Daniel 1:8

To have partaken of such a feast would have been to sanction idolatry, and was forbidden even after the legal distinction of clean and unclean meats was done away (1Co 8:7, 10; Thus the faith of these youths was made instrumental in overruling the evil foretold against the Jews (Eze 4:13; Ho 9:3), to the glory of God.

quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — unbalanced-parens

VERY much of our future life will depend upon our earliest days. I like a remark of Mr. Ruskin's that I remember to have read, though I cannot quote it verbatim. He says, "People often say, 'We excuse the thoughtlessness of youth,'" but he says, "No, it never ought to be excused. I had far rather hear of thoughtless old age, when a man has done his work— but what excuse can be found for a thoughtless youth?

VERY much of our future life will depend upon our earliest days. I like a remark of Mr. Ruskin's that I remember to have read, though I cannot quote it verbatim. He says, "People often say, 'We excuse the thoughtlessness of youth,'" but he says, "No, it never ought to be excused. I had far rather hear of thoughtless old age, when a man has done his work— but what excuse can be found for a thoughtless youth? The time for thought is at the beginning of life and there is no period which so much demands, or so much necessitates, thoughtfulness as our early days." I would that all young men would think so. They say that they must sow their "wild oats." No, no, my dear young Friend, think before you sow such seed as that, and remember what the reaping will be. See whether there is not better corn to be found than wild oats and try to sow that. Then think how you will sow it and when you will sow it, for, if you do not think about the sowing— "What will the harvest be?" If there is any time when the farmer should think, it is surely in the early stages of the plowing and the sowing. If he does not think, then, it will be of small use for him to think afterwards. Daniel was a young man, and he did think. It was his glory that he so thought that he came to a purpose, and he purposed, not with a kind of superficial, "I will," but he, "purposed in his heart," and gave his whole self to a certain definite purpose which he deliberately formed. He was a young man—he was also a captive—and that rendered it the more remarkable that he should come to such a decision. He had been stolen away from his father's house and carried into a foreign land.

But Daniel purposed in his heart - Evidently in concurrence with the youths who had been selected with him. See Dan 1:11-13. Daniel, it seems, formed this as a “decided” purpose, and “meant” to carry it into effect, as a matter of principle, though he designed to secure his object, if possible, by making a request that he might be “allowed” to pursue that course Dan 1:12, and wished not to give offence, or to provoke opposition. What would have been the result if he had not obtained permission we know not; but the probability is, that he would have thrown himself upon the protection of God, as he afterward did Dan. 6, and would have done what he considered to be duty, regardless of consequences. The course which he took saved him from the trial, for the prince of the eunuchs was willing to allow him to make the experiment, Dan 1:14. It is always better, even where there is decided principle, and a settled purpose in a matter, to obtain an object by a peaceful request, than to attempt to secure it by violence. That he would not defile himself with the portion of the king’s meat - Notes, Dan 1:5. The word which is rendered “defile himself” - יתגאל yı̂thegâ'al from גאל gā'al - is commonly used in connection with “redemption,” its first and usual meaning being to redeem, to ransom. In later Hebrew, however, it means, to be defiled; to be polluted, to be unclean. The “connection” between these significations of the word is not apparent, unless, as redemption was accomplished with the shedding of blood, rendering the place where it was shed defiled, the idea came to be permanently attached to the word. […]