In the third year of the reign of Yehoyaqim king of Yehudah, Nevukhadnetstsar king of Bavel came to Yerushalayim and besieged it.

And Adonai gave Yehoyaqim king of Yehudah into his hand, along with some of the vessels of the house of Elohim, and he brought them to the land of Shinar, to the house of his elohim, and the vessels he brought into the treasury house of his elohim.

Then the king spoke to Ashpenaz, chief of his eunuchs, to bring some of the sons of Yisra'el, and some of the royal seed, and of the nobles.

Children in whom there is no blemish, but good in appearance, and skillful in all wisdom, and knowledgeable, and understanding knowledge, and who have strength in them to stand in the king's palace, and to be taught the writing and the language of the Kasdim.

And the king appointed for them a daily provision, from the king's rich food and from his wine of his drinking, and to raise them for three years, and at the end of that time some of them would stand before the king.

And among them were some of the sons of Yehudah: Dani'el, Ḥananyah, Mishael, and Azaryah.

And the chief of the eunuchs gave them names; and he gave to Dani'el, Belteshazzar; and to Ḥananyah, Shadrach; and to Mishael, Meshach; and to Azaryah, 'Aved-Nego.

But Dani'el purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the king's rich food or with his wine of his drinking, so he asked the chief of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself.

And Elohim granted Dani'el favor and compassion before the chief of the eunuchs.

And the chief of the eunuchs said to Dani'el, 'I fear my Adonai the king, who has appointed your food and your drink; for why should he see your faces looking worse than the children your age? Then you would make me guilty before the king.'

Then Dani'el said to the overseer whom the chief of the eunuchs had appointed over Dani'el, Ḥananyah, Mishael, and Azaryah,

'Please test your servants for ten days, and let them give us vegetables to eat and water to drink.'

'Then let our appearance be seen before you, and the appearance of the children who eat the king's rich food; and as you see, deal with your servants.'

So he listened to them in this matter and tested them for ten days.

And at the end of ten days, their appearance was seen to be better and healthier in body than all the children who ate the king's rich food.

So the overseer continued to remove their rich food and their wine of their drinking and gave them vegetables.

And as for these four children, Elohim gave them knowledge and skill in all writing and wisdom; and Dani'el understood all visions and dreams.

And at the end of the days that the king had appointed for bringing them in, the chief of the eunuchs brought them in before Nevukhadnetstsar.

And the king spoke with them, and among all of them, none was found like Dani'el, Ḥananyah, Mishael, and Azaryah; so they stood before the king.

And in every matter of wisdom and understanding that the king inquired of them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters who were in all his kingdom.

And Dani'el continued until the first year of King Koresh.