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1. Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and surrounded it with his army. This happened during the third year that Jehoiakim was king of Judah.
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1. In the third H7969 year H8141 of the reign H4438 of Jehoiakim H3079 king H4428 of Judah H3063 came H935 Nebuchadnezzar H5019 king H4428 of Babylon H894 unto Jerusalem H3389 , and besieged H6696 H5921 it.
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2. The Lord allowed Nebuchadnezzar to defeat Jehoiakim king of Judah. Nebuchadnezzar took all the dishes and other things from God's Temple and carried them to Babylon. He put those things in the temple of his gods.
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2. And the Lord H136 gave H5414 H853 Jehoiakim H3079 king H4428 of Judah H3063 into his hand H3027 , with part H4480 H7117 of the vessels H3627 of the house H1004 of God H430 : which he carried into H935 the land H776 of Shinar H8152 to the house H1004 of his god H430 ; and he brought H935 the vessels H3627 into the treasure H214 house H1004 of his god H430 .
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3. Then King Nebuchadnezzar ordered Ashpenaz, the man in charge of his officials, to bring some of the boys into the palace to train them. He was to include boys from among the Israelites, from important Judean families, and from the royal family of Judah.
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3. And the king H4428 spoke H559 unto Ashpenaz H828 the master H7227 of his eunuchs H5631 , that he should bring H935 certain of the children H4480 H1121 of Israel H3478 , and of the king's seed H4480 H2233 H4410 , and of H4480 the princes H6579 ;
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4. King Nebuchadnezzar wanted only healthy boys who did not have any bruises, scars, or anything wrong with their bodies. He wanted handsome, smart young men who were able to learn things quickly and easily to serve in his palace. He told Ashpenaz to teach these young men the language and writings of the Chaldeans.
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4. Children H3206 in whom H834 was no H369 H3605 blemish H3971 , but well favored H2896 H4758 , and skillful H7919 in all H3605 wisdom H2451 , and cunning H3045 in knowledge H1847 , and understanding H995 science H4093 , and such H834 as had ability H3581 in them to stand H5975 in the king H4428 's palace H1964 , and whom they might teach H3925 the learning H5612 and the tongue H3956 of the Chaldeans H3778 .
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5. King Nebuchadnezzar gave the young men a certain amount of food and wine every day. This was the same kind of food that he ate. He wanted them to be trained for three years. After that, they would become servants of the king of Babylon.
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5. And the king H4428 appointed H4487 them a daily H3117 H3117 provision H1697 of the king's meat H4480 H6598 H4428 , and of the wine H4480 H3196 which he drank H4960 : so nourishing H1431 them three H7969 years H8141 , that at the end H4480 H7117 thereof they might stand H5975 before H6440 the king H4428 .
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6. Among those young men were Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah from the tribe of Judah.
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6. Now among these were H1961 of the children H4480 H1121 of Judah H3063 , Daniel H1840 , Hananiah H2608 , Mishael H4332 , and Azariah H5838 :
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7. Ashpenaz gave them Babylonian names. Daniel's new name was Belteshazzar, Hananiah's was Shadrach, Mishael's was Meshach, and Azariah's was Abednego.
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7. Unto whom the prince H8269 of the eunuchs H5631 gave H7760 names H8034 : for he gave H7760 unto Daniel H1840 the name of Belteshazzar H1095 ; and to Hananiah H2608 , of Shadrach H7714 ; and to Mishael H4332 , of Meshach H4335 ; and to Azariah H5838 , of Abed H5664 -nego.
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8. Daniel did not want to eat the king's rich food and wine because it would make him unclean. So he asked Ashpenaz for permission not to make himself unclean in this way.
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8. But Daniel H1840 purposed H7760 in H5921 his heart H3820 that H834 he would not H3808 defile himself H1351 with the portion of the king's meat H6598 H4428 , nor with the wine H3196 which he drank H4960 : therefore he requested H1245 of the prince H4480 H8269 of the eunuchs H5631 that H834 he might not H3808 defile himself H1351 .
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9. God caused Ashpenaz, the man in charge of the officials, to be kind and loyal to Daniel.
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9. Now God H430 had brought H5414 H853 Daniel H1840 into favor H2617 and tender love H7356 with H6440 the prince H8269 of the eunuchs H5631 .
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10. But Ashpenaz told Daniel, "I am afraid of my master, the king. He ordered me to give you this food and drink. If you don't eat this food, you will begin to look weak and sick. You will look worse than other young men your age. The king will see this, and he will become angry with me. He might cut off my head. And it would be your fault."
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10. And the prince H8269 of the eunuchs H5631 said H559 unto Daniel H1840 , I H589 fear H3372 H853 my lord H113 the king H4428 , who H834 hath appointed H4487 H853 your meat H3978 and your drink H4960 : for H834 why H4100 should he see H7200 H853 your faces H6440 worse liking H2196 than H4480 the children H3206 which H834 are of your sort H1524 ? then shall ye make me endanger H2325 H853 my head H7218 to the king H4428 .
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11. Then Daniel talked to the guardian who Ashpenaz had put in charge of Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah.
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11. Then said H559 Daniel H1840 to H413 Melzar H4453 , whom H834 the prince H8269 of the eunuchs H5631 had set H4487 over H5921 Daniel H1840 , Hananiah H2608 , Mishael H4332 , and Azariah H5838 ,
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12. He said, "Please give us this test for ten days: Don't give us anything but vegetables to eat and water to drink.
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12. Prove H5254 H853 thy servants H5650 , I beseech thee H4994 , ten H6235 days H3117 ; and let them give H5414 us pulse H2235 to eat H398 , and water H4325 to drink H8354 .
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13. Then after ten days, compare us with the other young men who eat the king's food. See for yourself who looks healthier, and then decide how you want to treat us, your servants."
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13. Then let our countenances H4758 be looked upon H7200 before H6440 thee , and the countenance H4758 of the children H3206 that eat H398 H853 of the portion of the king's meat H6598 H4428 : and as H834 thou seest H7200 , deal H6213 with H5973 thy servants H5650 .
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14. So the guardian agreed to test Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah for ten days.
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14. So he consented H8085 to them in this H2088 matter H1697 , and proved H5254 them ten H6235 days H3117 .
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15. After ten days, Daniel and his friends looked healthier than all the young men who ate the king's food.
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15. And at the end H4480 H7117 of ten H6235 days H3117 their countenances H4758 appeared H7200 fairer H2896 and fatter H1277 in flesh H1320 than H4480 all H3605 the children H3206 which did eat H398 H853 the portion of the king's meat H6598 H4428 .
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16. So the guardian continued to take away the king's special food and wine and to give only vegetables to Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah.
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16. Thus Melzar H4453 took away H5375 H853 the portion of their meat H6598 , and the wine H3196 that they should drink H4960 ; and gave H5414 them pulse H2235 .
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17. God gave these four young men the wisdom and ability to learn many different kinds of writing and science. Daniel could also understand all kinds of visions and dreams.
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17. As for these H428 four H702 children H3206 , God H430 gave H5414 them knowledge H4093 and skill H7919 in all H3605 learning H5612 and wisdom H2451 : and Daniel H1840 had understanding H995 in all H3605 visions H2377 and dreams H2472 .
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18. At the end of the three years of training, Ashpenaz brought all the young men to King Nebuchadnezzar.
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18. Now at the end H4480 H7117 of the days H3117 that H834 the king H4428 had said H559 he should bring them in H935 , then the prince H8269 of the eunuchs H5631 brought them in H935 before H6440 Nebuchadnezzar H5019 .
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19. The king talked to them and found that none of the young men were as good as Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. So these four young men became the king's servants.
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19. And the king H4428 communed H1696 with H854 them ; and among them all H4480 H3605 was found H4672 none H3808 like Daniel H1840 , Hananiah H2608 , Mishael H4332 , and Azariah H5838 : therefore stood H5975 they before H6440 the king H4428 .
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20. Every time the king asked them about something important, they showed great wisdom and understanding. The king found they were ten times better than all the magicians and wise men in his kingdom.
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20. And in all H3605 matters H1697 of wisdom H2451 and understanding H998 , that H834 the king H4428 inquired H1245 of H4480 them , he found H4672 them ten H6235 times H3027 better than H5921 all H3605 the magicians H2748 and astrologers H825 that H834 were in all H3605 his realm H4438 .
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21. So Daniel served the king until the first year that Cyrus was king.
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21. And Daniel H1840 continued H1961 even unto H5704 the first H259 year H8141 of king H4428 Cyrus H3566 .
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