The Skeptics Annotated Bible (664 page)

8 But
Daniel
purposed in his heart that he
would not defile himself with
the portion of
the king’s meat, nor with the wine which he drank
: therefore he requested of the prince of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself.

(1.8) “Daniel … would not defile himself with … the king’s meat, nor with the wine which he drank.”
71 OK to drink alcohol?
13 What kind of animals may we eat?

9 Now
God had brought Daniel into favour and tender love with the prince of the eunuchs.

(1.9)
“God had brought Daniel into favour and tender love with the prince of the eunuchs.”

10 And the prince of the eunuchs said unto Daniel, I fear my lord the king, who hath appointed your meat and your drink: for why should he see your faces worse liking than the children which are of your sort? then shall ye make me endanger my head to the king.

(1.11-16) Melzar was worried that he’d get in trouble with the king if Daniel and his companions ate only pulse and water. So Daniel proposed a test: try it and see how they looked compared to the meat eaters. After only ten days, the vegans were way “fairer and fatter.”

11
Then said Daniel to Melzar
, whom the prince of the eunuchs had set over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah,

12
Prove thy servants
, I beseech thee,
ten days; and let them give us pulse to eat, and water to drink.

(1.11-12)
“Then said Daniel to Melzar … Prove thy servants … ten days; and let them give us pulse to eat, and water to drink.”

13
Then let our countenances be looked upon
before thee, and the countenance of the children that eat of the portion of the king’s meat: and as thou seest, deal with thy servants.

(1.13)
“Then let our countenances be looked upon.”

14
So he
consented to them in this matter, and
proved them ten days.

(1.14)
“So he … proved them ten days.”

15 And at the end of ten days their countenances appeared fairer and fatter in flesh than all the children which did eat the portion of the king’s meat.

(1.15)
“At the end of ten days their countenances appeared fairer and fatter in flesh than all the children which did eat the portion of the king’s meat.”

16
Thus Melzar took away
the portion of
their meat, and the wine
that they should drink
; and gave them pulse.

(1.16)
“Thus Melzar took away … their meat, and the wine … and gave them pulse.”

(1.17-20) The king found Daniel and his companions ten times wiser than “all the magicians and astrologers in the realm.”

17
As for these four children, God gave them knowledge
and skill in all learning and wisdom:
and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams
.

(1.17)
“As for these four children, God gave them knowledge … and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams.”

18 Now at the end of the days that the king had said he should bring them in, then
the prince of the eunuchs brought them in before Nebuchadnezzar
.

(1.18)
“The prince of the eunuchs brought them in before Nebuchadnezzar.”

19 And
the king
communed with them; and among them all was
found none like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah
: therefore stood they before the king.

(1.19)
“The king … found none like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah.”

20 And
in all matters of wisdom and understanding
, that
the king
enquired of them, he
found them ten times better than all the magicians and astrologers that were in all his realm.

(1.20) “In all matters of wisdom and understanding … the king … found them [Daniel and his friends]
ten times better than all the magicians and astrologers in his realm.”

21 And Daniel continued even unto the first year of king Cyrus.

(2.1-26) Nebuchadnezzar has a disturbing dream. He commands his astrologers and magicians to interpret it for him, but none of them could do it. So he threatens to cut them to pieces. Then Daniel shows up and interprets the dream.

2
And in the second year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar
Nebuchadnezzar dreamed dreams, wherewith his spirit was troubled, and his sleep brake from him
.

(2.1)
“Nebuchadnezzar dreamed dreams, wherewith his spirit was troubled, and his sleep brake from him.”

2 Then
the king commanded to call the magicians, and the astrologers, and the sorcerers, and the Chaldeans, for to shew the king his dreams. So they came and stood before the king.

(2.2)
“The king commanded to call the magicians, and the astrologers, and the sorcerers, and the Chaldeans, for to shew the king his dreams. So they came and stood before the king.”

3 And the king said unto them, I have dreamed a dream, and my spirit was troubled to know the dream.

4 Then spake the Chaldeans to the king in Syriack, O king, live for ever: tell thy servants the dream, and we will shew the interpretation.

5 The king answered and said to the Chaldeans, The thing is gone from me:
if ye will not make known unto me the dream, with the interpretation thereof, ye shall be cut in pieces, and your houses shall be made a dunghill.

(2.5) “If ye will not make known unto me the dream, with the interpretation thereof, ye shall be cut in pieces, and your houses shall be made a dunghill.”

6
But if ye shew the dream, and the interpretation thereof, ye shall receive of me gifts and rewards and great honour
: therefore shew me the dream, and the interpretation thereof.

(2.6) “But if ye shew the dream, and the interpretation thereof, ye shall receive of me gifts and rewards and great honour.”

7 They answered again and said, Let the king tell his servants the dream, and we will shew the interpretation of it.

8 The king answered and said, I know of certainty that ye would gain the time, because ye see the thing is gone from me.

9 But if ye will not make known unto me the dream, there is but one decree for you: for ye have prepared lying and corrupt words to speak before me, till the time be changed: therefore tell me the dream, and I shall know that ye can shew me the interpretation thereof.

10
The Chaldeans answered before the king, and said, There is not a man upon the earth that can shew the king’s matter:
therefore there is no king, lord, nor ruler, that asked such things at any magician, or astrologer, or Chaldean.

(2.10) “The Chaldeans answered before the king, and said, There is not a man upon the earth that can shew the king’s matter.”

11 And it is a rare thing that the king requireth, and there is none other that can shew it before the king, except the gods, whose dwelling is not with flesh.

12 For this cause
the king was angry
and very furious
, and commanded to destroy all the wise men of Babylon.

(2.12) “The king was angry … and commanded to destroy all the wise men of Babylon.”

13 And the decree went forth that the wise men should be slain; and they sought Daniel and his fellows to be slain.

14 Then Daniel answered with counsel and wisdom to Arioch the captain of the king’s guard, which was gone forth to slay the wise men of Babylon:

15 He answered and said to Arioch the king’s captain, Why is the decree so hasty from the king? Then Arioch made the thing known to Daniel.

16 Then Daniel went in, and desired of the king that he would give him time, and that he would shew the king the interpretation.

17 Then Daniel went to his house, and made the thing known to Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, his companions:

18 That they would desire mercies of the God of heaven concerning this secret; that Daniel and his fellows should not perish with the rest of the wise men of Babylon.

19 Then was the secret revealed unto Daniel in a night vision. Then Daniel blessed the God of heaven.