Daniel 1:19 - Printer Friendly

ESV: And the king spoke with them, and among all of them none was found like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. Therefore they stood before the king.

NIV: The king talked with them, and he found none equal to Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah; so they entered the king's service.

NASB: And the king talked with them, and out of them all not one was found like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah; so they entered the king’s personal service.

CSB: The king interviewed them, and among all of them, no one was found equal to Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. So they began to attend the king.

NLT: The king talked with them, and no one impressed him as much as Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. So they entered the royal service.

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

NKJV: Then the king interviewed them, and among them all none was found like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah; therefore they served before the king.

After interviewing all the youths who completed the three-year training (Daniel 1:1–5), Nebuchadnezzar appointed Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah (Daniel 1:6–7) to prestigious positions in his court. Their refusal to partake of the king's food and wine while they followed a diet approved by Levitical law honored the God of Israel. Despite enormous pressure to conform to Babylonian culture, they remained true to their Hebrew convictions. Although they were far from home and the temple, they remained devoted to God and His Word. Neither political pressure nor peer pressure caused them to dishonor God.

Proverbs 22:29 states, "Do you see a man skillful in his work? He will stand before kings." Though all four had been given Babylonian names, as well, they are labeled here with their original Hebrew names. This is meant to emphasize that their God, the God of Israel, had worked in their lives to advance them to prominent positions.

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.

Accessed 5/7/2024 2:16:59 AM