Page:PracticalCommentaryOnHolyScripture.djvu/366

 bones are dried  up  and  our  hope  is  lost,  but  say  to  them: Thus saith the  Lord  God: Behold, I will  open  your  graves,  and  bring you into  the  land  of  Israel,  and  you  shall  know  that  I am  the Lord, O my  people.”

Amongst the  captives  were  several  young  men  of  high  rank, belonging to  the  first  families. The king  ordered  the  most  distinguished of  these  to  be  brought  up  in  his  own  palace,  clothed  in kingly  apparel,  and  fed  with  meats  from  his  own  table. Amongst these young  men  were  Daniel8,  Ananias,  Misael  and  Azarias.

They resolved  not  to  eat  the  meats  from  the  king’s  table, because the  Jewish  law  forbade  the  use  of  certain  meats,  and they begged  the  chief  steward  to  allow  them  to  eat  only  vegetables, and  to  drink  only  water. The steward  was  disposed  to comply  with  their  request,  but  he  told  them  that  if  they  lived  on such  diet,  they  would  become  so  lean  that  the  king  would  blame him, and  perhaps  punish  him  severely.

Daniel besought  the  steward  to  try  them  for  ten  days  with the food  and  drink  they  desired  to  have. The steward  consented, and at  the  end  of  ten  days  the  faces  of  these  young  men  were fresher and  more  comely  than  those  of  the  other  young  men  of the  court.

After this  the  steward  gave  them  only  vegetables  and  water; but God  gave  them  wisdom and  science. When the  time  came for them  to  be  presented  to  the  king,  he  was  so  charmed  with their beauty  and  wisdom  that  he  retained  them  in  his  service.