1In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it. 2And the Lord gave Jehoiakim, king of Judah, into his hand, with part of the vessels of the house of God, which he carried into the land of Shinar to the house of his god. And he brought the vessels into the treasure house of his god. 3And the king spoke to Ashpenaz, the chief of his officials that he should bring some of the sons of Israel, and of the king's seed, and of the nobles, 4young men in whom was no blemish, but who were of good appearance and having understanding in all wisdom, having knowledge and understanding science, even those with ability in them to stand in the king's palace; to teach them the literature and language of the Chaldeans. 5And the king appointed for them a daily portion every day, from the king's food, and of the wine which he drank, even to raise them three years, so that at the end of that time they might stand before the king. 6And there were among those of the sons of Judah, Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, 7to whom the chief of the officials gave names. For he called Daniel, Belteshazzar; and Hananiah, Shadrach; and Mishael, Meshach; and Azariah, Abednego. 8And Daniel determined in his heart that he would not defile himself with the king's food, or with the wine which he drank. So he asked of the chief of the officials that he might not defile himself. 9Now God had brought Daniel into kindness and compassion with the chief of the officials. 10And the chief of the officials said to Daniel, I fear my lord the king, who has appointed your food and your drink. For why should he see your faces looking worse than the other boys who are your age? Then you would endanger my head before the king. 11And Daniel said to Melzar, whom the chief of the officials had set over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, 12Please, test your servants ten days, and let us be given vegetables to eat, and water to drink. 13Then let our appearance be examined before you, and the appearance of the boys who eat of the king's food; and as you see fit, do so with your servants. 14And he consented to them in this matter and tested them ten days. 15And at the end of ten days their appearance looked better and fatter of flesh than all the boys who were eating the king's food. 16So Melzar took away their food and the wine that they were to drink, and he gave them vegetables. 17As for these four boys, God gave them knowledge and skill in all literature and wisdom. And Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams. 18And at the end of the days that the king had said that they should be brought in, the chief of the officials brought them in before Nebuchadnezzar. 19And the king talked with them. And among them all was found none like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. So they served before the king. 20And in any matter of wisdom and understanding that the king inquired of them, he found them to be ten times better than all the magicians and conjurers who were in all his kingdom. 21And Daniel continued to the first year of King Cyrus.
Jamieson Fausset Brown Bible Commentary 1 THE BABYLONIAN CAPTIVITY BEGINS; DANIEL'S EDUCATION AT BABYLON, &C. (Dan. 1:1-21)
third year--compare
Jer 25:1, "the fourth year; Jehoiakim came to the throne at the end of the year, which Jeremiah reckons as the first year, but which Daniel leaves out of count, being an incomplete year: thus, in Jeremiah, it is "the fourth year"; in Daniel, "the third" [JAHN]. However, Jeremiah (
Jer 25:1;
Jer 46:2) merely says, the fourth year of Jehoiakim coincided with the first of Nebuchadnezzar, when the latter conquered the Egyptians at Carchemish; not that the deportation of captives from Jerusalem was in the fourth year of Jehoiakim: this probably took place in the end of the third year of Jehoiakim, shortly before the battle of Carchemish [FAIRBAIRN]. Nebuchadnezzar took away the captives as hostages for the submission of the Hebrews. Historical Scripture gives no positive account of this first deportation, with which the Babylonian captivity, that is, Judah's subjection to Babylon for seventy years (
Jer 29:10), begins. But
2Chr 36:6-7, states that Nebuchadnezzar had intended "to carry Jehoiakim to Babylon," and that he "carried off the vessels of the house of the Lord" thither. But Jehoiakim died at Jerusalem, before the conqueror's intention as to him was carried into effect (
Jer 22:18-
Jer 22:19;
Jer 36:30), and his dead body, as was foretold, was dragged out of the gates by the Chaldean besiegers, and left unburied. The second deportation under Jehoiachin was eight years later.
2 Shinar--the old name of Babylonia (
Gen 11:2;
Gen 14:1;
Isa 11:11;
Zech 5:11). Nebuchadnezzar took only "part of the vessels," as he did not intend wholly to overthrow the state, but to make it tributary, and to leave such vessels as were absolutely needed for the public worship of Jehovah. Subsequently all were taken away and were restored under Cyrus (
Ezra 1:7).
his god--Bel. His temple, as was often the case among the heathen, was made "treasure house" of the king.
3 master of . . . eunuchs--called in Turkey the kislar aga.
of the king's seed--compare the prophecy,
2Kgs 20:17-18.
4 no blemish--A handsome form was connected, in Oriental ideas, with mental power. "Children" means youths of twelve or fourteen years old.
teach . . . tongue of . . . Chaldeans--their language and literature, the Aramaic-Babylonian. That the heathen lore was not altogether valueless appears from the Egyptian magicians who opposed Moses; the Eastern Magi who sought Jesus, and who may have drawn the tradition as to the "King of the Jews" from
Dan 9:24, &c., written in the East. As Moses was trained in the learning of the Egyptian sages, so Daniel in that of the Chaldeans, to familiarize his mind with mysterious lore, and so develop his heaven-bestowed gift of understanding in visions (
Dan 1:4-
Dan 1:5,
Dan 1:17).
5 king's meat--It is usual for an Eastern king to entertain, from the food of his table, many retainers and royal captives (
Jer 52:33-
Jer 52:34). The Hebrew for "meat" implies delicacies.
stand before the king--as attendant courtiers; not as eunuchs.
6 children of Judah--the most noble tribe, being that to which the "king's seed" belonged (compare
Dan 1:3).
7 gave names--designed to mark their new relation, that so they might forget their former religion and country (
Gen 41:45). But as in Joseph's case (whom Pharaoh called Zaphnath-paaneah), so in Daniel's, the name indicative of his relation to a heathen court ("Belteshazzar," that is, "Bel's prince"), however flattering to him, is not the one retained by Scripture, but the name marking his relation to God ("Daniel," God my Judge, the theme of his prophecies being God's judgment on the heathen world powers).
Hananiah--that is, "whom Jehovah hath favored."
Shadrach--from Rak, in Babylonian, "the King," that is, "the Sun"; the same root as in Abrech (
Gen 41:43, Margin), inspired or illumined by the Sun-god."
Mishael--that is, "who is what God is?" Who is comparable to God?
Meshach--The Babylonians retained the first syllable of Mishael, the Hebrew name; but for El, that is, GOD, substituted Shak, the Babylonian goddess, called Sheshach (
Jer 25:26;
Jer 51:41), answering to the Earth, or else Venus, the goddess of love and mirth; it was during her feast that Cyrus took Babylon.
Azariah--that is, "whom Jehovah helps."
Abed-nego--that is, "servant of the shining fire." Thus, instead of to Jehovah, these His servants were dedicated by the heathen to their four leading gods [HERODOTUS, Clio]; Bel, the Chief-god, the Sun-god, Earth-god, and Fire-god. To the last the three youths were consigned when refusing to worship the golden image (
Dan 3:12). The Chaldee version translates "Lucifer," in
Isa 14:12, Nogea, the same as Nego. The names thus at the outset are significant of the seeming triumph, but sure downfall, of the heathen powers before Jehovah and His people.
8 Daniel . . . would not defile himself with . . . king's meat--Daniel is specified as being the leader in the "purpose" (the word implies a decided resolution) to abstain from defilement, thus manifesting a character already formed for prophetical functions. The other three youths, no doubt, shared in his purpose. It was the custom to throw a small part of the viands and wine upon the earth, as an initiatory offering to the gods, so as to consecrate to them the whole entertainment (compare
Deut 32:38). To have partaken of such a feast would have been to sanction idolatry, and was forbidden even after the legal distinction of clean and unclean meats was done away (
1Cor 8:7,
1Cor 8:10;
1Cor 10:27-28). Thus the faith of these youths was made instrumental in overruling the evil foretold against the Jews (
Ezek 4:13;
Hos 9:3), to the glory of God. Daniel and his three friends, says AUBERLEN, stand out like an oasis in the desert. Like Moses, Daniel "chose rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season" (
Heb 11:25; see Dan. 9:3-19). He who is to interpret divine revelations must not feed on the dainties, nor drink from the intoxicating cup, of this world. This made him as dear a name to his countrymen as Noah and Job, who also stood alone in their piety among a perverse generation (
Ezek 14:14;
Ezek 28:3).
requested--While decided in principle, we ought to seek our object by gentleness, rather than by an ostentatious testimony, which, under the plea of faithfulness, courts opposition.
9 God . . . brought Daniel into favour--The favor of others towards the godly is the doing of God. So in Joseph's case (
Gen 39:21). Especially towards Israel (
Ps 106:46; compare
Pro 16:7).
10 worse liking--looking less healthy.
your sort--of your age, or class; literally, "circle."
endanger my head--An arbitrary Oriental despot could, in a fit of wrath at his orders having been disobeyed, command the offender to be instantly decapitated.
11 Melzar--rather, the steward, or chief butler, entrusted by Ashpenaz with furnishing the daily portion to the youths [GESENIUS]. The word is still in use in Persia.
12 pulse--The Hebrew expresses any vegetable grown from seeds, that is, vegetable food in general [GESENIUS].
13 Illustrating
Deut 8:3, "Man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the Lord."
17 God gave them knowledge-- (
Exod 31:2-
Exod 31:3;
1Kgs 3:12;
Job 32:8;
Jas 1:5,
Jas 1:17).
Daniel had understanding in . . . dreams--God thus made one of the despised covenant-people eclipse the Chaldean sages in the very science on which they most prided themselves. So Joseph in the court of Pharaoh (
Gen 40:5;
Gen 41:1-
Gen 41:8). Daniel, in these praises of his own "understanding," speaks not through vanity, but by the direction of God, as one transported out of himself. See my Introduction, "CONTENTS OF THE BOOK."
18 brought them in--that is, not only Daniel and his three friends, but other youths (
Dan 1:3,
Dan 1:19, "among them all").
19 stood . . . before the king--that is, were advanced to a position of favor near the throne.
20 ten times--literally, "ten hands."
magicians--properly, "sacred scribes, skilled in the sacred writings, a class of Egyptian priests" [GESENIUS]; from a Hebrew root, "a pen." The word in our English Version, "magicians," comes from mag, that is, "a priest." The Magi formed one of the six divisions of the Medes.
astrologers--Hebrew, "enchanters," from a root, "to conceal," pactisers of the occult arts.
21 Daniel continued . . . unto . . . first year of Cyrus-- (
2Chr 36:22;
Ezra 1:1). Not that he did not continue beyond that year, but the expression is designed to mark the fact that he who was one of the first captives taken to Babylon, lived to see the end of the captivity. See my Introduction, "SIGNIFICANCE OF THE BABYLONIAN CAPTIVITY." In
Dan 10:1 he is mentioned as living "in the third year of Cyrus." See Margin Note, on the use of "till" (
Ps 110:1,
Ps 112:8).
