Immerse: Chronicles Full Volume - Flipbook - Page 171
DANIEL
During the third year of King Jehoiakim’s reign in Judah, King Nebuc had
nezzar of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it. The Lord gave him
victory over King Jehoiakim of Judah and permitted him to take some
of the sacred objects from the Temple of God. So Nebuchadnezzar took
them back to the land of Babylonia and placed them in the t reasure-house
of his god.
Then the king ordered Ashpenaz, his chief of staff, to bring to the palace
some of the young men of Judah’s royal family and other noble families,
who had been brought to Babylon as captives. “Select only strong, healthy,
and good-looking young men,” he said. “Make sure they are well versed in
every branch of learning, are gifted with knowledge and good judgment,
and are suited to serve in the royal palace. Train these young men in the
language and literature of Babylon.” 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.
Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah were four of the young men
chosen, all from the tribe of Judah. The chief of staff renamed them with
these Babylonian names:
Daniel was called Belteshazzar.
Hananiah was called Shadrach.
Mishael was called Meshach.
Azariah was called Abednego.
But Daniel was determined not to defile himself by eating the food and
wine given to them by the king. He asked the chief of staff for permission
not to eat these unacceptable foods. Now God had given the chief of staff
both respect and affection for Daniel. But he responded, “I am afraid of
my lord the king, who has ordered that you eat this food and wine. If you
become pale and thin compared to the other youths your age, I am afraid
the king will have me beheaded.”
Daniel spoke with the attendant who had been appointed by the chief of
staff to look after Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. “Please test us
159
ImmerseChronicles_NLT.indd 159
6/21/2017 10:01:39 AM
