3 observation: The story (dreams and Significants); The personal challenge (compromise, set apartness, Perseverance); the Prophetic significant (4 kingdoms Bavel (בּבל), Paras (פּר), Greece, Rome) Introduction (1:1-21)
The Selection young men appt prince of enunchs in service in the king's court
1:1 In the third year of the malkut of Yehoyakim (יהויקים) melekh of Yehudah came Nevukadnetzar melekh of Bavel unto Yerushalayim, and besieged it.
1:2 And *YHWH (יהוה) gave Yehoyakim (יהויקים) melekh of Yehudah into his yad (hand), with part of the vessels of the Beit of Elohim (אלהים): which he carried into the Eretz Shin'ar (שׁנער) to the beit elohav (אלהיו); and he brought the vessels into the treasure beit elohav(אלהיו).
1:3 And the melekh spake unto Ashpenaz the master of his eunuchs, that he should bring [certain] of the Benai Yisrael, and of the melekh's seed, and of the princes;
1:4 Yeladim in whom [was] no blemish, but well favoured, and skilful in all chokhmah, and cunning in da'at, and binah science, and such as [had] ability in them to stand in the melekh's palace, and whom they might teach the learning and the tongue of the Kasdim (Chaldeans).
1:5 And the melekh appointed them a daily provision of the melekh's portion of food, and of the wine which he drank: so nourishing them three years, that at the end thereof they might stand before the melekh.
1:6 Now among these were of the Benai Yehudah, Daniyel (דניאל), HananYahu (חנניה), Miysha'el (מישׁאל), and AzarYahu (עזריה) :
1:7 Unto whom the prince of the eunuchs gave names: for he gave unto Daniyel (דניאל) [the name] of Belt'shatzar (בּלטשׁאצAramaic); and to HananYahu (חנניה), of Shadrach; and to Miysha'el (מישׁאל), of Meshach; and to Azaryah , of Aved-N'go.
1:8 But Daniyel (דניאל) purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the melekh's food, nor with the wine which he drank: therefore he requested of the prince of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself.
1:9 Now Elohim (אלהים) had brought Daniyel (דניאל) into favour and tender love(רחם) with the prince of the eunuchs.
1:10 And the prince of the eunuchs said unto Daniyel (דניאל), I fear my master the melekh, who hath appointed your ma'akal (מאכל food) and your drink: for why should he see your faces worse liking than the yeladim which [are] of your sort? then shall ye make [me] endanger my head to the melekh.
1:11 Then said Daniyel (דניאל) to Meltzar (guardian), whom the prince of the eunuchs had set over Daniyel (דניאל), HananYahu (חנניה), Miysha'el (מישׁאל), and Azaryah ,
1:12 Prove thy eved, I beseech thee, ten days; and let them give us pulse to eat, and water to drink.
1:13 Then let our countenances be looked upon before thee, and the countenance of the yeladim that eat of the portion of the melekh's portion pathbag (food): and as thou seest, deal with thy eved.
1:14 So he consented to them in this matter, and proved them ten days.
1:15 And at the end of ten days their countenances appeared fairer and fatter in flesh than all the yeladim which did eat the portion of the melekh's portion of food.
1:16 Thus Melzar took away the portion of their food, and the wine that they should drink; and gave them pulse.
1:17 As for these four yeladim, Elohim (אלהים) gave them da'at and skill in all learning and chokhmah: and Daniyel (דניאל) had binah in all chazon and chalomot (dreams).
1:18 Now at the end of the days that the melekh had said he should bring them in, then the prince of the eunuchs brought them in before Nevukadnetzar.
1:19 And the melekh communed with them; and among them all was found none like Daniyel (דניאל), HananYahu (חנניה), Miysha'el (מישׁאל), and Azaryah : therefore stood they before the melekh.
1:20 And in all matters of chokhmah [and] binah, that the melekh enquired of them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians (chartom) [and] astrologers (ashaf) that [were] in all his realm.
1:21 And Daniyel (דניאל) continued [even] unto the first year of melekh Koresh (כּור).
The meaning of the prince of Eunuch
Dani'el - Yah is my judge; HananYahu - Yah has favoured; Miysha'el who is what Elohim (אלהים) is; AzarYahu - Yah has help
Daniyel is the Aramaic
Persia - Paras - פּרסPersian = see Persia “pure” or “splendid”
Cyrus - Koresh - כּורשׁ “posses thou the furnace”
Medes (מדי) = “middle land” מדי (Aramaic)mâday
his god - elohav