BACKGROUND:
Egypt and Babylon were vying for domination of the civilized world. King Yoshiyahu interfered with a battle Pharaoh Nekho wished to fight on his territory, and in doing so was accidentally killed. His sons then came under Egyptian jurisdiction, though they continued to reign. When Nevukhadnetzar gained the throne, he decided to take Yehudah from Egypt, and for three years Yehoyaqim submitted, but then revolted. (2 Chron. 35, 36) Nevukhadnetzar tolerated it for three years, but then put down the rebellion, deposed Yehoyaqim, led him off in chains to Babylon (where he died), and, to crush morale and prevent anothert such rebellion, carried off Israel's most talented people (including Daniel) Though he left the rest there, within less than 12 years the continuing spiritual decline (legacy of King Menashe) rendered the political nation unfit to continue (never to be regained until our own day). Nonetheless, despite their exile, men like Daniel kept the core of Israel's heritage intact so it could weather the storm and be reestablished. Indeed, since Babylon was never brought under Roman control, the Jewish community there was able to thrive much longer than in the restored Holy Land, remaining stable enough to compile a fuller version of the Talmud.
Chapter 1
1. In the third year of the reign of Yehoyaqim, king of Yehudah, Nevukhadnetzar the king of Bavel [Babylon] came to Yerushalayim and besieged it.
2. And YHWH delivered Yehoyaqim, the king of Yehudah, into his hand, along with some of the vessels of the House of Elohim, which he took to the house of his god in the land of Shinar. And he brought them into the treasury of his god.
Shinar: Mesopotamia.
3. Then the king told Ashpenaz, the chief of his chamberlains, to bring some of the sons of Israel—specifically of the royal seed and from the nobility:
Chamberlains: Literally "eunuchs"; by implication, ministers of state or valets, especially of the female apartments. (Strong)
4. boys in whom there was no blemish at all, but were pleasing to look at, well-instructed in all wisdom, knowledgeable in science, perceptive in learning, and who were hardy enough in their condition to be employed in the king's palace, and to teach them the script and the spoken language of the Chaldeans.
Knowledgeable in science: or discriminating in knowledge. Chaldeans: Heb., Khasdim, which sometimes referred to astrologers. (Strong).
5. So daily the king set before them rations from the royal food and the wine that he drank so that he might raise them up and after three years they might be in the royal employ.
Be in the royal employ: literally, stand before the king.
6. Now among them, from the sons of Yehudah, were Daniel, Chananyah, Mishael, and Azaryah.
Daniel means “My judge is Elohim” (cf. 9:4). Chananyah: “YHWH has been gracious” or “favored by YHWH”; Mishael: “Who is what El is?”; Azaryah: “Yah has helped”.
7. But the chief of the chamberlains assigned them different names: now Daniel he called Belteshatzar; he called Chananyah Shadrakh; he called Mishael Meyshach; and Azaryah he called Aved-N'go.
Belteshatzar means “Bel who guards the treasure”; Shadrakh means “Strenuous”; Meyshach, “retiring”, and Aved-Nego, “Servant of Nebo”.
8. Yet Daniel determined in his heart that he would not defile himself with the king's dainties or with the wine that he drank. So he asked the chief of the chamberlains that he might be permitted to not defile himself.
Not defile himself: Though the king's foods were delicacies, Daniel knew that they were not prepared according to the kosher manner Elohim had established, and if they were under Elohim's interdict, they could not be beneficial to him. He had "established upon his heart" the regulations Elohim had given His people before being taken into captivity, and he found his exile no excuse for Elohim's people to violate the covenant. This is the first recorded instance of Daniel's risking his life to remain faithful to Elohim. (See also 6:10.) Asked: In doing so he showed himself to be a leader in the preservation of Israel through avoidance of what others may have considered unavoidable assimilation. This gave others, like his three companions (3:12) and in the next generation, Mordekhai (Had. 3:2), the courage to follow suit. (Scherman)
9. Now Elohim had granted Daniel favor to be in the good graces of the chief of the chamberlains,
10. and the chief of the chamberlains told Daniel, "I am afraid of my master, the king, who has decided what your food and drink should be. For why should he see your faces looking more haggard than those who are in your circle? Then you would make me guilty before the king!"
Make me guilty: Or "forfeit me to the king"; his own competence would be called into question if those whom he had selected appeared unhealthy, which he assumed would be the case if they ate no meat (cf. v. 12). By tradition, the king supplied the youths with all things conducive to attaining excellence in studies: peace of mind due to his providing their daily necessities (they would not have to seek their own sustenance); proper food (that which he himself enjoyed); and sufficient time to accumulate knowledge. (Alshich, based on v. 5) To fail to appreciate these kindnesses on his part would seem like an unpardonable rebuff.
11. Then Daniel said to the overseer whom the chief of the chamberlains had appointed to be over Daniel, Chananyah, Mishael, and Azaryah,
12. "Please test your servants for ten days: Let us be given some of the vegetables
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