The king assigned them daily provisions of the royal food and wine. They were to be trained for three years, after which they were to enter the king’s service.
Parallel translations
- WEB The king appointed for them a daily portion of the king’s dainties, and of the wine which he drank, and that they should be nourished three years; that at its end they should stand before the king.
- KJV And the king appointed them a daily provision of the king’s meat, and of the wine which he drank: so nourishing them three years, that at the end thereof they might stand before the king.
- NKJV And the king appointed for them a daily provision of the king’s delicacies and of the wine which he drank, and three years of training for them, so that at the end of that time they might serve before the king.
- NASB The king also allotted for them a daily ration from the king’s choice food and from the wine which he drank, and ordered that they be educated for three years, at the end of which they were to enter the king’s personal service.
- NLT The king assigned them a daily ration of food and wine from his own kitchens. They were to be trained for three years, and then they would enter the royal service.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
The king provides rich royal food and wine and a three-year program, after which they will serve him. Babylon's generosity is also a means of forming loyalty.
Overview
The daily provision from the king's table signals favor and full incorporation into court life. The three-year training period prepares them to 'stand before the king.' This royal diet becomes the very point at which Daniel will draw a line of conscience in the following verses.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 13
- Dan 1:19And the king spoke with them, and among all the young men he found no one equal to Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. So they entered the king’s service.
- 1 Kgs 10:8How blessed are your men! How blessed are these servants of yours who stand continually before you and hear your wisdom!
- Dan 1:8But Daniel made up his mind that he would not defile himself with the king’s food or wine. So he asked the chief official for permission not to defile himself.
- Luke 21:36So keep watch at all times, and pray that you may have the strength to escape all that is about to happen and to stand before the Son of Man.”
- Jer 15:19Therefore this is what the LORD says: “If you return, I will restore you; you will stand in My presence. And if you speak words that are noble instead of worthless, you will be My spokesman. It is they who must turn to you, but you must not turn to them.
- 1 Kgs 4:22–23Solomon’s provisions for a single day were thirty cors of fine flour, sixty cors of meal,
- 2 Kgs 25:30And the king provided Jehoiachin a daily portion for the rest of his life.
- Gen 41:46Now Joseph was thirty years old when he entered the service of Pharaoh king of Egypt. And Joseph left Pharaoh’s presence and traveled throughout the land of Egypt.
- Luke 11:3Give us each day our daily bread.
- 2 Chr 9:7How blessed are your men! How blessed are these servants of yours who stand continually before you and hear your wisdom!
- 1 Sam 16:22Then Saul sent word to Jesse, saying, “Let David remain in my service, for I am pleased with him.”
- Matt 6:11Give us this day our daily bread.
- Luke 1:19“I am Gabriel,” replied the angel. “I stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news.
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Christ at the center
Daniel sees the stone cut without hands that shatters the kingdoms, and 'one like a son of man' given everlasting dominion — titles and visions Jesus claims as his own.
How Daniel 1:5 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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