Daniel 1

King James Version (1769) · Tap a verse to see it in context

About this chapter

AI-assisted, sourced

Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon besieges Jerusalem, and "the Lord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand." Young men of Judah, among them Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah, are taken to be trained for the king's service and given Babylonian names. Daniel "purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king's meat," and after a ten-day test God gives the four knowledge and wisdom "ten times better" than all the king's wise men. Daniel 1:1 Daniel 1:2 Daniel 1:3 Daniel 1:6 Daniel 1:7 Daniel 1:8 Daniel 1:17 Daniel 1:20

Who, where, when, and the key verses

Who

Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon; Ashpenaz, master of his eunuchs; Melzar, set over the young men; and Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah, renamed Belteshazzar, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. Daniel 1:1 Daniel 1:3 Daniel 1:6 Daniel 1:7 Daniel 1:11

Where

It begins at Jerusalem, which Nebuchadnezzar besieged, and moves to Babylon in "the land of Shinar," where the young men are trained to stand in the king's palace. Daniel 1:1 Daniel 1:2 Daniel 1:4 Jerusalem Shinar Babylon 1

When

"In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah," about 605 BC. The chapter ends noting that Daniel "continued even unto the first year of king Cyrus." Traditionally written by Daniel in the 500s BC. Many critical scholars date the book's final form to about 167-164 BC. Daniel 1:1 Daniel 1:21 Daniel overview

How it fits

This first chapter sets the scene for the whole book: Daniel and his friends in Babylon, faithful and given wisdom by God. Chapter 2 begins with Nebuchadnezzar's troubling dream. Daniel 1:17 Daniel 1:20 Daniel 2:1 Daniel overview

Key verses

Verse 2
"The Lord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand." The exile is God's doing, as 2 Kings 24:2 says the LORD sent the raiders "according to the word of the LORD." Daniel 1:2 2 Kings 24:2
Verse 8
"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." He asks permission rather than defying the official. Daniel 1:8 Daniel 1:12
Verse 17
"God gave them knowledge and skill in all learning and wisdom: and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams." Their success is God's gift. Daniel 1:9 Daniel 1:17

Takeaway

Even far from home and under foreign rule, decide in your heart to stay faithful to God, and trust him for the outcome. Daniel 1:8 Daniel 1:9 Daniel 1:17

Drafted by AI from the Scripture and data shown under “Show sources,” then checked automatically and by a separate AI reader. Updated 2026-10-29.

Jerusalem besieged

¹In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah came Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon unto 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.

Chosen for the king's court

³And the king spake unto Ashpenaz the master of his eunuchs, that he should bring certain of the children of Israel, and of the king’s seed, and of the princes; ⁴Children in whom was no blemish, but well favoured, and skilful in all wisdom, and cunning in knowledge, and understanding science, and such as had ability in them to stand in the king’s palace, and whom they might teach the learning and the tongue of the Chaldeans. ⁵And 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. ⁶Now among these were of the children of Judah, Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah: ⁷Unto whom the prince of the eunuchs gave names: for he gave unto Daniel the name of Belteshazzar; and to Hananiah, of Shadrach; and to Mishael, of Meshach; and to Azariah, of Abednego.

Daniel will not defile himself

⁸But 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. ⁹Now God had brought Daniel into favour and tender love with the prince of the eunuchs. ¹⁰And the prince of the eunuchs said unto Daniel, I fear my lord the king, who hath appointed your meat and your drink: for why should he see your faces worse liking than the children which are of your sort? then shall ye make me endanger my head to the king. ¹¹Then said Daniel to Melzar, whom the prince of the eunuchs had set over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, ¹²Prove thy servants, I beseech thee, ten days; and let them give us pulse to eat, and water to drink. ¹³Then let our countenances be looked upon before thee, and the countenance of the children that eat of the portion of the king’s meat: and as thou seest, deal with thy servants. ¹⁴So he consented to them in this matter, and proved them ten days. ¹⁵And 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. ¹⁶Thus Melzar took away the portion of their meat, and the wine that they should drink; and gave them pulse.

Wisdom from God

¹⁷As for these four children, God gave them knowledge and skill in all learning and wisdom: and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams. ¹⁸Now 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. ¹⁹And the king communed with them; and among them all was found none like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah: therefore stood they before the king. ²⁰And in all matters of wisdom and understanding, that the king enquired of them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and astrologers that were in all his realm. ²¹And Daniel continued even unto the first year of king Cyrus.