Daniel 1:18 - Printer Friendly

ESV: At the end of the time, when the king had commanded that they should be brought in, the chief of the eunuchs brought them in before Nebuchadnezzar.

NIV: At the end of the time set by the king to bring them into his service, the chief official presented them to Nebuchadnezzar.

NASB: Then at the end of the days which the king had specified for presenting them, the commander of the officials presented them before Nebuchadnezzar.

CSB: At the end of the time that the king had said to present them, the chief eunuch presented them to Nebuchadnezzar.

NLT: When the training period ordered by the king was completed, the chief of staff brought all the young men to King Nebuchadnezzar.

KJV: Now 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.

NKJV: 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.

"The time" mentioned here is three years, the length of a reeducation process begun when Daniel and other boys were taken from Judah (Daniel 1:1–6). The goal of this program was to mold the Hebrews into loyal subjects of Babylon, who could advise the king and help control the conquered Jewish people. Unlike some captives, four were notably faithful to the God of Israel: Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah (Daniel 1:8–16). These were the same ones given the Babylonian names of Belteshazzar, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego (Daniel 1:7).This meeting with Nebuchadnezzar amounts to their final exam: the ultimate test of their suitability for important roles.

As prior verses noted (Daniel 1:17), God gifted these four with exceptional ability. Their commitment to the Lord had not made them less valuable as advisors. Instead, they will prove to be the very best, even among the experienced Babylonian counselors and occult practitioners (Daniel 1:19–20).

A final exam awaits every Christian, but the examiner will not be an earthly king but a heavenly king. The period of one's life as a Christian will be reviewed at the Judgment Seat of Christ. The basis of judgment will not be the Christian's sins, because they were judged on the cross when Jesus received the penalty for their sin. The basis of judgment will be the Christian's faithfulness to the Lord (1 Corinthians 3:10–15; 2 Corinthians 5:10).

Daniel 1:17–21 completes an introduction to Daniel's role in advising the kings of Babylon. Because Daniel and his three friends honored the Lord, they were blessed with exceptional skills and abilities in their roles. Their extraordinary value will factor into later incidents where the Hebrew captives must decide between their own lives or faithfulness to God (Daniel 3; 6).

When Daniel was young, Babylon conquered Jerusalem and took many of its treasures and people back to their land. Daniel was chosen to become an advisor due to his good looks and bright mind. Along with other boys, he was educated and given a Babylonian name. Daniel and several friends demonstrate faithfulness to God by avoiding foods that might be unclean. They also excel in their roles. This leads Daniel to become an important advisor regarding dreams and visions, as described starting in chapter 2.

Daniel was taken captive when Babylon conquered the nation of Israel. The first chapter of the book establishes his history, his level of natural talent, and the depth of his faith. This is followed by a series of prophetic interpretations tied to Gentile nations in chapters 2—7. Chapters 8—12 focus on prophecies more closely related to the nation of Israel. Many of these details are restated or expanded in the book of Revelation.

The book of Daniel contains famous Old Testament stories and prophecies. Daniel was taken from the Israelite people and made an advisor for a conquering empire. He demonstrates faithfulness and wisdom during many years serving in this role. Though Daniel does not deliver a public message, Jesus refers to him as a "prophet" (Matthew 24:15). The first portion of the book mostly describes Daniel's interpretations of dreams and other events. The second portion looks ahead to the end times. Daniel is classified in English Bibles as a "major" prophet, meaning the book is relatively long and the content has broad implications. The book of Revelation echoes and expands on many of the same themes.