Then the king ordered Ashpenaz, chief of his court officials, to bring into the king’s service some of the Israelites from the royal family and the nobility(A) young men without any physical defect, handsome,(B) showing aptitude for every kind of learning,(C) well informed, quick to understand, and qualified to serve in the king’s palace. He was to teach them the language(D) and literature of the Babylonians.[a] The king assigned them a daily amount of food and wine(E) from the king’s table.(F) They were to be trained for three years,(G) and after that they were to enter the king’s service.(H)

Among those who were chosen were some from Judah: Daniel,(I) Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah.(J) The chief official gave them new names: to Daniel, the name Belteshazzar;(K) to Hananiah, Shadrach; to Mishael, Meshach; and to Azariah, Abednego.(L)

But Daniel resolved not to defile(M) himself with the royal food and wine, and he asked the chief official for permission not to defile himself this way.

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Footnotes

  1. Daniel 1:4 Or Chaldeans

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