Self-interpreting Bible

1 IN the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah ^acame Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon unto Jerusalem, and besieged it.

• a: 2Ki. 24:1 , 2Ch. 36:6 , 2Ch. 36:7 , De. 28:49 - 51

2 And the Lord ^bgave Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand, ^cwith part of the vessels of the house of God: which he carried into ^dthe land of Shinar to the ^ehouse of his god; and he brought the vessels into the treasure house of his god.

• b: Ju. 2:14 , Ps. 106:41 , Ps. 106:42
• c: Je. 27:19 , Je. 27:20 , 2Ch. 36:7 , 2Ki. 24:13 , 2Ki. 25:15
• d: Ge. 10:10 , Ge. 11:2 , Is. 11:11 , Zec. 5:11
• e: Da. 5:2 , Da. 5:3 , Ezr. 1:7 , Ezr. 1:8 , 1Sa. 31:9 , 1Sa. 31:10 , Ju. 16:23 , Ju. 16:24 , Hab. 1:16 , Je. 50:2 , Je. 27:16 , Je. 28:6 , Je. 51:44

3 ¶And 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;

• *: eunuchs-[castrated] males employed as high officers, usually by an Oriental ruler.

4 ^fChildren 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 ^gto stand in the king's palace, and whom they might teach ^hthe learning and the tongue of the Chaldeans.

• f: Ac. 7:20 , Ac. 7:22 , Ju. 8:18 , Le. 21:18 - 20 , Da. 2:48 , Da. 2:49 , Da. 1:17 - 20 , Ex. 18:21
• g: 1Ki. 10:8 , Pr. 22:29 , Da. 1:5 , Da. 1:19 , Da. 4:8
• h: Da. 1:17 , Da. 1:20 , Ac. 19:9 , Ac. 19:19 , Ac. 7:22

5 And the king appointed them ⁱa daily provision of the king's ^*meat, and of ¹the wine which he drank: so nourishing them ^jthree years, that at the end thereof they might stand before the king.

• i: 2Ch. 31:16
• *: meat-food of any kind.
• 1: Heb. the wine of his drink.
• j: 1Ti. 3:6 , Da. 1:19 , Es. 2:12

6 Now among these were of the children of Judah, ^kDaniel, ^lHananiah, Mishael, and Azariah:

• k: Eze. 14:14 , Eze. 14:20 , Eze. 28:3 , Da. 2:17 , Mat. 24:15
• l: Da. 1:11 , Da. 1:19

7 Unto whom the ^mprince of the ^*eunuchs ⁿgave names: ^ofor he gave unto Daniel the name of Belteshazzar; and to Hananiah, of Shadrach; and to Mishael, of Meshach; and to Azariah, of Abed-nego.

• m: Da. 1:3 , Da. 1:10
• *: eunuchs-[castrated] males employed as high officers, usually by an Oriental ruler.
• n: 2Ki. 23:34
• o: Da. 4:8 , Da. 4:19 , Da. 5:12 , Da. 2:49 , Da. 3:12 , Da. 3:14 , Da. 3:19 , Da. 3:20 , Da. 3:22 , Da. 3:26 , Da. 3:28 - 30 , Ge. 41:45 , 2Ki. 24:17

8 ¶But Daniel ^ppurposed in his heart ^qthat 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.

• p: Ac. 11:23 , Ru. 1:18 , 2Co. 9:7
• q: 1Th. 5:22 , Eze. 4:13 , De. 32:38 , Ho. 9:3 , Leviticus 11 , Mat. 18:7 , Ro. 14:15 - 17 , 1Co. 8:1 - 13 , 1Co. 10:19 - 33
• *: meat-food of any kind. , eunuchs-[castrated] males employed as high officers, usually by an Oriental ruler.

9 Now ^rGod had brought Daniel into favour and tender love with the prince of the ^*eunuchs.

• r: Ps. 106:46 , 1Ki. 8:50 , Pr. 16:7 , Ge. 39:3 , Ge. 39:4 , Ge. 39:15 , Ge. 39:21 , Is. 8:12 , Is. 8:13
• *: eunuchs-[castrated] males employed as high officers, usually by an Oriental ruler.

10 And the prince of the ^*eunuchs said unto Daniel, ^sI fear my lord the king, who hath appointed your ^*meat and your drink: for why should he see your faces ^2*worse liking than the children which are of your ³sort? then shall ye make me endanger my head to the king.

• *: eunuchs-[castrated] males employed as high officers, usually by an Oriental ruler. , meat-food of any kind. , worse liking-in worse condition.
• s: Pr. 29:25 , Jn. 12:43 , 1Pe. 3:14 , 1Pe. 3:15 , Is. 8:12 , Is. 8:13
• 2: Heb. sadder.
• 3: Or, term or continuance.

11 Then said Daniel to ⁴Melzar, whom the prince of the ^*eunuchs had set over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah,

• 4: Or, the steward.
• *: eunuchs-[castrated] males employed as high officers, usually by an Oriental ruler.

12 ^*Prove thy servants, I beseech thee, ten days; and let them give us ^5*pulse ⁶to eat, and water to drink.

• *: Prove-test, try. , pulse-vegetables, beans.
• 5: Heb. of pulse.
• 6: Heb. that we may eat.

13 Then 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.

• *: meat-food of any kind.

14 So he consented to them in this matter, and ^t*proved them ten days.

• t: 1Pe. 1:7 , Ja. 1:3 , Ja. 1:12 , Re. 2:10
• *: Prove-test, try.

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

• u: Ex. 23:25 , Ps. 37:16 , Pr. 10:22 , Mat. 4:4
• *: meat-food of any kind.

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

• *: meat-food of any kind. , pulse-vegetables, beans.

17 ¶As for these four children, ^vGod gave them knowledge and skill in all learning and wisdom: and ⁷Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams.

• v: Is. 28:29 , Ja. 1:5 , Ja. 1:17 , Ac. 7:22 , Ps. 119:99 , Ps. 119:100 , Da. 2:20 - 22 , Da. 2:28
• 7: Or, he made Daniel understand, Eze. 28.3. Ge. 41.8. Nu. 12.6. 2Ch. 26.5. ch. 5.12; 9.23; 10.1. , Eze. 28:3 , Ge. 41:8 , Nu. 12:6 , 2Ch. 26:5 , Da. 5:12 , Da. 9:23 , Da. 10:1

18 Now at ^wthe 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.

• w: Da. 1:5 , Mat. 9:16 , Mat. 9:17 , 1Ti. 3:6
• *: eunuchs-[castrated] males employed as high officers, usually by an Oriental ruler.

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

• x: Ge. 41:46 , Pr. 22:29 , Nu. 16:9 , 1Ki. 17:1 , 1Ki. 10:8 , Je. 15:19

20 And in all matters of ⁸wisdom and understanding, that the king enquired of them, he found them ten times better than all ^ythe magicians and astrologers that were in all his realm.

• 8: Heb. wisdom of understanding, Ps. 119.99. 1Ki. 10.1-3. , Ps. 119:99 , 1Ki. 10:1 - 3
• y: Da. 2:2

21 And Daniel continued even unto the first year of king Cyrus.