I.
The issue of the degradation of God's elect — the captivity to Babylon
1:1-2
Dan. 1
:1
1:1
1In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim the king of Judah
aNebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it.
Dan. 1
:2
1:2
And the Lord gave Jehoiakim the king of Judah into his hand with some of the
avessels of the house of God; and he brought them into the land of
1bShinar to the house of his god, and he brought the
2vessels into the treasury of his god.
II.
The victory, in their captivity, of the young descendants (including Daniel) of God's degraded elect over Satan's further devices
1:3—6:28
A.
Over the demonic diet
1:3-21
Dan. 1
:3
1:3
1Then the king told Ashpenaz, the chief of his eunuchs, to
abring some of the sons of Israel, including some from the royal seed and from the nobility,
Dan. 1
:4
1:4
Children in whom was no defect,
who were good in appearance, who showed insight in all
awisdom, understanding in knowledge, and apprehension in thought, and in whom was the ability to stand in the king’s palace. And
he told him to teach them the learning and
1language of the Chaldeans.
Dan. 1
:5
1:5
And the king appointed to them a daily portion from the king’s
1choice provision and from the wine that he drank, and
appointed that they should be brought up for three years so that at the end
2of the time they might
astand before the king.
Dan. 1
:6
1:6
Now among these from the sons of Judah were
1aDaniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah.
Dan. 1
:7
1:7
And the leader of the eunuchs gave them names: he gave Daniel
the name aBelteshazzar; Hananiah,
the name bShadrach; Mishael,
the name Meshach; and Azariah,
the name Abed-nego.
Dan. 1
:8
1:8
But Daniel
1set his heart not to
adefile himself with the king’s choice provision and with the wine that
2the king drank, so he requested of the leader of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself.
Dan. 1
:9
1:9
And God granted Daniel
afavor and compassion in the sight of the leader of the eunuchs;
Dan. 1
:10
1:10
And the leader 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 being more morose than
those of the children who are of your own age? Then you would bring guilt upon my head before the king.
Dan. 1
:11
1:11
Then Daniel said to the steward whom the leader of the eunuchs had appointed over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah,
Dan. 1
:12
1:12
Please test your servants for
aten days, and let vegetables be given to us to eat and water to drink.
Dan. 1
:13
1:13
Then let our countenances be watched in your presence, as well as the countenances of the children who eat the king’s choice provision; and do with your servants according to what you see.
Dan. 1
:14
1:14
So he listened to them in this matter and tested them for ten days.
Dan. 1
:15
1:15
And at the end of ten days their countenances appeared better, and they were more fully fleshed than all the children who ate the king’s choice provision.
Dan. 1
:16
1:16
Therefore the steward withheld their
portion of the choice provision and the wine that they were to drink and gave them vegetables.
Dan. 1
:17
1:17
Now as for these four children, God gave them knowledge and insight in all learning and
awisdom; and Daniel had understanding in all
bvisions and dreams.
Dan. 1
:18
1:18
Then at the end of the days when the king had said that
the children should be brought in, the leader of the eunuchs brought them in before Nebuchadnezzar;
Dan. 1
:19
1:19
And the king spoke with them. And among them all none were found like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah; therefore they stood in the presence of the king.
Dan. 1
:20
1:20
And in every matter of wisdom and understanding that the king inquired of them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and conjurers who were in all his realm.
Dan. 1
:21
1:21
And Daniel continued until the
1first year of
aCyrus the king.
