PROPHETS - Daniel - Part 2

      Snipped and Paraphrased

From chapter 1

     In the third year of Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it.. some of the articles from the temple of God.. he carried off to the temple of his god in Babylonia and put in the treasure house of his god. Then ordered Ashpenaz, chief of his court officials, to bring into the king’s service some of the Israelites from the royal family and the nobility, young men without handicap, handsome, showing aptitude for every kind of learning, well informed, quick to understand, and qualified to serve in the king’s palace. He was to teach them the language and literature of the Babylonians. And assigned them daily food and wine from the king’s table. They were to be trained for three years, and after that they were to enter the king’s service. Among those chosen from Judah: Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah. The chief official gave them new names - Belteshazzar, Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego. But Daniel resolved not to eat the rich royal food and wine. God had caused the official to show favor to Daniel but the official said, “I’m afraid of my lord the king, who has assigned your food and drink. Why should he see you looking unfit? The king would then have my head because of you.” Daniel said, “Please test your servants for ten days. Give us nothing but vegetables and water. 13 Then compare our appearance with that of the young men who eat the royal food. At the end of ten days they looked healthier and better nourished than any of the young men who ate the royal food. 16 So the guard took away their choice food and the wine they were to drink and gave them vegetables instead.

    To these four young men God gave knowledge and understanding of all kinds of literature and learning. And Daniel could understand visions and dreams of all kinds.

At the end of the time set by the king to bring them into service, the chief official presented them to Nebuchadnezzar. The king talked with them, and he found none equal to Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah, so they entered the king’s court. 20 In every matter of wisdom and understanding he found them ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters in his court and kingdom. Daniel remained there until the first year of King Cyrus.

   • From Chapter 2, 1-23 — In the second year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar, Nebuchadnezzar had a dream, his spirit and sleep was troubled. So he sent for the magicians, the enchanters, the sorcerers, and the Chaldeans to tell to him his dream. So they came in ..the king said, “I had a dream, and my spirit is troubled to know the dream.” 4 Then the Chaldeans said to the king in Aramaic, “O king, live forever! Tell your servants the dream, and we will show the interpretation.” But the king answered, “The word from me is firm, if you do not make known to me the dream and its interpretation, you shall be tossed to the lions, and your houses laid in ruins. But if you show the dream and its interpretation, you’ll receive from me gifts and rewards and great honor. Therefore show me the dream and its interpretation.” They answered again, “Let the king tell his servants the dream, and we will show its interpretation.” But the king was firm. The Chaldeans said, “There’s no one who can meet the king's demand not even for a great and powerful king, nor has anyone asked such a thing of any magician, enchanter or Chaldean. No one can show the dream to the king but the gods!”

   The king was furious, and commanded that all the wise men of Babylon be executed. 13 So the decree went out, and when the wise men were about to be killed they came looking for Daniel and his companions. 14 Then Daniel talked to Arioch, the captain of the king's guard asking, “Why is the decree of the king so urgent?” (Or “what’s up with the king’s decree?”) Then Arioch made the matter known to Daniel. So Daniel went in and requested the king to appoint him a time, that he might show the interpretation to the king. And Daniel went home and he made the matter known to Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, his companions, and told them to seek mercy from the God of heaven concerning this mystery, so they not be destroyed, along with the rest of the wise men of Babylon. Then the mystery was revealed to Daniel in a vision of the night. And Daniel blessed the God of heaven. Daniel said,

“Blessed be the name of God forever and ever, to Him belongs wisdom and might! He changes times and seasons, takes down kings and sets up kings, he gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding, he reveals deep and hidden things, he knows every mystery. Light dwells with him. To you, O God of my fathers, I give thanks and praise, for you give wisdom and might, and you have made known to us the king's matter.”