Daniel 1:5 - Printer Friendly

ESV: The king assigned them a daily portion of the food that the king ate, and of the wine that he drank. They were to be educated for three years, and at the end of that time they were to stand before the king.

NIV: The king assigned them a daily amount of food and wine from the king’s table. They were to be trained for three years, and after that they were to enter the king’s service.

NASB: The king also allotted for them a daily ration from the king’s choice food and from the wine which he drank, and ordered that they be educated for three years, at the end of which they were to enter the king’s personal service.

CSB: The king assigned them daily provisions from the royal food and from the wine that he drank. They were to be trained for three years, and at the end of that time they were to attend the king.

NLT: The king assigned them a daily ration of food and wine from his own kitchens. They were to be trained for three years, and then they would enter the royal service.

KJV: And 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.

NKJV: 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.

Nebuchadnezzar seems to have planned to mold children from noble Jewish families into willing allies for his conquest. This would make them useful agents to understand and control the Jewish people. The most intelligent and attractive youths were taken for special training, including education in Babylonian language and ideals (Daniel 1:3–4). Undoubtedly, this would have included efforts to transform them into followers of Babylonian religion, as well.

This verse suggests that part of the captives' reeducation was immersion in Babylonian culture. They were to be given the same food and drink as the king. This would have created a sense of prestige and privilege, not to mention obligation. For young men, taken from their families, these efforts would have created immense pressure to conform. To emphasize their intended purpose, the captives were renamed according to Babylonian preferences (Daniel 1:7).

Modern-day believers, too, are often under intense pressure to be what the world desires. Some of that comes in the form of persecution, but it can also come through the temptations of luxury. The apostle Paul exhorts: "Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect" (Romans 12:2).

Daniel 1:1–7 introduces several main characters featured in this book. Along with King Nebuchadnezzar are Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. These four young men came from royalty and nobility but were taken to Babylon after the fall of Jerusalem. King Nebuchadnezzar planned to educate them in Babylonian culture and immerse them in his lifestyle. The four were to be presented to the king after three years to see the results of their training. The four captive boys are given new names to correspond with their new lives: Belteshazzar, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.

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.