Daniel Chapter 1

1 In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of  Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it.

1. Who were Jehoiakim and Nebuchadnezzar?

Jehoiakim ( His name means “Yahweh raises up,” but the LORD did not raise him up at all - Pharaoh did.) was Josiah's second son and the first king installed by an external world power, Egypt's Pharaoh Necho. Josiah's son, Jehoahaz, was selected by the people to reign after Josiah, but Necho had imposed a tax on Judah of nearly four tons of silver and 75 pounds of gold, which Jehoahaz refused to pay. Pharaoh Necho came up and took Jehoahaz from Jerusalem to Egypt and put him in prison, immediately ending his three-month reign. He died in prison.

Necho then put Josiah's son, Eliakim, in power. As king over Judah, his name was changed to Jehoiakim, which means 'he whom Jehovah has set up.' Jehoiakim reigned over Judah 11 years, but his leadership was seriously flawed and fraught with difficulties because of his unbelief and unfaithfulness to the Lord. Jehoiakim was 25 years old and his first act as king of Judah was to lay the financial burden on his people to pay the Pharaoh.

Jehoiakim did much evil in the sight of the Lord, like so many others who had preceded him. God sent the prophets Urijah and Jeremiah to confront Jehoiakim for his sins and to warn him. Both prophets prophesied against Jerusalem and Judah, but when Jehoiakim and his leadership heard Urijah's words, the king planned to have him executed. Urijah heard about it, and escaped to Egypt. Jehoiakim sent men to Egypt, and they brought Urijah back from Egypt to face Jehoiakim, who killed him with the sword and cast his dead body into the graves of the common people. (Jeremiah 26:20-23)

Nebuchadnezzar II, (His name means "O (god) Nabu, protect my son!") sometimes alternately spelled Nebuchadrezzar, was king of Babylonia from approximately 605 B.C. until approximately 562 B.C. He is considered the greatest king of the Babylonian empire and is credited with the construction of the Hanging Gardens of Babylon. Nebuchadnezzar is mentioned by name around 90 times in the Bible, in both the historical and prophetic literature of the Hebrew Scriptures. Nebuchadnezzar receives the most attention in the book of Daniel, appearing as the main character, beside Daniel, in chapters 1-4.

In biblical history, Nebuchadnezzar is most famous for the conquering of Judah and the destruction of Judah and Jerusalem in 586 B.C. Judah had become a tribute state to Babylon in 605 B.C., but rebelled in 597 B.C. during the reign of Jehoiachin and then again in 588 B.C. during the reign of Zedekiah. Tired of the rebellions, and seeing that Judah had not learned its lesson when he invaded, conquered, and deported Judah in 597, Nebuchadnezzar and his general, Nebuzaradan, proceeded to completely destroy the temple and most of Jerusalem, deporting most of the remaining residents to Babylon. In this, Nebuchadnezzar served as God’s instrument of judgment on Judah for its idolatry, unfaithfulness, and disobedience (Jeremiah 25:9). gotquestions.org

In 605 B.C. Prince Nebuchadnezzar led the Babylonian army of his father Nabopolassar against the allied forces of Assyria and Egypt. He defeated them at Carchemish near the top of the Fertile Crescent. This victory gave Babylon supremacy in the ancient Near East. With Babylon’s victory, Egypt’s vassals, including Judah, passed under Babylonian control. Shortly thereafter that same year Nabopolassar died, and Nebuchadnezzar succeeded him as king. Nebuchadnezzar then moved south and invaded Judah, also in 605 B.C.Nebuchadnezzar returned Jehoiakim to Jerusalem and his throne, but treated him as a subordinate. Not long after, Jeremiah had Baruch read his prophecies in the court of the temple. Hearing of this, Jeroiakim had them also read in the royal palace in his presence. He took the scroll from Baruch, cut it in pieces and threw it into the fire. When Jeremiah heard about this, God told him to write another scroll, with some additional words, foretelling Jehoiakim's grisly death.

After three years of subjection to Babylon, Jehoiakim attempted to make Judah independent. Nebuchadnezzar sent raiding bands of Chaldeans, Syrians and Ammonites to punish this rebellion. Jehoiakim's own people apparently killed him, and threw his body over the wall to satisfy Babylon, fulfilling the words that Jeremiah had prophesied. Therefore thus says the Lord concerning Jehoiakim king of Judah:

“He shall have no one to sit on the throne of David, and his dead body shall be cast out to the heat of the day and the frost of the night. I will punish him, his family, and his servants for their iniquity. He shall be buried with the burial of a donkey, dragged and cast out beyond the gates of Jerusalem.”

Jehoiakim's 18-year-old son took the position of king in Judah, and time was quickly running out for what little was remaining of what once was the stronghold of Zion, God's dwelling place. (2 Kings 23:34-37; 24:1-6; 2 Chronicles 36:4-8; Jeremiah 19:4-5; 22:13, 14, 18, 19; Daniel 1:1, 2) . sharefaith.com

2 And the Lord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand, with some of the articles of the house of God, which he carried into the land of Shinar to the house of his god; and he brought the articles into the treasure house of his god.

2. Why does it say God gave Jehoiakim into Nebuchdnezzar's hand?

Daniel wrote that the Lord was responsible for Nebuchadnezzar’s success in defeating Jehoiakim. He viewed God as sovereignly controlling the past affairs of His chosen people (cf. Eph. 1:4). As the book unfolds, this appreciation for God’s sovereignty continues as Daniel described God’s future dealings with the Jews and the Gentiles. CN

God's control of history is a recurrent theme in Daniel. In the ancient world every

army fought under the banner/name of their god. Success in battle showed the supremacy of one god over another. However, the Bible clearly asserts that it was because of Israel's and Judah's sins and rebellion against YHWH that YHWH allowed, yes even engineered, the invasion of the promised land. Dr. Bob Utley

Ephesians 1:4 (NASB)  just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him.

Psalm 2:1-4 (ESV)   Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain? 2

The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD and against his Anointed, saying, 3  “Let us burst their bonds apart and cast away their cords from us.” 4  He who sits in the heavens laughs; the Lord holds them in derision.

Isaiah 10:5-6 (ESV)  Ah, Assyria, the rod of my anger; the staff in their hands is my fury! 6  Against a godless nation I send him, and against the people of my wrath I command him, to take spoil and seize plunder, and to tread them down like the mire of the streets.

The Book of Daniel emphasizes the sovereignty of God in the

affairs of nations. Jerusalem did not fall merely because Nebuchadnezzar was strong, but because God had judged the people of Judah for their disobedience and idolatry. NNIBC

Nebuchadnezzar may have thought he was solely responsible for his conquest (Hab 1:11); but, in reality, God’s providential dealings with His wayward children, the Jews, was simply being carried out by this great leader. God had already promised judgment to come for Judah through Huldah the prophetess (II Chr 34:22–28) and many others. Micah remarkably predicted Judah’s captivity in Babylon while Babylon was still a small power (Mic 4:10) over one hundred years before the event took place. Jeremiah had also predicted this calamity (Jer 25:11), as had his contemporary, Habakkuk (Hab 1:5–11) KJVBC

3. Why is God so hard on Israel, other nations were worse?

Deuteronomy 7:6-8 (ESV)  “For you are a people holy to the LORD your God. The LORD your God has chosen you to be a people for his treasured possession, out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth. 7  It was not because you were more in number than any other people that the LORD set his love on you and chose you, for you were the fewest of all peoples, 8  but it is because the LORD loves you and is keeping the oath that he swore to your fathers, that the LORD has brought you out with a mighty hand and redeemed you from the house of slavery, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt.

Exodus 19:5 (NKJV) 5  Now therefore, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be a special treasure to Me above all people; for all the earth is Mine.

Luke 12:48 (ESV) But the one who did not know, and did what deserved a beating, will receive a light beating. Everyone to whom much was given, of him much will be required, and from him to whom they entrusted much, they will demand the more.

Here we find the fulfillment of what God had previously

declared (through Isaiah, Jeremiah, and other prophets) would soon take place. For years Jehovah had been sending prophets to the backsliding kings of Judah, warning them that the day of His patience had almost run out. Even though Israel had been His chosen people, because of their sin He was going to give them over to the power of their enemies, and the land of Palestine was to lie desolate. Singularly enough, God connects this with their failure to keep the sabbatical year. He had told them when they came into the land that every seventh year must be His. For 490 years they had not kept one sabbatical year. They doubtless thought they would do better by tilling the land annually and that they would be richer as a result of following their own way. God had told them that if they gave every seventh year to Him they would have abundance in the sixth year to last them until harvest in the eighth year (Leviticus 25). They evidently did not believe Him and thought to better themselves by their own efforts. Thus, through covetousness-a sin that is eating away at many of God’s professed people today-the word of the Lord was ignored and His commandment broken.

For 490 years God seemed to be indifferent to this disobedience on their part. He appeared to wink at their sin, but He had taken account of it all. When they thought His law was dead, He sent Jeremiah to tell them that now they must go down to Babylon as captives for seventy years, while the land kept sabbath! They imagined they had cheated God out of seventy years, but He squared the account by giving them into the power of Nebuchadnezzar, king of the Chaldeans, who carried them away to the land of Shinar. They remained there until the seventy years had expired, while the lost sabbaths were being made up.

But there was a second and greater reason why God chose to give His heritage over to the power of the Chaldeans. For centuries idolatry had been gaining ground among the Israelites. They had turned away from the living and true God to serve the false gods of the heathen. Babylon was the home of idolatry, so the Jews were sent there so they might learn to loathe the idols they had loved. And we find the lesson was well impressed. Ever since the captivity the Jewish nation, whatever its other sins, has been free from this great evil. Unhappily they are like an empty, swept house, from which the evil spirit of idolatry has been driven. But they refused Messiah when He came in lowly grace, so in the near future a host of wicked spirits will enter the empty house, and the Jews, except a preserved and delivered remnant, will own and worship the “man of sin.” IC

2 Kings 22:8,11 (ESV)  And Hilkiah the high priest said to Shaphan the secretary, “I have found the Book of the Law in the house of the LORD.” And Hilkiah gave the book to Shaphan, and he read it.

……………………………..11  When the king heard the words of the Book of the Law, he tore his clothes.

2 Kings 23:4-14 (ESV) And the king commanded Hilkiah the high priest and the priests of the second order and the keepers of the threshold to bring out of the temple of the LORD all the vessels made for Baal, for Asherah, and for all the host of heaven. He burned them outside Jerusalem in the fields of the Kidron and carried their ashes to Bethel. 5  And he deposed the priests whom the kings of Judah had ordained to make offerings in the high places at the cities of Judah and around Jerusalem; those also who burned incense to Baal, to the sun and the moon and the constellations and all the host of the heavens. 6  And he brought out the Asherah from the house of the LORD, outside Jerusalem, to the brook Kidron, and burned it at the brook Kidron and beat it to dust and cast the dust of it upon the graves of the common people. 7  And he broke down the houses of the male cult prostitutes who were in the house of the LORD, where the women wove hangings for the Asherah. 8  And he brought all the priests out of the cities of Judah, and defiled the high places where the priests had made offerings, from Geba to Beersheba. And he broke down the high places of the gates that were at the entrance of the gate of Joshua the governor of the city, which were on one’s left at the gate of the city. 9  However, the priests of the high places did not come up to the altar of the LORD in Jerusalem, but they ate unleavened bread among their brothers. 10  And he defiled Topheth, (Topheth. Hebrew uses the word toph for “drum.” This was another name for the Valley of Hinnom, an E-W valley at the S end of Jerusalem where, when children were burned in sacrifice to idols (cf. vv. 4, 5), drums were beaten to drown their cries. Rubbish from Jerusalem was dumped there and continually burned. The place became a symbol for the burning fires of hell, called Gehenna (Mt 5:22). Cf. 7:30–32; Is 30:33. It was to become a place of massacre.) which is in the Valley of the Son of Hinnom, that no one might burn his son or his daughter as an offering to Molech. 11  And he removed the horses that the kings of Judah had dedicated to the sun, at the entrance to the house of the LORD, by the chamber of Nathan-melech the chamberlain, which was in the precincts. And he burned the chariots of the sun with fire. 12  And the altars on the roof of the upper chamber of Ahaz, which the kings of Judah had made, and the altars that Manasseh had made in the two courts of the house of the LORD, he pulled down and broke in pieces and cast the dust of them into the brook Kidron. 13  And the king defiled the high places that were east of Jerusalem, to the south of the mount of corruption, which Solomon the king of Israel had built for Ashtoreth the abomination of the Sidonians, and for Chemosh the abomination of Moab, and for Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites. 14  And he broke in pieces the pillars and cut down the Asherim and filled their places with the bones of men.

2 Kings 23:21-25 (KJV) 21  And the king commanded all the people, saying, Keep the passover unto the LORD your God, as it is written in the book of this covenant. 22  Surely there was not holden such a passover from the days of the judges that judged Israel, nor in all the days of the kings of Israel, nor of the kings of Judah; 23  But in the eighteenth year of king Josiah, wherein this passover was holden to the LORD in Jerusalem. 24  Moreover the workers with familiar spirits, and the wizards, and the images, and the idols, and all the abominations that were spied in the land of Judah and in Jerusalem, did Josiah put away, that he might perform the words of the law which were written in the book that Hilkiah the priest found in the house of the LORD. 25  And like unto him was there no king before him, that turned to the LORD with all his heart, and with all his soul, and with all his might, according to all the law of Moses; neither after him arose there any like him.

2 Kings 23:36-37 (ESV) 36  Jehoiakim was twenty-five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem. ……….. 37  And he did what was evil in the sight of the LORD, according to all that his fathers had done.

Like so many conquerors the Babylonian King thinks the victory over Judah is due to his superior forces and military skill. Not realizing that he is just pawn in the hand of God Almighty. As a result of the rebellion and evil of God's own chosen people The LORD is going to use the Babylonians to "spank" them.

4. What is ironic about these temple vessels?

He took some royal and noble captives to Babylon, including Daniel, plus some of the vessels from Solomon’s temple. This was the first of Judah’s three deportations in which the Babylonians took groups of Judahites to Babylon. The king of Judah at that time was Jehoiakim. CN

This all goes back to the pride and arrogance of the Hezekiah who ruled as king of Judah over 100 years before, as he showed off his treasures and the temple vessels to the Babylonians. Not a wise move which came back to bite the Jews.

Isaiah 39:1-8 (NKJV)   At that time Merodach-Baladan the son of Baladan, king of

Babylon, sent letters and a present to Hezekiah, for he heard that he had been sick and had recovered. 2  And Hezekiah was pleased with them, and showed them the house of his treasures--the silver and gold, the spices and precious ointment, and all his armory--all that was found among his treasures. There was nothing in his house or in all his dominion that Hezekiah did not show them. 3  Then Isaiah the prophet went to King Hezekiah, and said to him, "What did these men say, and from where did they come to you?" So Hezekiah said, "They came to me from a far country, from Babylon." 4  And he said, "What have they seen in your house?" So Hezekiah answered, "They have seen all that is in my house; there is nothing among my treasures that I have not shown them." 5  Then Isaiah said to Hezekiah, "Hear the word of the LORD of hosts: 6  'Behold, the days are coming when all that is in your house, and what your fathers have accumulated until this day, shall be carried to Babylon; nothing shall be left,' says the LORD.   'And they shall take away some of your sons who will descend from you, whom you will beget; and they shall be eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon.' " 8  So Hezekiah said to Isaiah, "The word of the LORD which you have spoken is good!" For he said, "At least there will be peace and truth in my days."  (Neville Chamberlain, Peace in our time).

Carrying off the vessels from a conquered people’s temple was a way that ancient Near Eastern kings expressed their victorious sovereignty over that nation, particularly its gods. Therefore Daniel began this book by reminding his readers that it was not only Israel’s king who suffered defeat at Nebuchadnezzar’s hands, but also Yahweh had experienced humiliation. He then proceeded to vindicate Yahweh with all that follows. CN

3 Then the king instructed Ashpenaz, the master of his eunuchs, to bring some of the children of Israel and some of the king's descendants and some of the nobles, 4 young men in whom there was no blemish, but good-looking, gifted in all wisdom, possessing knowledge and quick to understand, who had ability to serve in the king's palace, and whom they might teach the language and literature of the Chaldeans.

5. Who were these people and why would the king waste time with a bunch of captives?

He took some royal and noble captives to Babylon, including Daniel, plus some of the vessels from Solomon’s temple. This was the first of Judah’s three deportations in which the Babylonians took groups of Judahites to Babylon. The king of Judah at that time was Jehoiakim. CN

Nebuchadnezzar always took for himself the cream of crop of the captives from any nation. I think they were given tests to determine their IQ’s, and those selected were trained to be wise men to advise the king of Babylon. JVM

Nebuchadnezzar brought captives from many conquered lands to train them for service in his government. He was accustomed to selecting the best for such training, as the text indicates. These young men were the best sons of the Hebrew nation. They would be taught the voluminous learning of the Chaldeans, as well as their language. To stand in the king’s palace has to do with service, not just an easy life at court. KJVBC

Qualifications for Jews to be trained in affairs of state included being: 1) physically free from bodily defects or handicap and handsome, i.e., a pleasing appearance in the public eye; 2) mentally sharp; and 3) socially poised and polished for representing the leadership. The ages of the trainees was most likely 14–17. MSBN

Nebuchadnezzar’s enlightened policy was to employ the best minds in his kingdom in government service regardless of their national or ethnic origin. We do not know how many other Jews and Gentiles were the classmates of Daniel and his three friends. However, they were evidently the only ones who expressed a desire to observe the Jewish dietary laws (Exod. 34:15; Lev. 11; Deut. 14; cf. Deut. 8:3; Prov. 20:1).

“In selecting these youths for education in the king’s court in Babylon, Nebuchadnezzar was accomplishing several objectives. Those carried away captive could well serve as hostages to help keep the royal family of the kingdom of Judah in line. Their presence in the king’s court also would be a pleasant reminder to the Babylonian king of his conquest and success in battle. Further, their careful training and preparation to be his servants might serve Nebuchadnezzar well in later administration of Jewish affairs.” CN

Nebuchadnezzar’s empire was rapidly expanding. He needed men of great ability to fill positions of power and responsibility in his administration. He instituted a plan which would identify the most gifted and skillful Hebrew captives available and prepare them for positions of responsibility. Daniel and his Hebrew peers were the “cream of the crop” in Judea. Nebuchadnezzar knew this well. This, in fact, is why these young men were taken captive to Babylon. Nebuchadnezzar set about a carefully planned course of education.

Ashpenaz, placed in charge of this training project, was to select the finest and most qualified candidates from among the Hebrew captives. Those selected had to be physically and mentally flawless, as well as highly trained and proficient in a broad range of knowledge and skills. They were to be the most promising candidates for court service that could be found.

These men would require further education, for which the king made provision. I do not understand from our text that the king was attempting to brainwash the Hebrew captives. Those selected were already highly trained and knowledgeable. Their schooling had already been virtually completed before their captivity. What they did need, in order to serve in the court of the king of Babylon, was to speak, to read and to write in Aramaic, the language of that land. They needed language school. As I perceive verse 4, this is precisely of what their education was to consist. No doubt the study of Chaldean literature would involve the religion and culture of Babylon, but the principle purpose of their schooling was not to tempt these youths to forsake their culture or religion as much as it was to equip them to serve in the administration of a Babylonian king.

Those who find brainwashing seem to read too much into the text and do not take the text’s words literally enough. They also fail to understand the mindset of the polytheist, the person who believes in many gods. The polytheist is not troubled or offended that someone may believe in gods other than his own. In fact, the polytheist is often more than willing to consider adding the gods of others to his own gods. The only thing which greatly offends the polytheist is exclusionism, believing their God is the only God. We should not be surprised that the sailors on board that sinking ship with Jonah, urged him to call out to his own gods, even though not their own: “Get up, call on your god. Perhaps your god will be concerned about us so that we will not perish” (Jonah 1:6).

The Assyrians sought to strip the Israelites of the northern kingdom (and the others whom they captured) of their religion and culture. The Babylonians were content to allow their captives to worship their gods and practice their religion, so long as it did not challenge the religion at Babylon. Later on, the Persian king Cyrus would go so far as to assist the Jews in reestablishing their religion, even to rebuilding the temple.

I believe that Nebuchadnezzar operated his empire on the premise that the broadest possible representation of skills, cultures, and religions strengthened his rule rather than weakened it. Diversity was not a liability to him, but an asset. This may be why there are so many types of wise men (magicians, conjurers, sorcerers, and Chaldeans—see Daniel 2:2) in the service of Nebuchadnezzar. RD

5 And the king appointed for them a daily provision of the king's delicacies and of the wine which he drank, and three years of training for them, so that at the end of that time they might serve before the king.

6. Why should they get to eat like kings?

Food and dietary laws very very important to the Hebrews. If the captives could be persuaded to break these food stipulations it would be one step in the process of deprogramming  and assimilating them into Babylonian thinking and culture. This "training" was well thought out and orchestrated.

Tablets listing the provisions allotted to the exiled King Jehoiachin (2 Kg 25:30; Jr 52:34) have been uncovered in Babylon and corroborate Daniel's testimony that captives were assigned royal rations. The Babylonian training period of three years was apparently similar to that of the Persians. Plato wrote that Persian youths began their education when 14 (Alcibiades 1. 121), and Xenophon testified that they finished when 16 or 17 (Cyropaedia 1. 2. 8). According to the Persian Avesta, a Zoroastrian scripture, a student trained with a religious teacher for three years. ASB

Only one thing is understood as defiling in Daniel 1—the eating of the food from the king’s table. We are not told exactly why Daniel considered this food defiling only that he did consider it defiling, with no doubt in his mind. If a Babylonian job, a Babylonian name, and a Babylonian education were not defiling, a Babylonian beefsteak was.

Two reasons seem most likely for Daniel’s sensitivity to defilement. First, this king would not hesitate to serve foods identified as “unclean” by the Law of Moses (see Leviticus 11). Secondly, the food and wine served at Nebuchadnezzar’s table may have been associated with the worship of heathen gods, similar to the problem described in 1 Corinthians 8-10. In either instance, or perhaps in both, Daniel saw defilement as a danger to be actively avoided.

A less sensitive Hebrew might have acknowledged the defilement of the food from the king’s table but excused its consumption as inevitable. Indeed, he might have cited scripture to prove that defilement was a part of God’s plan. Ezekiel, a contemporary of Daniel, spoke of the defilement which the Jews would experience in Babylon due to eating unclean foods:

“And your food which you eat shall be twenty shekels a day by weight; you shall eat it from time to time … And you shall eat it as a barley cake, having baked it in their sight over human dung.” Then the Lord said, “Thus shall the sons of Israel eat their bread unclean among the nations where I shall banish them.” But I said, “Ah, Lord God! Behold, I have never been defiled; for from my youth until now I have never eaten what died of itself or was torn by beasts, nor has any unclean meat ever entered my mouth.” Then He said to me, “See, I shall give you cow’s dung in place of human dung over which you will prepare your bread” (Ezekiel 4:10, 12-15).

No doubt Daniel understood that eating unclean food was a part of the divine judgment of Judah. Nevertheless, he purposed in his heart that, if at all possible, he would not defile himself by eating such food.

6 Now from among those of the sons of Judah were Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. 7 To them the chief of the eunuchs gave names: he gave Daniel the name Belteshazzar; to Hananiah, Shadrach; to Mishael, Meshach; and to Azariah, Abed-Nego.

7. Why change their names?

Nebuchadnezzar sought to assimilate the exiles into Babylonian

culture by obliterating theirreligious and cultural identity and creating dependence upon the royal court. For this reason, the exiles were given names linked with Babylonian deities in place of Israelite names linked with their God. Daniel (“God is my Judge”),Hananiah (“Yahweh is gracious”), Mishael (“Who is what God is?”), and Azariah (“Yahweh is a helper”) became names that invoked the help of the Babylonian gods Marduk, Bel, and Nebo: Belteshazzar(“O Lady [wife of the god Bel], protect the king!”), Shadrach (“I am very fearful [of God]” or “command of Aku [the moon god]”),Meshach (“I am of little account” or “Who is like Aku?”), andAbednego (“servant of the shining one [Nebo]”). They were schooled in the language and mythological literature of the Babylonians, and their food was assigned from the king’s table, reminding them constantly of the source of their daily bread. ESVN

The practice of changing names was a way to express sovereign control over others. These new names would have also encouraged these youths to think of themselves as part of the culture in which they were living rather than the culture from which they had come. CN

8 But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king's delicacies, nor with the wine which he drank; therefore he requested of the chief of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself.

8. It seems that the young Hebrew boys were resigned to the idea of assimilation into Babylonian culture, why make a big deal about food?

Proverbs 23:7 (NKJV) For as he thinks in his heart, so is he. "Eat and drink!" he says to you, But his heart is not with you.

“Daniel purposed in his heart” (v. 8)—it all began in the heart of Daniel. He was not

a papier–mâche; he had a heart, and his convictions came from his heart. That should be our experience also. We are captives in this world in which we live; gravitation holds all of us by the seat of our pants, and we cannot jump off this earth. The Lord Jesus said that we are in the world, but not of the world. And He said, “… Ye cannot serve God and mammon” (Matt. 6:24). However, we cannot serve God by following a set of rules; we must have a purpose in our hearts. Jesus said that it was out of the heart that the issues of life proceed; the things which we put into our bodies are not the most important. Daniel purposed in his heart that he would obey God’s law given to God’s people Israel—this was to be his testimony. JVM

Daniel and his friends drew a line in the sand.  Being smart as well as practical they knew they would have to give the Babylonians a certain amount of cooperation, but they would not allow themselves to lose the essence of their Jewish identity.

Daniel and his friends avoided the luxurious diet of the king’s table as a way of protecting themselves from being ensnared by the temptations of the Babylonian culture. They used their distinctive diet as a way of retaining their distinctive identity as Jewish exiles and avoiding complete assimilation into Babylonian culture (which was the king’s goal with these conquered subjects). With this restricted diet they continually reminded themselves, in this time of testing, that they were the people of God in a foreign land and that they were dependent for their food, indeed for their very lives, upon God, their Creator, not King Nebuchadnezzar. ESVN

9 Now God had brought Daniel into the favor and goodwill of the chief of the eunuchs. 10 And the chief of the eunuchs said to Daniel, "I fear my lord the king, who has appointed your food and drink. For why should he see your faces looking worse than the young men who are your age? Then you would endanger my head before the king." 11 So Daniel said to the steward whom the chief of the eunuchs had set over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, 12 "Please test your servants for ten days, and let them give us vegetables to eat and water to drink. 13 Then let our appearance be examined before you, and the appearance of the young men who eat the portion of the king's delicacies; and as you see fit, so deal with your servants."

14 So he consented with them in this matter, and tested them ten days. 15 And at the end of ten days their features appeared better and fatter in flesh than all the young men who ate the portion of the king's delicacies.

9. How was God working in this incident?

Now, you see, Daniel is already a favorite, and that is no accident. God was working on Daniel’s behalf, even as He worked in the life of Joseph down in the land of Egypt.

The prince of the eunuchs did not want to force the diet upon

them, but he was really on a hot seat. He was caught between a rock and a hard place. He liked Daniel, but what was he to do? JVM

God honored Daniel’s trust and allegiance by sovereignly working favorably for him among the heathen leaders. In this instance, it prevented persecution and led to respect, whereas later on God permitted opposition against Daniel which also elevated him. One way or another, God honors those who honor Him. MSBN

Under normal circumstances a 10 day change in diet would not make a huge noticeable difference in the appearance of these kids, but it would appear that God supernaturally intervened to cause a dramatic transformation.

16 Thus the steward took away their portion of delicacies and the wine that they were to drink, and gave them vegetables. 17 As for these four young men, God gave them knowledge and skill in all literature and wisdom; and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams. 18 Now at the end of the days, when the king had said that they should be brought in, the chief of the eunuchs brought them in before Nebuchadnezzar. 19 Then the king interviewed them, and among them all none was found like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah; therefore they served before the king. 20 And in all matters of wisdom and understanding about which the king examined them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and astrologers who were in all his realm. 21 Thus Daniel continued until the first year of King Cyrus.

10. What lesson can we take away from this story?

At the end of their three-year curriculum, the four faithful friends received a final examination that included an oral testing by the king himself. They passed at the head of their class. They were probably close to 20 years old at this time. Nebuchadnezzar proceeded to give them positions of significant government responsibility, which their education had equipped them for. In these positions they proved far superior to any of the other officials. CN

God was faithful in a seemingly impossible situation and caused a blessed the faithfulness of those who were faithful to him.

Matthew 25:20-21 (NKJV)  So he who had received five talents came and brought five other talents, saying, 'Lord, you delivered to me five talents; look, I have gained five more talents besides them.' 21  His lord said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.'

ESVN……………..….ESV Study Bible Notes

MSBN……………….MacArthur NASB Study   Notes

NIVSN……………….NIV Study Notes.

JVM ………………….J Vernon McGee’s Commentary

BN ……………………Barnes Notes

WBC………….…….Wycliffe Bible Commentary

CN ……….…………..Constables Notes

IC……………….…….Ironside Commentary

NET…………….…….Net Bible Study Notes.

JFB……………………Jamieson Fausset  Brown Commentary

VWS………………….Vincent Word Studies

CMM………………..Commentary on Matthew and Mark

BDB……………..….Barclay’s Daily Study Bible (NT)

Darby……………….John Darby’s Synopsis of the OT and NT

Johnson……………Johnson’s Notes on the New Testament

NTCMM…………..The New Testament Commentary:  Matthew and Mark.

EHS………………….Expositions of the Holy Scriptures

CPP…………………The Complete Pulpit Commentary

SBC…………………..Sermon Bible Commentary

K&D…………………Keil and Deilitzsch Commentary on the OT

EBC……………….…Expositors Bible Commentary

CBSC……………….Cambridge Bible for Schools and College

GC……………………Guzik Commentary

RD…………………..Robert  Deffinbaugh

NSB …………………The Nelson Study Bible

MHC…………………Matthew Henry Commentary

CSTTB………Chuck Smith Through The Bible

LESB…………….Life Essentials Study Bible.

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