fbpx

Daniel 1

Daniel’s Training in Babylon

1 In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it. 2 And the Lord delivered Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand, along with some of the articles from the temple of God. These he carried off to the temple of his god in Babylonia and put in the treasure house of his god.
3 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— 4 young men without any physical defect, handsome, showing aptitude for every kind of learning, well informed, quick to understand, and qualified to serve in the king’s palace. He was to teach them the language and literature of the Babylonians. 5 The king assigned them a daily amount of food and wine from the king’s table. They were to be trained for three years, and after that they were to enter the king’s service.
6 Among those who were chosen were some from Judah: Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah. 7 The chief official gave them new names: to Daniel, the name Belteshazzar; to Hananiah, Shadrach; to Mishael, Meshach; and to Azariah, Abednego.
8 But Daniel resolved not to defile himself with the royal food and wine, and he asked the chief official for permission not to defile himself this way. 9 Now God had caused the official to show favor and compassion to Daniel, 10 but the official told Daniel, “I am afraid of my lord the king, who has assigned your food and drink. 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 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.” 14 So he agreed to this and tested them for ten days.
15 At the end of the ten days they looked healthier and better nourished than any of the young men who ate the royal food. 16 So the guard took away their choice food and the wine they were to drink and gave them vegetables instead.
17 To these four young men God gave knowledge and understanding of all kinds of literature and learning. And Daniel could understand visions and dreams of all kinds.
18 At the end of the time set by the king to bring them into his service, the chief official presented them to Nebuchadnezzar. 19 The king talked with them, and he found none equal to Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah; so they entered the king’s service. 20 In every matter of wisdom and understanding about which the king questioned them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters in his whole kingdom.
21 And Daniel remained there until the first year of King Cyrus.

Scripture quotations taken from The Holy Bible, New International Version® NIV® Copyright © 1973 1978 1984 2011 by Biblica, Inc. TM Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Verse of the Day


And our hope for you is firm, because we know that just as you share in our sufferings, so also you share in our comfort.

2 Corinthians 1:7

Bible Verses for Anxiety

The symptoms of anxiety are pretty clear: sweaty palms, a racing heart, spinning thoughts, and a pit in your stomach. When anxiety strikes, it can make you feel helpless and alone. Thankfully, there are many Bible verses for anxiety that can help you in those stressful moments.
Read More

Spiritual Warfare Prayers

Some Christians are scared of spiritual warfare. But there is no need to be afraid because God has promised to protect and provide for us. So, we can say spiritual warfare prayers with the full assurance that God will help us no matter what we’re up against.
Read More

Prayer of Forgiveness

One of my favorite board games growing up was “Sorry!” For some reason, I really enjoyed knocking someone’s piece off the board and saying, “Sorry!” with a big smile on my face. Unfortunately, in real life, saying sorry and extending forgiveness isn’t as easy (or fun).
Read More

Glory Be Prayer

Many Christians have memorized the Glory Be Prayer. It is a beautiful prayer with an ancient history that packs a powerful message. If you memorized it as a child, it’s time to rediscover it as an adult. 
Read More

Biblically Accurate God

Did you know that the word “God” appears over 4,000 times in the Bible? Clearly, there is a lot to learn about Him! But don’t get overwhelmed by the details and debates because understanding a biblically accurate God doesn’t need to be difficult.
Read More

Prayer for My Son

When parenting is really hard, sometimes the only prayer I can muster is, “Help!” I’m thankful God hears those desperate pleas. Then there are other times that I want to pray for my son more intentionally but am not sure what to say.
Read More

Psalm 35 – A Prayer of Vindication, Justice, and Love

It can be difficult to pray when you’re angry, sad, or worried. Sometimes the deepest, strongest emotions are the hardest to express. Thankfully, Psalm 35 shows us how to work through our pain with God.
Read More

Why Does God Allow Suffering

Faith seems pretty simple when we’re singing, “Jesus loves me, this I know.” But, it can be hard to stay faithful during the more challenging moments of life. We’re left wondering: Why does God allow suffering?
Read More

Battle Ready Prayer

My thoughts swam restless laps in my brain, crashing into my emotions and running into rocks of fear and doubt. I was lost and scared– even my vision was blurry. Where are you, God?
Read More

God Gives His Toughest Battles to his Strongest Soldiers

There’s a popular saying that God gives His toughest battles to His strongest soldiers. This is like a rallying cry that encourages us to keep fighting through difficult times. But, is this statement true?
Read More