Leadership Verses

And the Lord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand, with part of the vessels of the house of God: which he carried into the land of Shinar to the house of his god; and he brought the vessels into the treasure house of his god.

And the king spake unto Ashpenaz the master of his eunuchs, that he should bring {certain} of the children of Israel, and of the king's seed, and of the princes;

Children in whom {was} no blemish, but well favoured, and skilful in all wisdom, and cunning in knowledge, and understanding science, and such as {had} ability in them to stand in the king's palace, and whom they might teach the learning and the tongue of the Chaldeans.

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. {the wine...: Heb. the wine of his drink}

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.

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. {worse...: Heb. sadder} {sort: or, term, or, continuance?}

Prove thy servants, I beseech thee, ten days; and let them give us pulse to eat, and water to drink. {pulse: Heb. of pulse} {to eat...: Heb. that we may eat, etc}

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.

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.

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.

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.

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. {wisdom...: Heb. wisdom of understanding}