*In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah acame Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon unto Jerusalem, and besieged it. 2 *And the Lord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand, with bpart of the vessels of the house of God: which he carried cinto the land of Shinar to the house of his god; dand he brought the vessels into the treasure house of his god.

3 And the king spake unto Ashpenaz ethe master of his eunuchs, that he should bring *certain of the children of Israel, and of the king’s seed, and of fthe princes; 4 Children in whom was no gblemish, but well favoured, and hiskilful in all wisdom, and cunning in iknowledge, and understanding ikscience, and such as had ability in them to stand in the king’s palace, and lwhom they might teach imthe learning and the tongue of nthe Chaldeans. 5 And the king appointed them nna daily provision of othe king’s meat, and of †the wine which he drank: so nourishing them pthree years, that at the end thereof they might qstand before the king. 6 Now among these were of the children of Judah, Daniel, rHananiah, Mishael, and Azariah: 7 Unto whom the prince of the eunuchs sgave names: for he gave unto Daniel the name of tBelteshazzar; ttand to Hananiah, of Shadrach; and to Mishael, of Meshach; and to Azariah, of uAbed-nego.

8 But Daniel vpurposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with othe portion of the king’s wxmeat, nor with wythe wine which he drank: therefore he requested of the prince of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself.