king's 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; king's 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. king's 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. king's 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. king's 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. king's 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. king's The Chaldeans answered before the king, and said, There is not a man upon the earth that can show the {king's} matter: therefore [there is] no king, lord, nor ruler, [that] asked such things at any magician, or astrologer, or Chaldean. king's 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: king's 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. king's I thank thee, and praise thee, O thou God of my fathers, who hast given me wisdom and might, and hast made known unto me now what we desired of thee: for thou hast [now] made known unto us the {king's} matter. king's Therefore because the {king's} commandment was urgent, and the furnace exceeding hot, the flame of the fire slew those men that took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. king's And the princes, governors, and captains, and the {king's} counsellors, being gathered together, saw these men, upon whose bodies the fire had no power, nor was an hair of their head singed, neither were their coats changed, nor the smell of fire had passed on them. king's Then] Nebuchadnezzar spake, and said, Blessed [be] the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who hath sent his angel, and delivered his servants that trusted in him, and have changed the {king's} word, and yielded their bodies, that they might not serve nor worship any god, except their own God. king's While the word [was] in the {king's} mouth, there fell a voice from heaven, [saying], O king Nebuchadnezzar, to thee it is spoken; The kingdom is departed from thee. king's In the same hour came forth fingers of a man's hand, and wrote over against the candlestick upon the plaster of the wall of the {king's} palace: and the king saw the part of the hand that wrote. king's Then the {king's} countenance was changed, and his thoughts troubled him, so that the joints of his loins were loosed, and his knees smote one against another. king's Then came in all the {king's} wise [men]: but they could not read the writing, nor make known to the king the interpretation thereof. king's Then they came near, and spake before the king concerning the {king's} decree; Hast thou not signed a decree, that every man that shall ask [a petition] of any God or man within thirty days, save of thee, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions? The king answered and said, The thing [is] true, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which altereth not. king's And I Daniel fainted, and was sick [certain] days; afterward I rose up, and did the {king's} business; and I was astonished at the vision, but none understood [it]. king's And in the end of years they shall join themselves together; for the {king's} daughter of the south shall come to the king of the north to make an agreement: but she shall not retain the power of the arm; neither shall he stand, nor his arm: but she shall be given up, and they that brought her, and he that begat her, and he that strengthened her in [these] times. ~~~~~~