bones [1] are dried up and our hope is lost, but say to them: Thus saith the Lord God: Behold, I will open your graves, and bring you into the land of Israel, and you shall know that I am the Lord, O my people.”
Amongst the captives were several young men of high rank, belonging to the first families. The king ordered the most distinguished of these to be brought up in his own palace [2], clothed in kingly apparel, and fed with meats from his own table. Amongst these young men were Daniel8, Ananias, Misael and Azarias.
They resolved not to eat the meats from the king’s table, because the Jewish law forbade the use of certain meats[3], and they begged the chief steward to allow them to eat only vegetables, and to drink only water. The steward was disposed to comply with their request, but he told them that if they lived on such diet, they would become so lean that the king would blame him, and perhaps punish him severely.
Daniel besought the steward to try them for ten days with the food and drink they desired to have. The steward consented, and at the end of ten days the faces of these young men were fresher and more comely than those of the other young men of the court.
After this the steward gave them only vegetables and water; but God gave them wisdom[4] and science. When the time came for them to be presented to the king, he was so charmed with their beauty and wisdom that he retained them in his service.
- ↑ Our bones. The Jews, in their banishment, considered themselves to be like unto those who are dead and buried.
- ↑ Palace. To be educated and to fill places about the court. They were therefore instructed in the language, writings and sciences of the Babylonians or Chaldees.
- ↑ Certain meats. Such as the flesh of unclean beasts, blood, and flesh full of blood. Moreover, certain portions of the flesh of oxen, sheep and goats, as well as wine, were offered to idols, and after they had been thus offered were sold in the markets, so that the Jews could never be sure that, when eating at pagan tables, some food might not be placed before them which it was unlawful for them to eat. In order to be on the safe side, Daniel and his companions wished to refrain from all the flesh and wine sent to them by the king.
- ↑ Gave them wisdom. As a reward for their conscientiousness and self-restraint, God gave them an extraordinary and supernatural understanding and wisdom, so that they not only excelled the other youths, but even the wise men of the kingdom (Dan. I, 20). To Daniel God gave the gifts of prophecy and interpretation of dreams.
