IN the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to attack the city of the Peaceful [the Self-existent, the Holy Spirit] - Jerusalem.

The Self-existent [the Holy Spirit]  allowed him to carry Jehoiakim king of Judah and part of the furnishings in the palace of God [the Self-existent] away; he carried him to the shrine of his god, and brought the vessels into the treasure house of his god, in the land of Shinar.

Then the king told Ashpenaz the chief of his ministers, that he should select some of the children of Israel [Judah] – of the king’s descendants and of the princes –

who were spotless, good looking, intelligent, knowledgeable in science and  fit for the king’s palace; whom they could teach the literature and language of the Chaldeans.

The king assigned of his menu and his wine to them on daily basis, in order to nourish them and make them fit to work for the king after three years.

Among those selected were Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah – children of Judah.

The chief minister renamed Daniel, “Belteshazzar”; Hananiah, “Shadrach”; Mishael, “Meshach”; and Azariah, “Abed-nego.”

Determined not to defile himself with the king’s menu and wine, Daniel begged the chief minister to be excused from the royal dainties.

Though God had brought Daniel into rapport with the chief minister and caused him to show lovingkindness to Daniel,

the chief minister said to Daniel, “I fear my master the king who assigned your menu and your wine: If he sees that you do not look fine like your colleagues, I will be in trouble.”

Then Daniel said to Melzar whom the chief minister set over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah,

“Please, prove four of us for ten days; let them give us vegetables to eat and water to drink.

Then let our look be examined and compared to that of the young men who eat of the king’s dainties; let what you see determine what you do to us.”

He consented: He proved them for ten days.

At the end of ten days, their look was better and their faces plumpier than those of all the young men who ate of the king’s dainties.

So, Melzar excused them from the king’s menu and wine; he gave them vegetables instead.

Asa reward for these four children, God gave them knowledge and understanding in every kind of literature and wisdom. Additionally, Daniel had understanding concerning all visions and dreams.

At the end of the training period, the chief minister brought all of them before Nebuchadnezzar.

When the king interviewed them and found that there was none among them like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah, he appointed them to work in the palace.

In all matter of intelligence and wisdom concerning which the king consulted them, he found them  to be ten times better than all the magicians and astrologers in all his empire.

(Daniel worked till the first year of king Cyrus.)