Category:Daniel at the Court of Babylon (event)

Daniel at the Court of Babylon / Childhood of Daniel refers to an episode in the life of Daniel and his companions (Hananiah, Mishael & Azariah), as narrated in the Book of Daniel (ch.1) and in Josephus' Works (Ant).

Overview

Daniel and his friends Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah were among the young Jewish nobility carried off to Babylon following the capture of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon. The four were chosen for their intellect and beauty to be trained in the Babylonian court, and were given new names. Daniel was given the Babylonian name Belteshazzar, while his companions were given the Babylonian names Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.

The story follows the same pattern of the stories of Childhood of Joseph in Egypt. Daniel and his friends refused the food and wine provided by the king of Babylon to avoid becoming defiled. Because of their piety, God rewarded them with wisdom. Daniel in particular "had insight into all visions and dreams." They surpassed "all the magicians and enchanters of the kingdom."

Daniel and his friends served as eunuchs. This was a common practice at the Babylonian (and Persian) court, as it is confirmed in 2 Kings 20:18 about the descendants of King Hezekiah: “And some of your descendants, your own flesh and blood that will be born to you, will be taken away, and they will become eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon.” The Book of Daniel does not explicitly says so, but this was the way it was commonly understood already in antiquity (see Josephus, Ant XX.11.1-2). The boys were educated under the authority of the “chief eunuch” Ashpenaz, and their childhood did not end with marriage. Especially in Persian times, the eunuchs gained increasing influence over the king and his court. The practice of castration created a multi-ethnic class of officials whose loyalty was exclusively with the King (and the empire) as they had no prospects for marriage and descendants.

Castration was forbidden in Jewish law. According to Deuteronomy, "No one whose testicles are crushed or whose penis is cut off shall be admitted to the assembly of the Lord" (Deut 23:1). The Book of Isaiah, however, now includes words of consolation for the eunuchs. Some eunuchs of Jewish descent, like Daniel or Nehemiah, would play a very important role in the early Second Temple Period.

3 Do not let the eunuch say,

“I am just a dry tree.”

4 For thus says the Lord:

To the eunuchs who keep my sabbaths,

who choose the things that please me

and hold fast my covenant,

5 I will give, in my house and within my walls,

a monument and a name

better than sons and daughters;

I will give them an everlasting name

that shall not be cut off. (Isaiah 56:3b-5)

"Daniel at the Court of Babylon" in ancient sources

Book of Daniel

Daniel 1 (NRSV) -- "(Daniel 1) In the third year of the reign of King Jehoiakim of Judah, King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it. 2 The Lord let King Jehoiakim of Judah fall into his power, as well as some of the vessels of the house of God. These he brought to the land of Shinar, and placed the vessels in the treasury of his gods. 3 Then the king commanded his palace master Ashpenaz to bring some of the Israelites of the royal family and of the nobility, 4 young men without physical defect and handsome, versed in every branch of wisdom, endowed with knowledge and insight, and competent to serve in the king's palace; they were to be taught the literature and language of the Chaldeans. 5 The king assigned them a daily portion of the royal rations of food and wine. They were to be educated for three years, so that at the end of that time they could be stationed in the king's court. 6 Among them were Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, from the tribe of Judah. 7 The palace master gave them other names: Daniel he called Belteshazzar, Hananiah he called Shadrach, Mishael he called Meshach, and Azariah he called Abednego. 8 But Daniel resolved that he would not defile himself with the royal rations of food and wine; so he asked the palace master to allow him not to defile himself. 9 Now God allowed Daniel to receive favor and compassion from the palace master. 10 The palace master said to Daniel, "I am afraid of my lord the king; he has appointed your food and your drink. If he should see you in poorer condition than the other young men of your own age, you would endanger my head with the king." 11 Then Daniel asked the guard whom the palace master had appointed over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah: 12 "Please test your servants for ten days. Let us be given vegetables to eat and water to drink. 13 You can then compare our appearance with the appearance of the young men who eat the royal rations, and deal with your servants according to what you observe." 14 So he agreed to this proposal and tested them for ten days. 15 At the end of ten days it was observed that they appeared better and fatter than all the young men who had been eating the royal rations. 16 So the guard continued to withdraw their royal rations and the wine they were to drink, and gave them vegetables. 17 To these four young men God gave knowledge and skill in every aspect of literature and wisdom; Daniel also had insight into all visions and dreams. 18 At the end of the time that the king had set for them to be brought in, the palace master brought them into the presence of Nebuchadnezzar, 19 and the king spoke with them. And among them all, no one was found to compare with Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah; therefore they were stationed in the king's court. 20 In every matter of wisdom and understanding concerning which the king inquired of them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters in his whole kingdom. 21 And Daniel continued there until the first year of King Cyrus.

Josephus' Antiquitates Iudaicae

Ant 20.11.1-2 -- But now Nebuchadnezzar King of Babylon took some of the most noble of the Jews that were children, and the kinsmen of Zedekiah their King; such as were remarkable for the beauty of their bodies, and the comeliness of their countenances; and delivered them into the hands of tutors, and to the improvement to be made by them. He also made some of them to be eunuchs: which course he took also with those of other nations whom he had taken in the flower of their age: and afforded them their diet from his own table; and had them instructed in the institutes of the countrey, and taught the learning of the Chaldeans. And they had now exercised themselves sufficiently in that wisdom, which he had ordered they should apply themselves to. Now among these there were four of the family of Zedekiah; of most excellent dispositions: the one of whom was called Daniel; another was called Ananias; another Misael; and the fourth Azarias. And the King of Babylon changed their names; and commanded that they should make use of other names. Daniel he called Baltasar: Ananias, Shadrach: Misael, Meshach: and Azarias, Abednego. These the King had in esteem; and continued to love: because of the very excellent temper they were of: and because of their application to learning, and the progress they had made in wisdom.

2. Now Daniel and his kinsmen had resolved to use a severe diet, and to abstain from those kinds of food which came from the King’s table: and intirely to forbear to eat of all living creatures. So he came to Ashpenaz who was that eunuch to whom the care of them was committed and desired him to take and spend what was brought for them from the King; but to give them pulse and dates for their food, and any thing else, besides the flesh of living creatures, that he pleased; for that their inclinations were to that sort of food, and that they despised the other. He replied, that he was ready to serve them in what they desired; but he suspected that they would be discovered by the King from their meager bodies, and the alteration of their countenances; because it could not be avoided but their bodies and colours must be changed with their diet: especially while they would be clearly discovered by the finer appearance of the other children, who would fare better; and thus they should bring him into danger, and occasion him to be punished. Yet did they persuade Arioch, who was thus fearful, to give them what food they desired for ten days, by way of trial: and in case the habit of their bodies were not altered, to go on in the same way: as expecting that they should not be hurt thereby afterwards. But that if he saw them then look meager, and worse than the rest, he should reduce them to their former diet. Now when it appeared that they were so far from becoming worse by the use of this food, that they grew plumper, and fuller in body than the rest; insomuch that he thought those who fed on what came from the King’s table seemed less plump and full; while those that were with Daniel looked as if they had lived in plenty, and in all sorts of luxury; Arioch, from that time, securely took himself what the King sent every day from his supper, according to custom, to the children: but gave them the forementioned diet: while they had their souls in some measure more pure, and less burdened, and so fitter for learning: and had their bodies in better tune for hard labour. For they neither had the former oppressed and heavy with variety of meats; nor were the other effeminate on the same account. So they readily understood all the learning that was among the Hebrews, and among the Chaldeans. As especially did Daniel: who being already sufficiently skilful in wisdom, was very busy about the interpretation of dreams. And God manifested himself to him.

"Daniel at the Court of Babylon" in Literature & the Arts

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