Book of Daniel - Ferrar Fenton Bible Translation page 898

jhoiakim King of judah, to jerusalem, and besieged it, and the Anmmuxv gave jhoiakim, King of judah into his power, with part of the furniture of the House of God, and he carried them to the land of Shiner, to the House of his God, and he put the furniture into the treasury of his God. Then the King commanded Ash-

phenaz, his High Chamberlain, to seiect some of the children of Israel, and some of the Royal Family, and some of the nobles. Boys in whom there was no defect, and pleas·· ing in appearance, and to educate in every science, and have them taught in knowledge, and trained in affairs,—who might have ability in them to attend in the Royal Palace; and to teach them the alphabet and language of the Kasdim. The King also assigned them daily a portion of the Royal food, and wine from his own altar, and to educate them for three years, and at the end for them to attend before the King. And there were amongst them,

from the children of judah, Daniel, Hananiah, Misha], and Azariah. But the High Chamberlain changed their names, and gave to Daniel, Beltishazar, and to Hananiah, Shad- rak, and to Misha], Meshak, and to Azariah, Abed—nego. Daniel, however, decided in his heart not to pollute himself with the lring’s food, or wine from his cellar, so he requested of the High Chamberlain that he might not be defiled. And Gon gave Daniel favour and acceptability with the High Chamberlain. The High Chamberlain, however, said to Daniel, ‘ I am afraid of my Master the King, who has appointed what your food and drink shall be, and he will ob- serve your faces more gloomy than the lads who are around you, and I shall forfeit my head to the King! But Daniel replied to Meltzar who had been appointed High Chamber- lain over Daniel, Hananiah, Misha}, Pass by your servants, I pray, for ten days, and give us grain to eat, and water to drink. And compare our appearance for yourself, with the appearance of the lads who eat the King’s food, and do with your servants according to the result. So he listened to this request of

his, and passed them for ten days, and at the end of the ten days he made an examination of the result, which was they were better and fairer in body than all the lads who ate the Royal provisions. So he gave them grain. And GOD gave to these fair lads

intelligence and skill in all books, and science; and to Daniel under- standing about all visions and dreams. And at the end of the period the King had commanded for their pro- duction, the High Chamberlain brought them to the presence of Nebukadnezzar. Then the King conversed with them, and found none amongst them all equal to Daniel, Hananiah, Mishal, and Azariah. So they attended in the Royal presence, and in every matter of scientific knowledge that the King enquired of them about, he found them ten times better informed than all the Engineers and Mathematicians who were in his whole Empire. And Daniel r lived until the first year of King Kuresh. £.zl11zhahn255a1:’¤ @rz:un. It occurred in the twelfth! of the

reign of N ebukadnezzar that Nebu- I! I2 16 :8 20 Z! kadnezzar dreamed dreams,.and his Twelfth is a chronoloical impossibility, as will {ge seen bSecon Kinsch y g, . 2%, v. r, it examined; and also the statement n Daniel, ch. 1, that it was at least three years after Nebukaclnezzafs return from the capture ot 898