Daniel Is Trained in Babylon
1It was the third year that Jehoiakim was king of Judah. Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, came to Jerusalem. His armies surrounded the city and attacked it. 2The Lord handed Jehoiakim, the king of Judah, over to him. Nebuchadnezzar also took some of the objects from God’s temple. He carried them off to the temple of his god in Babylon. He put them among the treasures of his god.
3The king gave Ashpenaz an order. Ashpenaz was the chief of Nebuchadnezzar’s court officials. The king told him to bring him some of the Israelites. The king wanted them to serve him in his court. He wanted nobles and men from the royal family. 4He was looking for young men who were healthy and handsome. They had to be able to learn anything. They had to be well educated. They had to have the ability to understand new things quickly and easily. The king wanted men who could serve in his palace. Ashpenaz was supposed to teach them the Babylonian language and writings. 5The king had his servants give them food and wine from his own table. They received a certain amount every day. The young men had to be trained for three years. After that, they could begin to serve the king.
6Some of the men chosen were from Judah. Their names were Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah. 7The chief official gave them new names. He gave Daniel the name Belteshazzar. He gave Hananiah the name Shadrach. He gave Mishael the name Meshach. And he gave Azariah the name Abednego.
8Daniel decided not to make himself “unclean” by eating the king’s food and drinking his wine. So he asked the chief official for a favor. He wanted permission not to make himself “unclean” with the king’s food and wine. 9God had caused the official to be kind and friendly to Daniel. 10But the official refused to do what Daniel asked for. He said, “I’m afraid of the king. He is my master. He has decided what you and your three friends must eat and drink. Other young men are the same age as you. Why should he see you looking worse than them? When he sees how you look, he might kill me.”
11So Daniel spoke to one of the guards. The chief official had appointed him over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah. 12Daniel said to him, “Please test us for ten days. Give us nothing but vegetables to eat. And give us only water to drink. 13Then compare us with the young men who eat the king’s food. See how we look. After that, do what you want to.” 14So the guard agreed. He tested them for ten days.
15After the ten days Daniel and his friends looked healthy and well fed. In fact, they looked better than any of the young men who ate the king’s food. 16So the guard didn’t require them to eat the king’s special food. He didn’t require them to drink the king’s wine either. He gave them vegetables instead.
17God gave knowledge and understanding to these four young men. So they understood all kinds of writings and subjects. And Daniel could understand all kinds of visions and dreams.
18The three years the king had set for their training ended. So the chief official brought them to Nebuchadnezzar. 19The king talked with them. He didn’t find anyone equal to Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah. So they began to serve the king. 20He asked them for advice in matters that required wisdom and understanding. The king always found their answers to be the best. Other men in his kingdom claimed to get knowledge by using magic. But the answers of Daniel and his friends were ten times better than theirs.
21Daniel served in Babylon until the first year Cyrus ruled over the land of Babylon. Cyrus was king of Persia.
Mafunzo Ya Danieli Huko Babeli
11:1 Yer 28:4; 35:11; 46:2; 2Nya 36:6; 2Fal 24:1Katika mwaka wa tatu wa utawala wa Yehoyakimu mfalme wa Yuda, Nebukadneza mfalme wa Babeli alikuja akazingira Yerusalemu kwa jeshi. 21:2 2Nya 36:7; Yer 27:19; Zek 5:5-11; 2Fal 24:13Bwana akamtia Yehoyakimu mfalme wa Yuda mkononi mwa Nebukadneza, pamoja na baadhi ya vyombo kutoka Hekalu la Mungu. Hivi akavichukua hadi kwenye hekalu la mungu wake huko Shinari, naye akaviweka nyumbani ya hazina ya mungu wake.
31:3 2Fal 20:18; Isa 39:7; Amu 8:18; Mdo 7:20-22; Mwa 39:6; Ezr 4:7Kisha mfalme akamwagiza Ashpenazi, mkuu wa maafisa wa mfalme, kumletea baadhi ya Waisraeli kutoka jamaa ya mfalme na kutoka jamaa kuu, 4vijana wanaume wasio na dosari mwilini, wenye sura nzuri, wanaoonyesha kipaji katika kila aina ya elimu, wenye ufahamu mzuri, wepesi kuelewa, na waliofuzu kuhudumu katika jumba la kifalme. Alikuwa awafundishe lugha na maandiko ya Wakaldayo. 51:5 Es 2:5-6, 9Mfalme akawaagizia kiasi cha chakula na divai ya kila siku kutoka meza ya mfalme. Walikuwa wafundishwe kwa miaka mitatu, na hatimaye waingie kwenye utumishi wa mfalme.
61:6 Eze 14:14; Dan 2:17-25Baadhi ya hawa vijana walitoka Yuda: nao ni Danieli, Hanania, Mishaeli na Azaria. 71:7 Dan 5:12; 10:1; Isa 39:7; Dan 3:12; 2:49; 2:26Mkuu wa maafisa akawapa majina mapya: Danieli akamwita Belteshaza, Hanania akamwita Shadraki, Mishaeli akamwita Meshaki, na Azaria akamwita Abednego.
81:8 Mwa 39:21; Mit 16:7; 1Fal 8:50; Eze 4:13-14Lakini Danieli alikusudia kuwa hatajitia unajisi kwa chakula cha mfalme na divai, naye akamwomba mkuu wa maafisa ruhusa ili asijinajisi kwa njia hii. 91:9 Mwa 39:21; Mit 16:7; 1Fal 8:50Basi Mungu alikuwa amemfanya huyo mkuu wa maafisa kuonyesha upendeleo na huruma kwa Danieli, 101:10 Ufu 2:10lakini huyo mkuu wa maafisa akamwambia Danieli, “Ninamwogopa bwana wangu mfalme, aliyeagizia chakula na kinywaji chenu. Kwa nini aone nyuso zenu zikiwa mbaya kuliko za vijana wengine wa rika lenu? Mfalme atakata kichwa changu kwa sababu yenu.”
11Ndipo Danieli akamwambia mlinzi aliyeteuliwa na huyo mkuu wa maafisa kuwasimamia Danieli, Hanania, Mishaeli na Azaria, 121:12 Ufu 2:10“Tafadhali wajaribu watumishi wako kwa siku kumi. Usitupe chochote ila nafaka na mboga za majani1:12 Nafaka na mboga za majani, yaani zeroimu kwa Kiebrania, ina maana ya aina za ngano na shayiri, na jamii ya kunde kama maharagwe, dengu, choroko, n.k. tule, na maji ya kunywa. 13Baadaye ulinganishe sura zetu na vijana wanaokula chakula cha mfalme, ukawatendee watumishi wako kulingana na unachoona.” 141:14 Mhu 2:26; Yak 1:5; Dan 2:19, 30; 7:1; 8:1Basi akakubali jambo hili, akawajaribu kwa siku kumi.
151:15 Kut 23:25Mwisho wa zile siku kumi, walionekana kuwa na afya na kunawiri zaidi kuliko yeyote kati ya wale vijana waliokula chakula cha mfalme. 16Hivyo mlinzi wao akaondoa chakula chao na divai yao waliopangiwa kula na kunywa, akawapa nafaka na mboga za majani badala yake.
171:17 1Fal 3:12; Ay 12:13; Mhu 2:26; Dan 2:23; Kol 1:9; Dan 5:11; Mdo 7:22Mungu akawapa hawa vijana wanne maarifa na ufahamu wa kila aina ya maandiko na elimu. Naye Danieli aliweza kufahamu maono na aina zote za ndoto.
18Mwisho wa muda uliowekwa na mfalme kuwaingiza kwake, mkuu wa maafisa akawaleta mbele ya Mfalme Nebukadneza. 191:19 Mwa 41:46Mfalme akazungumza nao, akaona hakuna aliyelingana na Danieli, Hanania, Mishaeli na Azaria. Hivyo wakaingia katika utumishi wa mfalme. 201:20 Es 2:15; Eze 28:3; Mwa 41:8; 1Fal 4:30; Dan 4:18; 2:13; 6:3Katika kila jambo la hekima na ufahamu kuhusu kile mfalme alichowauliza, aliwaona bora mara kumi zaidi kuliko waganga na wasihiri wote katika ufalme wake wote.
211:21 Dan 6:28; 2Nya 36:22; Dan 10:1Naye Danieli akabaki huko mpaka mwaka wa kwanza wa utawala wa Mfalme Koreshi.
