How does Daniel pursue his food request despite the officer’s fear?

Atlas of Saints · Chapter summary

Daniel requests a ten-day pulse-and-water trial; its observed result precedes the youths’ learning and examination.

Chapter breakdown

In Joakim's third year as king of Juda, Nabuchodonosor besieges Jerusalem. The Lord delivers Joakim and some vessels of God's house into his hands, and he carries them to Sennaar, placing the vessels in his god's treasure house. The edition identifies this god as Bel or Belus, the Chaldeans' principal idol.

The king instructs Asphenez, master of the eunuchs, to bring Israelite children of royal and princely families who are unblemished, well-favored, skilled in wisdom, acute in knowledge and instructed in science, fit to stand in the palace. They are taught Chaldean learning and language, with daily provisions from the king's meat and wine for three years before standing before him. Among the children of Juda are Daniel, Ananias, Misael and Azarias, renamed Baltassar, Sidrach, Misach and Abdenago respectively.

Daniel resolves not to be defiled by the king's table or wine and requests permission from the master of the eunuchs. The edition explains the concern as meat forbidden by the law or previously offered to idols. God gives Daniel grace and mercy in the officer's sight, but the officer fears that faces leaner than the other youths' will endanger his head before the king. Daniel asks Malasar, appointed over the four companions, for a ten-day trial of pulse and water, followed by a comparison of their faces with those eating the king's meat. Malasar may then deal with them according to what he sees. The edition explains pulse as peas, beans and similar food.

Malasar tries them for ten days. Their faces appear fairer and fatter than all the others', so he takes away their portions and wine and gives them pulse. God gives the four knowledge, understanding in every book and wisdom, and gives Daniel understanding of visions and dreams. At the end of the appointed days, they are brought before Nabuchodonosor. He finds none like them, and in matters of wisdom and understanding finds them ten times better than his kingdom's diviners and wise men. Daniel continues even to Cyrus's first year.

The story inside

The officer fears that leaner faces will endanger his head. Daniel proposes a fixed trial followed by comparison of appearances. God gives wisdom to the four and understanding of visions and dreams to Daniel.

Lessons worth keeping

1
The officer fears that leaner faces will endanger his head.
2
Daniel proposes a fixed trial followed by comparison of appearances.
3
God gives wisdom to the four and understanding of visions and dreams to Daniel.

Test your recall

Who conducts the trial, and what result does he observe?

Source edition and notes

Douay–Rheims, revised by Richard Challoner (1749–1752). Project Gutenberg no. 1581. Locators refer to lines in the admitted pg1581.txt edition. Source notes may include Challoner commentary.

Lines 96848–96854
1:1. In the third year of the reign of Joakim, king of Juda, Nabuchodonosor, king of Babylon, came to Jerusalem, and besieged it. 1:2. And the Lord delivered into his hands Joakim, the king of Juda, and part of the vessels of the house of God: and he carried them away into the land of Sennaar, to the house of his god, and the vessels he brought into the treasure house of his god.
Lines 96856–96856
His god.... Bel or Belus, the principal idol of the Chaldeans.
Lines 96858–96869
1:3. And the king spoke to Asphenez, the master of the eunuchs, that he should bring in some of the children of Israel, and of the king’s seed, and of the princes, 1:4. Children in whom there was no blemish, well favoured, and skilful in all wisdom, acute in knowledge, and instructed in science, and such as might stand in the king’s palace, that he might teach them the learning, and tongue of the Chaldeans. 1:5. And the king appointed them a daily provision, of his own meat, and of the wine of which he drank himself, that being nourished three years, afterwards they might stand before the king.
Lines 96878–96883
1:8. But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not be defiled with the king’s table, nor with the wine which he drank: and he requested the master of the eunuchs that he might not be defiled. Be defiled, etc.... Viz., either by eating meat forbidden by the law, or which had before been offered to idols.
Lines 96888–96902
1:10. And the prince of the eunuchs said to Daniel: I fear my lord, the king, who hath appointed you meat and drink: who if he should see your faces leaner than those of the other youths, your equals, you shall endanger my head to the king. 1:11. And Daniel said to Malasar, whom the prince of the eunuchs had appointed over Daniel, Ananias, Misael, and Azarias: 1:12. Try, I beseech thee, thy servants for ten days, and let pulse be given us to eat, and water to drink: Pulse.... That is, pease, beans, and such like. 1:13. And look upon our faces, and the faces of the children that eat of the king’s meat: and as thou shalt see, deal with thy servants.
Lines 96906–96914
1:15. And after ten days, their faces appeared fairer and fatter than all the children that ate of the king’s meat. 1:16. So Malasar took their portions, and the wine that they should drink: and he gave them pulse. 1:17. And to these children God gave knowledge, and understanding in every book, and wisdom: but to Daniel the understanding also of all visions and dreams.
Lines 96920–96926
1:19. And when the king had spoken to them, there were not found among them all such as Daniel, Ananias, Misael, and Azarias: and they stood in the king’s presence. 1:20. And in all matters of wisdom and understanding, that the king inquired of them, he found them ten times better than all the diviners, and wise men, that were in all his kingdom.