies, nor with the wine which he drank. Therefore he requested of the prince of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself.
9Now God made Daniel find kindness and compassion in the sight of the prince of the eunuchs.
10The prince of the eunuchs said to Daniel, “I fear my lord the king, who has appointed your food and your drink. For why should he see your faces worse looking than the youths who are of your own age? Then you would endanger my head with the king.”
11Then Daniel said to the steward whom the prince of the eunuchs had appointed over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah:
12“Test your servants, I beg you, ten days; and let them give us vegetables to eat and water to drink.
13Then let our faces be examined before you, and the face of the youths who eat of the king’s delicacies; and as you see, deal with your servants.”
14So he listened to them in this matter, and tested them for ten days.
15At the end of ten days, their faces appeared fairer and they were fatter in flesh than all the youths who ate of the king’s delicacies.
16So the steward took away their delicacies and the wine that they were given to drink, and gave them vegetables.
17Now as for these four youths, God gave them knowledge and skill in all learning and wisdom; and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams.
18At the end of the days which the king had appointed for bringing them in, the prince of the eunuchs brought them in before Nebuchadnezzar.
19The king talked with them; and among them all was found no one like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. Therefore they stood before the king.
20In every matter of wisdom and understanding concerning which the king inquired of them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters who were in all his realm.
21Daniel continued even to the first year of King Cyrus.
Jerusalem besieged. “In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it” (v. 1). Then the passage says: “The Lord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand, with some of the vessels of the house of God” (v. 2).
Young men in the palace. The king told the master of his eunuchs to “bring in some of the children of Israel, even of the royal offspring and of the nobles” (v. 3), and “that he should teach them the learning and the language of the Chaldeans” (v. 4). “The king appointed for them a daily portion of the king’s delicacies and of the wine which he drank, and that they should be nourished three years” (v. 5).
New names. “The prince of the eunuchs gave names to them: to Daniel he gave the name Belteshazzar; to Hananiah, Shadrach; to Mishael, Meshach; and to Azariah, Abednego” (v. 7). What these names mean, the passage does not say.
Purposed in his heart. “But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the king’s delicacies, nor with the wine which he drank. Therefore he requested of the prince of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself” (v. 8). Why the king’s food would defile him, the passage does not say.
Kindness and compassion. “Now God made Daniel find kindness and compassion in the sight of the prince of the eunuchs” (v. 9). Yet the prince of the eunuchs said, “I fear my lord the king, who has appointed your food and your drink” (v. 10).
Ten days. Daniel said to the steward, “Test your servants, I beg you, ten days; and let them give us vegetables to eat and water to drink” (v. 12). “At the end of ten days, their faces appeared fairer and they were fatter in flesh than all the youths who ate of the king’s delicacies” (v. 15).
Knowledge and skill. “Now as for these four youths, God gave them knowledge and skill in all learning and wisdom; and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams” (v. 17). When the king questioned them, “he found them ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters who were in all his realm” (v. 20).
Afterwards. “Daniel continued even to the first year of King Cyrus” (v. 21). The next lesson reads what happened after “In the second year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar, Nebuchadnezzar dreamed dreams; and his spirit was troubled, and his sleep went from him” (Dan 2:1).
The book of Kings records: “In his days Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came up, and Jehoiakim became his servant for three years. Then he turned and rebelled against him” (2 Kgs 24:1).
Readers can see this: the book of Daniel begins, “In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it” (v. 1).
Perhaps you have left home: to study or work somewhere else, or to live in another country. The language is different, the food is different, and even the name people call you is not the same. Or perhaps you have not left home at all, yet in some place you feel you do not fit.
This lesson does not say that in a foreign land the right thing is to cut yourself off from everything around you; nor does it say that if you hold on to something you will surely be valued for it. What it shows you is this: “The Lord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand” (v. 2); in Babylon, “Daniel purposed in his heart” (v. 8); and “God made Daniel find kindness and compassion in the sight of the prince of the eunuchs” (v. 9).
This week: Think of one thing you want to hold on to where you are now. Pray about it once each day this week; and if you would like to, tell a brother or sister in Christ about it and ask them to pray for you too.
Scripture: World English Bible.