But Daniel resolved not to defile(A) himself with the royal food and wine, and he asked the chief official for permission not to defile himself this way. Now God had caused the official to show favor(B) and compassion(C) to Daniel, 10 but the official told Daniel, “I am afraid of my lord the king, who has assigned your[a] food and drink.(D) Why should he see you looking worse than the other young men your age? The king would then have my head because of you.”

11 Daniel then said to the guard whom the chief official had appointed over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah, 12 “Please test(E) your servants for ten days: Give us nothing but vegetables to eat and water to drink. 13 Then compare our appearance with that of the young men who eat the royal food, and treat your servants in accordance with what you see.”(F)

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Footnotes

  1. Daniel 1:10 The Hebrew for your and you in this verse is plural.

12 He did this because Daniel, whom the king called Belteshazzar,(A) was found to have a keen mind and knowledge and understanding, and also the ability to interpret dreams, explain riddles(B) and solve difficult problems.(C) Call for Daniel, and he will tell you what the writing means.(D)

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At this, the administrators and the satraps tried to find grounds for charges(A) against Daniel in his conduct of government affairs, but they were unable to do so. They could find no corruption in him, because he was trustworthy and neither corrupt nor negligent.

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So I turned to the Lord God and pleaded with him in prayer and petition, in fasting,(A) and in sackcloth and ashes.(B)

I prayed to the Lord my God and confessed:(C)

“Lord, the great and awesome God,(D) who keeps his covenant of love(E) with those who love him and keep his commandments, we have sinned(F) and done wrong.(G) We have been wicked and have rebelled; we have turned away(H) from your commands and laws.(I) We have not listened(J) to your servants the prophets,(K) who spoke in your name to our kings, our princes and our ancestors,(L) and to all the people of the land.

“Lord, you are righteous,(M) but this day we are covered with shame(N)—the people of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem and all Israel, both near and far, in all the countries where you have scattered(O) us because of our unfaithfulness(P) to you.(Q) We and our kings, our princes and our ancestors are covered with shame, Lord, because we have sinned against you.(R) The Lord our God is merciful and forgiving,(S) even though we have rebelled against him;(T) 10 we have not obeyed the Lord our God or kept the laws he gave us through his servants the prophets.(U) 11 All Israel has transgressed(V) your law(W) and turned away, refusing to obey you.

“Therefore the curses(X) and sworn judgments(Y) written in the Law of Moses, the servant of God, have been poured out on us, because we have sinned(Z) against you. 12 You have fulfilled(AA) the words spoken against us and against our rulers by bringing on us great disaster.(AB) Under the whole heaven nothing has ever been done like(AC) what has been done to Jerusalem.(AD) 13 Just as it is written in the Law of Moses, all this disaster has come on us, yet we have not sought the favor of the Lord(AE) our God by turning from our sins and giving attention to your truth.(AF) 14 The Lord did not hesitate to bring the disaster(AG) on us, for the Lord our God is righteous in everything he does;(AH) yet we have not obeyed him.(AI)

15 “Now, Lord our God, who brought your people out of Egypt with a mighty hand(AJ) and who made for yourself a name(AK) that endures to this day, we have sinned, we have done wrong. 16 Lord, in keeping with all your righteous acts,(AL) turn away(AM) your anger and your wrath(AN) from Jerusalem,(AO) your city, your holy hill.(AP) Our sins and the iniquities of our ancestors have made Jerusalem and your people an object of scorn(AQ) to all those around us.

17 “Now, our God, hear the prayers and petitions of your servant. For your sake, Lord, look with favor(AR) on your desolate sanctuary. 18 Give ear,(AS) our God, and hear;(AT) open your eyes and see(AU) the desolation of the city that bears your Name.(AV) We do not make requests of you because we are righteous, but because of your great mercy.(AW) 19 Lord, listen! Lord, forgive!(AX) Lord, hear and act! For your sake,(AY) my God, do not delay, because your city and your people bear your Name.”

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