A. The First Hostages of the Captivity (1-2)

The first wave of captives went to Babylon in 605 B.C. in the reign of Jehoiakim; the second was in 597 when Jehoiachin was forced to surrender Jerusalem and go into captivity with his skilled people, best troops, and prophets like Ezekiel; and the third wave took place in 587/6 when Jerusalem was destroyed. Thus, Jeremiah’s prophecy that the captivity would be 70 years dates from 605 to 536 (Jer. 29:10).

Jehoiakim began to reign in 608 after the death of Josiah at Megiddo. The reckoning that Daniel gives follows the Babylonian system, which reckoned the first regnal year as beginning on the first of Nisan following the year of accession to the throne, hence, the third year of Jeohiakim. The Jewish calendar began the civic year with Tishri in the fall. If he began in the fall of 609, then 605 would be his fourth year (Jer. 25:1). Nebuchadnezzar did not reach Jerusalem til after the battle in November of December.

The point of the passage is clear: Nebuchadnezzar did not accomplish the destruction of Jerusalem and the captivity–it was the LORD (i.e., Yahweh) sending his people into exile. This was in keeping with the divine plan of blessing and cursing in Leviticus 26, Deut. 28 and 2 Chron. 36:14-21. If God sent them into Babylon, then God was certainly able to rescue them. This note sounds the main principle of the theology of the book--the sovereignty of God over the nations.

B. Nebuchadnezzar’s Training Program (3-7)

The name of the king is Nabu-kudurri-utsur, “Nebo, protect my boundary.” The god Nebo was the spokesman for Marduk (compare Hebrew nabi’, “prophet”). The spelling of the king’s name is somewhat uncertain since “r” and “n” were not easily distinguished in the Orient.

Ashpenaz (perhaps a Persian or Median name) was over the Royal Academy, the brain trust of the palace into which the best of the captives were admitted. He was called the “chief of 7 the court officials.” The term saris means “eunuch,” one castrated, or impotent at least. But this Hebrew word is cognate to the earlier Akkadian term sha reshi sharri (“he who is of the king’s head,” or, a predominant court official). In the Joseph story Potiphar is a saris, but it is unlikely a castrated or impotent man would have a wife. It is likely that the word also applied to high court officials, especially in the second millennium B.C. (and hence Joseph’s story). But in the Neo-Babylonian empire, 612-539 B.C., it may refer to a eunuch–one who could be entrusted with the harem as well.

There were probably others in the program, but Daniel and his three friends are the only ones mentioned. The king would immediately change the names of the young men to make them fit in his court–it was what conquerors did. The name Daniye’l means “My judge is God”; he was given the Babylonian name Beltesha’tssar, probably Akkadian Balat-su-utsur, “[Nebo] protect his life.” See 4:8 where he is said to be named after the king’s god, and so “Nebo” is intended.

The other men also had name changes. Hananyah, “Yahweh has shown grace,” was changed to Shudur-Aku, “The Command of Aku” (a Sumerian or Elamite moon god). Misha’el, “Who is what God is?” was changed to the pagan equivalent, Mi-sha-Aku, “Who is what Aku is?” ‘ azaryah, Yahweh has helped,” was changed to ‘ abed nego, “servant of Nego [Nebo?],” perhaps “Servant of the Shining One” involving a play on the name Nebo.

Taking these names did not seem to trouble the exiles. Some of the captives took Babylonian names voluntarily– Zerubbabel is “the seed/branch of Babylon.” And Shenazzer even took a pagan name element, “Sin [the moon god] protect the father.” They were going to live in captivity for 70 years; they had to exist with as little trouble as possible.

But at the very outset they were faced with a clear cut challenge to their faith–to eat forbidden food in the Academy, or to obey the Law, the Torah, and defy the king, perhaps to their death. What the king called them was one thing; what they did was another. The food they would not eat was probably food that had been offered to pagan gods, or foods the dietary laws would have prevented. Interestingly, the test of Adam and Eve in the garden had been to eat the forbidden fruit, and here the four Hebrews do not succumb to the temptation to eat forbidden food. Adam and Eve ate and their sin resulted in death; the four youths refused to eat, and could have been killed, except God was sovereignly blessing them and protecting them for their faithfulness. As an aside, it is worth underscoring the fact that these men were subjected to a rigorous training in a pagan court by a pagan caste giving them pagan names; this strongly argues for the early date of the book. What Maccabean Jewish writer would make up such a story?

C. The First Demonstration of Faith (8-16)

Daniel was the first to make up his mind (“place it upon his heart”) and became the spokesman for the others. His main goal was to avoid becoming defiled with unclean meats–an idea that would have insulted the pagans. What worked to his benefit was the fact that he had a good relation with his guard and with Ashpenaz himself (khesed, the “favor” he found, implies a loyalty based on a relationship). He proposed a test, that they would eat pure vegetables and drink water for ten days and then see if they had become weakened in any way. This was the first test of their faith.

D. The Excellence of God’s Special Servants (17-21)

Verse 17 is the critical verse of the chapter, setting the stage for all that followed. God gave them knowledge and understanding; and Daniel could understand visions and dreams. They were granted these special abilities, not because of their diet, but because of their faithfulness and commitment to God’s word. Both Joseph and Daniel mastered oneiromancy in pagan courts, for the pagans placed such an importance on dreams.

After they were trained the four Jewish youths were examined by the king himself. He found them ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters of the land. Their faithfulness to the Word of God was therefore rewarded by God, and they were perfectly acceptable to the king. The lesson is for the faithful, those committed to obey Scripture. There is a line they will not cross, dare not cross–they will not knowingly violate God’s laws. But they had to be prepared to die if things turned out against them. But they lived. Daniel remained their until the first year of Cyrus (539/538).