Daniel 1:19
in Daniel 1And 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.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
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.
KJV
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.
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This verse in Daniel 1
Commentary
9 notes on this verseHe could do it, being a man of parts and learning himself, else he would not have come to be so great; and he would do it, for it is the wisdom of princes, in the choice of the persons they employ, to see with their own eyes, to exercise their own judgment, and not trust too much to the representation of others.
This site's exposition
the king communed
on Daniel 1:19-21
The king communed with them himself, and the verdict is unanimous and immediate, none like the four is found among all who were gathered, so they stand before Nebuchadnezzar as his own household rather than as prisoners newly arrived. Examined in every matter of wisdom and understanding, they are found ten times better than all the magicians and astrologers of the kingdom, a margin the bench reads as deliberately overstated to make the point that Babylon's own arts cannot rival what God gave. The chapter closes on Daniel continued even unto the first year of king Cyrus, a lifespan bracketing the whole captivity, the last verse quietly promising the reader that this man survives to see the end of the empire that took him.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
"For God gave them understanding and prudence in all learning and wisdom and Daniel understood all visions and dreams.
The Puritans and the Awakening4 voices
4 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.
quarantine:scripture (2026-07-29) — verbatim-scripture
); they attended in the presence-chamber, nay, and in the council-chamber, for to see the king's face is the periphrasis of a privy-counsellor, Esth. i. This confirms Solomon's observation, Seest thou a man diligent in his business, sober and humble? he shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before mean men. Industry is the way to preferment.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — leading-punctuation+unbalanced-parens
Before - Both in the presence chamber, and in the council chamber, to try their proficiency; this shews the king's ability and judgment, how else could he discern their fitness, and their excellency above others.
And the king communed with them,.... He asked them several questions upon the several articles of literature in which they had been educated, to try and see what proficiency they had made; he discoursed with them on various topics of learning, that he might be able to form a judgment of them, and of their capacities, and what employments under him they would be most fit for, and capable of.
2 more voices on this verse
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
And among them all - All the young noble captives from different nations. Therefore stood they before the king - It appears that only four were wanting.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
And the king communed with them - Hebrew, “spake with them.” Probably he conversed with them on the points which had constituted the principal subjects of their studies; or he “examined” them. It is easy to imagine that this must have been to these young men a severe ordeal.
The words behind it
13 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיְדַבֵּ֣ר | vaydaber | and he spoke | H1696 → | 1141 times |
| אִתָּם֮ | ʾitam | with them | H854 → | |
| הַמֶּלֶךְ֒ | hamelekh | the king | H4428 → | 2525 times |
| וְלֹ֤א | velo' | and not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| נִמְצָא֙ | nimtza' | he was found | H4672 → | 455 times |
| מִכֻּלָּ֔ם | mikulam | any of all of them | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| כְּדָנִיֵּ֣אל | kedaniyel | like Daniel | H1840 → | 24 times |
| חֲנַנְיָ֔ה | chananyah | Hananiah | H2608 → | 29 times |
| מִֽישָׁאֵ֖ל | mishael | Mishael | H4332 → | 7 times |
| וַעֲזַרְיָ֑ה | vaazaryah | and Azariah | H5838 → | 49 times |
| וַיַּֽעַמְד֖וּ | vaiyaamdu | and they stood | H5975 → | 521 times |
| לִפְנֵ֥י | lifnei | <to> before | H6440 → | 2123 times |
| הַמֶּֽלֶךְ׃ | hamelekh | the king | H4428 → | 2525 times |
וַיְדַבֵּ֣רand he spoke
vaydaberH1696 →1141 times
אִתָּם֮with them
ʾitamH854 →
הַמֶּלֶךְ֒the king
hamelekhH4428 →2525 times
וְלֹ֤אand not
velo'H3808 →5168 times
נִמְצָא֙he was found
nimtza'H4672 →455 times
מִכֻּלָּ֔םany of all of them
mikulamH3605 →5413 times
כְּדָנִיֵּ֣אלlike Daniel
kedaniyelH1840 →24 times
חֲנַנְיָ֔הHananiah
chananyahH2608 →29 times
מִֽישָׁאֵ֖לMishael
mishaelH4332 →7 times
וַעֲזַרְיָ֑הand Azariah
vaazaryahH5838 →49 times
וַיַּֽעַמְד֖וּand they stood
vaiyaamduH5975 →521 times
לִפְנֵ֥י<to> before
lifneiH6440 →2123 times
הַמֶּֽלֶךְ׃the king
hamelekhH4428 →2525 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Proverbs 22:29Do you see a man skilled in his work? He will be stationed in the presence of kings; he will not stand before obscure men.
it leads to
- 1 Kings 11:28
Now Jeroboam was a mighty man of valor. So when Solomon noticed that the young man was industrious, he put him in charge of the whole labor force of the house of Joseph.
- Matthew 25:21
His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Enter into the joy of your master!’
- Proverbs 12:24
The hand of the diligent will rule, but laziness ends in forced labor.
- Ecclesiastes 9:10
Whatever you find to do with your hands, do it with all your might, for in Sheol, where you are going, there is no work or planning or knowledge or wisdom.
- 1 Kings 11:28
Through
Jeremiah 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…
it leads to
- Zechariah 3:7
“This is what the LORD of Hosts says: ‘If you walk in My ways and keep My instructions, then you will govern My house and will also have charge of My courts; and I…
- Luke 21:15
For I will give you speech and wisdom that none of your adversaries will be able to resist or contradict.
- Leviticus 10:10
You must distinguish between the holy and the common, between the clean and the unclean,
- Ezekiel 44:23
They are to teach My people the difference between the holy and the common, and show them how to discern between the clean and the unclean.
- Zechariah 3:7
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About Daniel
Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes on the Book of Daniel; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Hippolytus of Rome, Commentary on Daniel 1.12.3-5; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset, and David Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible.