Daniel 1:4
in Daniel 1young men without blemish, handsome, gifted in all wisdom, knowledgeable, quick to understand, and qualified to serve in the king’s palace—and to teach them the language and literature of the Chaldeans.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
youths in whom was no blemish, but well-favored, and skilful in all wisdom, and endued with knowledge, and understanding science, and such as had ability to stand in the king’s palace; and that he should teach them the learning and the tongue of the Chaldeans.
KJV
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.
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This verse in Daniel 1
Commentary
9 notes on this verseChildren - ילדים yeladim, youths, young men; and so the word should be rendered throughout this book. Skilled in all wisdom - Rather, persons capable of every kind of literary accomplishment, that they might be put under proper instruction. And as children of the blood and of the nobles mere most likely, from the care usually taken of their initiatory education, to profit most by the elaborate instruction here designed, the master of the eunuchs, the king’s chamberlain, was commanded to choose the youths in question out of such.
This site's exposition
unto Ashpenaz
on Daniel 1:3-5
Ashpenaz the master of the eunuchs receives Nebuchadnezzar's order for youths of Israel's own royal and noble line, chosen for a body without blemish and a mind trained in every science the empire prized. The king's meat and the king's wine were themselves a mark of high favor at a Babylonian table, and the three years of nourishing set the length of Daniel's own coming test. Gill reads the aim as assimilation by kindness rather than force, a gentler conquest of the mind to match the harder conquest already made of the land.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
And so the God of all makes evident the foolishness, infirmity and loathsome ways of the world in order to put to shame its power and wisdom. People who care for bodily things and seek beauty, greatness and great bodily strength know nothing of divine …
And Scripture says, "And the king told Ashpenaz the chief of the eunuchs to bring in some of those from the sons of the captivity of Israel and from the seed of the king and from the princes, young men, who have no blemish, who are beautiful in appearance and are understanding in all wisdom, being well versed in knowledge, disposed to prudence, and who have in themselves the strength to stand in the house of the king, and to teach them the letters and the tongue of the Chaldeans. And the king appointed them on that very day to be nourished from the table of the king and from the wine which he drank in order for them to be nourished three years, and after these things to stand before the king. And there was among them from the sons of Judah, Daniel and Hanniah, Mishael, and Azariah." [Daniel 1:3-7] It is necessary that those who love learning to not read these things cursorily, but to prepare the mind for the things that lie before us. For the divine writings do not idly preach to us, but their admonition is meant for us and also the blessing of these prophets and the demonstration of all the things which are spoken by them are for us as well. For when Hezekiah king of Judah was sick unto death, then "Isaiah the prophet came to him and told him 'Set in order your sons and your daughters and your father's house, for you will die and you will not live.'" [2 Kings 20:1, also see Isaiah 38:1] Having been grieved at this word, "Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to the Lord saying, 'Lord remember me just as I have walked before you in truth and in faith and with a full heart and I have done what is pleasing in your presence.' And Hezekiah wept with great weeping." [2 Kings 20:1-3] After this occurred, Isaiah was sent to him a second time and he said to him, "The Lord the God of David your father says this, 'I have heard your prayer and have seen your tears. […]
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
Nay, we do not find that he ordered them to be taught the religion of the Chaldeans, by which it appears That he was at this time no bigot; if men were skilful and faithful, and fit for his business, it was not material to him what religion they were of, provided they had but some religion.
The learning and the tongue - The Chaldeans were skilled above any other nation, in natural philosophy. Their tongue differed from the Hebrew in dialect and in pronunciation, which they learned that they might be the more acceptable to the king, and court.
Children in whom was no blemish,....
2 more voices on this verse
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
no blemish--A handsome form was connected, in Oriental ideas, with mental power. "Children" means youths of twelve or fourteen years old. teach . . . tongue of . . .
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
Children in whom was no blemish - The word rendered “children” in this place (ילדים yelâdı̂ym) is different from that which is rendered “children” in Job 1:3 - בנים bânnı̂ym). That word denotes merely that they were “sons,” or “descendants,” of Israel, without implying anything in regard to their age; the word here used would be appropriate only to those who were at an early period of life, and makes it certain that the king meant that those who were selected should be youths. Compare Gen 4:23, where the word is rendered “a young man.” It is sometimes, indeed, used to denote a son, without reference to age, and is then synonymous with בן bên, a “son.” But it properly means “one born;” that is, “recently born;” a child, Gen 21:8; Exo 1:17; Exo 2:3; and then one in early life. There can be no doubt that the monarch meant to designate youths. So the Vulgate, pueros, and the Greek, νεανισκους neaniskous, and so the Syriac. All these words would be applicable to those who were in early life, or to young men. Compare Introduction to Daniel, Section I. The word “blemish” refers to bodily defect or imperfection. The object was to select those who were most perfect in form, perhaps partly because it was supposed that beautiful youths would most grace the court, and partly because it was supposed that such would be likely to have the brightest intellectual endowments. […]
The words behind it
25 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| יְלָדִ֣ים | yeladim | youths | H3206 → | 89 times |
| אֲשֶׁ֣ר | ʾasher | whom | H834 → | 5497 times |
| אֵֽין־ | ʾein- | not | H369 → | 789 times |
| בָּהֶ֣ם | bahem | [was] in them | ||
| כָּל־ | kol- | any | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| מוּם֩ | meum | blemish | H3971 → | |
| וְטוֹבֵ֨י | vetovei | and good of | H2896 → | |
| מַרְאֶ֜ה | mareh | appearance | H4758 → | 103 times |
| וּמַשְׂכִּילִ֣ים | umaskilim | and having insight | H7919 → | 62 times |
| בְּכָל־ | bekhol | in all | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| חָכְמָ֗ה | chokhmah | wisdom | H2451 → | 153 times |
| וְיֹ֤דְעֵי | veyodeei | and knowing | H3045 → | 945 times |
| דַ֙עַת֙ | daat | <of> knowledge | H1847 → | |
| וּמְבִינֵ֣י | umevinei | and understanding | H995 → | 170 times |
| מַדָּ֔ע | mada' | <of> knowledge | H4093 → | |
| וַאֲשֶׁר֙ | vaasher | and whom | H834 → | 5497 times |
| כֹּ֣חַ | koach | ability | H3581 → | 126 times |
| בָּהֶ֔ם | bahem | [was] in them | ||
| לַעֲמֹ֖ד | laamod | to stand | H5975 → | 521 times |
| בְּהֵיכַ֣ל | beheikhal | in [the] palace of | H1964 → | |
| הַמֶּ֑לֶךְ | hamelekh | the king | H4428 → | 2525 times |
| וּֽלֲלַמְּדָ֥ם | ulalamedam | and to teach them | H3925 → | |
| סֵ֖פֶר | sefer | [the] writing | H5612 → | 186 times |
| וּלְשׁ֥וֹן | uleshon | and [the] tongue of | H3956 → | |
| כַּשְׂדִּֽים׃ | kasdim | [the] Chaldeans | H3778 → | 80 times |
יְלָדִ֣יםyouths
yeladimH3206 →89 times
אֲשֶׁ֣רwhom
ʾasherH834 →5497 times
אֵֽין־not
ʾein-H369 →789 times
בָּהֶ֣ם[was] in them
bahem
כָּל־any
kol-H3605 →5413 times
מוּם֩blemish
meumH3971 →
וְטוֹבֵ֨יand good of
vetoveiH2896 →
מַרְאֶ֜הappearance
marehH4758 →103 times
וּמַשְׂכִּילִ֣יםand having insight
umaskilimH7919 →62 times
בְּכָל־in all
bekholH3605 →5413 times
חָכְמָ֗הwisdom
chokhmahH2451 →153 times
וְיֹ֤דְעֵיand knowing
veyodeeiH3045 →945 times
דַ֙עַת֙<of> knowledge
daatH1847 →
וּמְבִינֵ֣יand understanding
umevineiH995 →170 times
מַדָּ֔ע<of> knowledge
mada'H4093 →
וַאֲשֶׁר֙and whom
vaasherH834 →5497 times
כֹּ֣חַability
koachH3581 →126 times
בָּהֶ֔ם[was] in them
bahem
לַעֲמֹ֖דto stand
laamodH5975 →521 times
בְּהֵיכַ֣לin [the] palace of
beheikhalH1964 →
הַמֶּ֑לֶךְthe king
hamelekhH4428 →2525 times
וּֽלֲלַמְּדָ֥םand to teach them
ulalamedamH3925 →
סֵ֖פֶר[the] writing
seferH5612 →186 times
וּלְשׁ֥וֹןand [the] tongue of
uleshonH3956 →
כַּשְׂדִּֽים׃[the] Chaldeans
kasdimH3778 →80 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.
- Matthew 25:23
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 10:4
Idle hands make one poor, but diligent hands bring wealth.
- 1 Kings 11:28
Through
2 Samuel 14:25Now there was not a man in all Israel as handsome and highly praised as Absalom. From the sole of his foot to the top of his head, he did not have a single…
it leads to
- Isaiah 1:6
From the sole of your foot to the top of your head, there is no soundness—only wounds and welts and festering sores neither cleansed nor bandaged nor soothed with oil.
- Deuteronomy 28:35
The LORD will afflict you with painful, incurable boils on your knees and thighs, from the soles of your feet to the top of your head.
- Isaiah 1:6
Through
Daniel 5:11There is a man in your kingdom who has the spirit of the holy gods in him. In the days of your father he was found to have insight, intelligence, and wisdom like that…
it leads to
- Daniel 4:8–9
But at last, into my presence came Daniel (whose name is Belteshazzar after the name of my god, and in whom is the spirit of the holy gods). And I told him the dream:
- Daniel 4:8–9
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About Daniel
This page draws on 9 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Hippolytus of Rome, Commentary on Daniel 1.7.1-10.1; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; 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 Theodoret of Cyrus, COMMENTARY ON DANIEL 1:3-4.