The Book of Daniel, Chapter 1דניאל 1

בִּשְׁנַ֣ת שָׁל֔וֹשׁ לְמַלְכ֖וּת יְהוֹיָקִ֣ים מֶֽלֶךְ יְהוּדָ֑ה בָּ֣א נְבוּכַדְנֶאצַּ֧ר מֶֽלֶךְ בָּבֶ֛ל יְרוּשָׁלִַ֖ם וַיָּ֥צַר עָלֶֽיהָ

In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah came Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon to Jerusalem, and besieged it.

וַיִּתֵּן֩ אֲדֹנָ֨י בְּיָד֜וֹ אֶת יְהוֹיָקִ֣ים מֶֽלֶךְ יְהוּדָ֗ה וּמִקְצָת֙ כְּלֵ֣י בֵית הָֽאֱלֹהִ֔ים וַיְבִיאֵ֥ם אֶֽרֶץ שִׁנְעָ֖ר בֵּ֣ית אֱלֹהָ֑יו וְאֶת הַכֵּלִ֣ים הֵבִ֔יא בֵּ֖ית אוֹצַ֥ר אֱלֹהָֽיו

And YHWH 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.

וַיֹּ֣אמֶר הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ לְאַשְׁפְּנַ֖ז רַ֣ב סָרִיסָ֑יו לְהָבִ֞יא מִבְּנֵ֧י יִשְׂרָאֵ֛ל וּמִזֶּ֥רַע הַמְּלוּכָ֖ה וּמִן הַֽפַּרְתְּמִֽים

And the king spake to Ashpenaz the master of his eunuchs, that he should bring of the children of Israel, and of the king's seed, and of the princes;

יְלָדִ֣ים אֲשֶׁ֣ר אֵֽין בָּהֶ֣ם כָּל מאום מוּם֩ וְטוֹבֵ֨י מַרְאֶ֜ה וּמַשְׂכִּילִ֣ים בְּכָל חָכְמָ֗ה וְיֹ֤דְעֵי דַ֨עַת֙ וּמְבִינֵ֣י מַדָּ֔ע וַאֲשֶׁר֙ כֹּ֣חַ בָּהֶ֔ם לַעֲמֹ֖ד בְּהֵיכַ֣ל הַמֶּ֑לֶךְ וּֽלֲלַמְּדָ֥ם סֵ֖פֶר וּלְשׁ֥וֹן כַּשְׂדִּֽים

Children in whom no blemish, but well favoured, and skilful in all wisdom, and cunning in knowledge, and understanding science, and such as ability in them to stand in the king's palace, and whom they might teach the learning and the tongue of the Chaldeans.

וַיְמַן֩ לָהֶ֨ם הַמֶּ֜לֶךְ דְּבַר י֣וֹם בְּיוֹמ֗וֹ מִפַּת בַּ֤ג הַמֶּ֨לֶךְ֙ וּמִיֵּ֣ין מִשְׁתָּ֔יו וּֽלְגַדְּלָ֖ם שָׁנִ֣ים שָׁל֑וֹשׁ וּמִ֨קְצָתָ֔ם יַֽעַמְד֖וּ לִפְנֵ֥י הַמֶּֽלֶךְ

And the king appointed them a daily provision of the king's meat, and of the wine which he drank: so nourishing them three years, that at the end thereof they might stand before the king.

וַיְהִ֥י בָהֶ֖ם מִבְּנֵ֣י יְהוּדָ֑ה דָּנִיֵּ֣אל חֲנַנְיָ֔ה מִֽישָׁאֵ֖ל וַעֲזַרְיָֽה

Now among these were of the children of Judah, Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah:

וַיָּ֧שֶׂם לָהֶ֛ם שַׂ֥ר הַסָּרִיסִ֖ים שֵׁמ֑וֹת וַיָּ֨שֶׂם לְדָֽנִיֵּ֜אל בֵּ֣לְטְשַׁאצַּ֗ר וְלַֽחֲנַנְיָה֙ שַׁדְרַ֔ךְ וּלְמִֽישָׁאֵ֣ל מֵישַׁ֔ךְ וְלַעֲזַרְיָ֖ה עֲבֵ֥ד נְגֽוֹ

To whom the prince of the eunuchs gave names: for he gave to Daniel of Belteshazzar; and to Hananiah, of Shadrach; and to Mishael, of Meshach; and to Azariah, of Abednego.

וַיָּ֤שֶׂם דָּנִיֵּאל֙ עַל לִבּ֔וֹ אֲשֶׁ֧ר לֹֽא יִתְגָּאַ֛ל בְּפַתְבַּ֥ג הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ וּבְיֵ֣ין מִשְׁתָּ֑יו וַיְבַקֵּשׁ֙ מִשַּׂ֣ר הַסָּרִיסִ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֖ר לֹ֥א יִתְגָּאָֽל

But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king's meat, nor with the wine which he drank: therefore he requested of the prince of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself.

וַיִּתֵּ֤ן הָֽאֱלֹהִים֙ אֶת דָּ֣נִיֵּ֔אל לְחֶ֖סֶד וּֽלְרַחֲמִ֑ים לִפְנֵ֖י שַׂ֥ר הַסָּרִיסִֽים

Now God had brought Daniel into favour and tender love with the prince of the eunuchs.

וַיֹּ֜אמֶר שַׂ֤ר הַסָּרִיסִים֙ לְדָ֣נִיֵּ֔אל יָרֵ֤א אֲנִי֙ אֶת אֲדֹנִ֣י הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ אֲשֶׁ֣ר מִנָּ֔ה אֶת מַאֲכַלְכֶ֖ם וְאֶת מִשְׁתֵּיכֶ֑ם אֲשֶׁ֡ר לָמָּה֩ יִרְאֶ֨ה אֶת פְּנֵיכֶ֜ם זֹֽעֲפִ֗ים מִן הַיְלָדִים֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר כְּגִֽילְכֶ֔ם וְחִיַּבְתֶּ֥ם אֶת רֹאשִׁ֖י לַמֶּֽלֶךְ

And the prince of the eunuchs said to Daniel, I fear my lord the king, who has appointed your meat and your drink: for why should he see your faces worse liking than the children which of your sort? then shall you make endanger my head to the king.

וַיֹּ֥אמֶר דָּנִיֵּ֖אל אֶל הַמֶּלְצַ֑ר אֲשֶׁ֤ר מִנָּה֙ שַׂ֣ר הַסָּֽרִיסִ֔ים עַל דָּנִיֵּ֣אל חֲנַנְיָ֔ה מִֽישָׁאֵ֖ל וַעֲזַרְיָֽה

Then said Daniel to Melzar, whom the prince of the eunuchs had set over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah,

נַס נָ֥א אֶת עֲבָדֶ֖יךָ יָמִ֣ים עֲשָׂרָ֑ה וְיִתְּנוּ לָ֜נוּ מִן הַזֵּרֹעִ֛ים וְנֹאכְלָ֖ה וּמַ֥יִם וְנִשְׁתֶּֽה

Prove your servants, I beseech you, ten days; and let them give us pulse to eat, and water to drink.

וְיֵרָא֤וּ לְפָנֶ֨יךָ֙ מַרְאֵ֔ינוּ וּמַרְאֵה֙ הַיְלָדִ֔ים הָאֹ֣כְלִ֔ים אֵ֖ת פַּתְבַּ֣ג הַמֶּ֑לֶךְ וְכַאֲשֶׁ֣ר תִּרְאֵ֔ה עֲשֵׂ֖ה עִם עֲבָדֶֽיךָ

Then let our countenances be looked upon before you, and the countenance of the children that eat of the portion of the king's meat: and as you seest, deal with your servants.

וַיִּשְׁמַ֥ע לָהֶ֖ם לַדָּבָ֣ר הַזֶּ֑ה וַיְנַסֵּ֖ם יָמִ֥ים עֲשָׂרָֽה

So he consented to them in this matter, and proved them ten days.

וּמִקְצָת֙ יָמִ֣ים עֲשָׂרָ֔ה נִרְאָ֤ה מַרְאֵיהֶם֙ ט֔וֹב וּבְרִיאֵ֖י בָּשָׂ֑ר מִן כָּל הַיְלָדִ֔ים הָאֹ֣כְלִ֔ים אֵ֖ת פַּתְבַּ֥ג הַמֶּֽלֶךְ

And at the end of ten days their countenances appeared fairer and fatter in flesh than all the children which did eat the portion of the king's meat.

וַיְהִ֣י הַמֶּלְצַ֗ר נֹשֵׂא֙ אֶת פַּתְבָּגָ֔ם וְיֵ֖ין מִשְׁתֵּיהֶ֑ם וְנֹתֵ֥ן לָהֶ֖ם זֵרְעֹנִֽים

Thus Melzar took away the portion of their meat, and the wine that they should drink; and gave them pulse.

וְהַיְלָדִ֤ים הָאֵ֨לֶּה֙ אַרְבַּעְתָּ֔ם נָתַ֨ן לָהֶ֧ם הָֽאֱלֹהִ֛ים מַדָּ֥ע וְהַשְׂכֵּ֖ל בְּכָל סֵ֣פֶר וְחָכְמָ֑ה וְדָנִיֵּ֣אל הֵבִ֔ין בְּכָל חָז֖וֹן וַחֲלֹמֽוֹת

As for these four children, God gave them knowledge and skill in all learning and wisdom: and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams.

וּלְמִקְצָת֙ הַיָּמִ֔ים אֲשֶׁר אָמַ֥ר הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ לַהֲבִיאָ֑ם וַיְבִיאֵם֙ שַׂ֣ר הַסָּרִיסִ֔ים לִפְנֵ֖י נְבֻכַדְנֶצַּֽר

Now at the end of the days that the king had said he should bring them in, then the prince of the eunuchs brought them in before Nebuchadnezzar.

וַיְדַבֵּ֣ר אִתָּם֮ הַמֶּלֶךְ֒ וְלֹ֤א נִמְצָא֙ מִכֻּלָּ֔ם כְּדָנִיֵּ֣אל חֲנַנְיָ֔ה מִֽישָׁאֵ֖ל וַעֲזַרְיָ֑ה וַיַּֽעַמְד֖וּ לִפְנֵ֥י הַמֶּֽלֶךְ

And the king communed with them; and among them all was found none like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah: therefore stood they before the king.

וְכֹ֗ל דְּבַר֙ חָכְמַ֣ת בִּינָ֔ה אֲשֶׁר בִּקֵּ֥שׁ מֵהֶ֖ם הַמֶּ֑לֶךְ וַֽיִּמְצָאֵ֞ם עֶ֣שֶׂר יָד֗וֹת עַ֤ל כָּל הַֽחַרְטֻמִּים֙ הָֽאַשָּׁפִ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֖ר בְּכָל מַלְכוּתֽוֹ

And in all matters of wisdom understanding, that the king enquired of them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians astrologers that in all his realm.

וַֽיְהִי֙ דָּֽנִיֵּ֔אל עַד שְׁנַ֥ת אַחַ֖ת לְכ֥וֹרֶשׁ הַמֶּֽלֶךְ

And Daniel continued to the first year of king Cyrus.