TRV
Translation
King James Version
And the prince of the eunuchs said unto Daniel, I fear my lord the king, who hath appointed your meat and your drink: for why should he see your faces worse liking than the children which are of your sort? then shall ye make me endanger my head to the king.
KJV (with Strong's)
And the prince H8269 of the eunuchs H5631 said H559 unto Daniel H1840, I fear H3373 my lord H113 the king H4428, who hath appointed H4487 your meat H3978 and your drink H4960: for why should he see H7200 your faces H6440 worse liking H2196 than the children H3206 which are of your sort H1524? then shall ye make me endanger H2325 my head H7218 to the king H4428.
Complete Jewish Bible
however, the chief officer said to Dani'el, "I'm afraid of my lord the king. After all, he has given you an allowance of food and drink; so if he were to see you boys looking worse than the others your age, you would be putting my own head in danger from the king."
Berean Standard Bible
but he said to Daniel, “I fear my lord the king, who has assigned your food and drink. For why should he see your faces looking thinner than those of the other young men your age? You would endanger my head before the king!”
American Standard Version
And the prince of the eunuchs said unto Daniel, I fear my lord the king, who hath appointed your food and your drink: for why should he see your faces worse looking than the youths that are of your own age? so would ye endanger my head with the king.
World English Bible Messianic
The prince of the eunuchs said to Daniel, I fear my lord the king, who has appointed your food and your drink: for why should he see your faces worse looking than the youths who are of your own age? so would you endanger my head with the king.
Geneva Bible (1599)
And the chiefe of the Eunuches sayd vnto Daniel, I feare my lord the King, who hath appointed your meate and your drinke: therefore if he see your faces worse liking then the other children, which are of your sort, then shall you make me lose mine head vnto the King.
Young's Literal Translation
and the chief of the eunuchs saith to Daniel, `I am fearing my lord the king, who hath appointed your food and your drink, for why doth he see your faces sadder than those of the lads which are of your circle? then ye have made my head indebted to the king,'
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Commentary on Daniel 1 verses 8–16
8 ¶ But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king's meat, nor with the wine which he drank: therefore he requested of the prince of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself.
9 Now God had brought Daniel into favour and tender love with the prince of the eunuchs.
10 And the prince of the eunuchs said unto Daniel, I fear my lord the king, who hath appointed your meat and your drink: for why should he see your faces worse liking than the children which are of your sort? then shall ye make me endanger my head to the king.
11 Then said Daniel to Melzar, whom the prince of the eunuchs had set over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah,
12 Prove thy servants, I beseech thee, ten days; and let them give us pulse to eat, and water to drink.
13 Then let our countenances be looked upon before thee, and the countenance of the children that eat of the portion of the king's meat: and as thou seest, deal with thy servants.
14 So he consented to them in this matter, and proved them ten days.
15 And at the end of ten days their countenances appeared fairer and fatter in flesh than all the children which did eat the portion of the king's meat.
16 Thus Melzar took away the portion of their meat, and the wine that they should drink; and gave them pulse.
We observe here, very much to our satisfaction,
I. That Daniel was a favourite with the prince of the eunuchs (Dan 1:9), as Joseph was with the keeper of the prison; he had a tender love for him. No doubt Daniel deserved it, and recommended himself by his ingenuity and sweetness of temper (he was greatly beloved, Dan 9:23); and yet it is said here that it was God that brought him into favour with the prince of the eunuchs, for every one does not meet with acceptance according to his merits. Note, The interest which we think we make for ourselves we must acknowledge to be God's gift, and must ascribe to him the glory of it. Whoever are in favour, it is God that has brought them into favour; and it is by him that they find good understanding. Herein was again verified That work (Psa 106:46), He made them to be pitied of all those that carried them captives. Let young ones know that the way to be acceptable is to be tractable and dutiful.
II. That Daniel was still firm to his religion. They had changed his name, but they could not change his nature. Whatever they pleased to call him, he still retained the spirit of an Israelite indeed. He would apply his mind as closely as any of them to his books, and took pains to make himself master of the learning and tongue of the Chaldeans, but he was resolved that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king's meat, he would not meddle with it, nor with the wine which he drank, Dan 1:8. And having communicated his purpose, with the reasons of it, to his fellows, they concurred in the same resolution, as appears, Dan 1:11. This was not out of sullenness, or peevishness, or a spirit of contradiction, but from a principle of conscience. Perhaps it was not in itself unlawful for them to eat of the king's meat or to drink of his wine. But, 1. They were scrupulous concerning the meat, lest it should be sinful. Sometimes such meat would be set before them as was expressly forbidden by their law, as swine's flesh; or they were afraid lest it should have been offered in sacrifice to an idol, or blessed in the name of an idol. The Jews were distinguished from other nations very much by their meats (Lev 11:45, Lev 11:46), and these pious young men, being in a strange country, thought themselves obliged to keep up the honour of their being a peculiar people. Though they could not keep up their dignity as princes, they would not lose it as Israelites; for on that they most valued themselves. Note, When God's people are in Babylon they have need to take special care that they partake not in her sins. Providence seemed to lay this meat before them; being captives they must eat what they could get and must not disoblige their masters; yet, if the command be against it, they must abide by that. Though Providence says, Kill and eat, conscience says, Not so, Lord, for nothing common or unclean has come into my mouth. 2. They were jealous over themselves, lest, though it should not be sinful in itself, it should be an occasion of sin to them, lest, by indulging their appetites with these dainties, they should grow sinful, voluptuous, and in love with the pleasures of Babylon. They had learned David's prayer, Let me not eat of their dainties (Psa 141:4), and Solomon's precept, Be not desirous of dainties, for they are deceitful meat (Pro 23:3), and accordingly they form their resolution. Note, It is very much the praise of all, and especially of young people, to be dead to the delights of sense, not to covet them, not to relish them, but to look upon them with indifference. Those that would excel in wisdom and piety must learn betimes to keep under the body and bring it into subjection. 3. However, they thought it unseasonable now, when Jerusalem was in distress, and they themselves were in captivity. They had no heart to drink wine in bowls, so much were they grieved for the affliction of Joseph. Though they had royal blood in their veins, yet they did not think it proper to have royal dainties in their mouths when they were thus brought low. Note, It becomes us to be humble under humbling providences. Call me not Naomi; call me Marah. See the benefit of affliction; by the account Jeremiah gives of the princes and great men now at Jerusalem it appears that they were very corrupt and wicked, and defiled themselves with things offered to idols, while these young gentlemen that were in captivity would not defile themselves, no, not with their portion of the king's meat. How much better is it with those that retain their integrity in the depths of affliction than with those that retain their iniquity in the heights of prosperity! Observe, The great thing that Daniel avoided was defiling himself with the pollutions of sin; that is the thing we should be more afraid of than of any outward trouble. Daniel, having taken up this resolution, requested of the prince of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself, not only that he might not be compelled to do it, but that he might not be tempted to do it, that the bait might not be laid before him, that he might not see the portion appointed him of the king's meat, nor look upon the wine when it was red. It will be easier to keep the temptation at a distance than to suffer it to come near and then be forced to put a knife to our throat. Note, We cannot better improve our interest in any with whom we have found favour than by making use of them to keep us from sin.
III. That God wonderfully owned him herein. When Daniel requested that he might have none of the king's meat or wine set before him the prince of the eunuchs objected that, if he and his fellows were not found in as good case as any of their companions, he should be in danger of having anger and of losing his head, Dan 1:10. Daniel, to satisfy him that there would be no danger of any bad consequence, desires the matter might be put to a trial. He applies himself further to the under-officer, Melzar, or the steward: "Prove us for ten days; during that time let us have nothing but pulse to eat, nothing but herbs and fruits, or parched peas or lentils, and nothing but water to drink, and see how we can live upon that, and proceed accordingly," Dan 1:13. People will not believe the benefit of abstemiousness and a spare diet, nor how much it contributes to the health of the body, unless they try it. Trial was accordingly made. Daniel and his fellows lived for ten days upon pulse and water, hard fare for young men of genteel extraction and education, and which one would rather expect they should have indented against than petitioned for; but at the end of the ten days they were compared with the other children, and were found fairer and fatter in flesh, of a more healthful look and better complexion, than all those who did eat the portion of the king's meat, Dan 1:15. This was in part a natural effect of their temperance, but it must be ascribed to the special blessing of God, which will make a little to go a great way, a dinner of herbs better than a stalled ox. By this it appears that man lives not by bread alone; pulse and water shall be the most nourishing food if God speak the word. See what it is to keep ourselves pure from the pollutions of sin; it is the way to have that comfort and satisfaction which will be health to the navel and marrow to the bones, while the pleasures of sin are rottenness to the bones.
IV. That his master countenanced him. The steward did not force them to eat against their consciences, but, as they desired, gave them pulse and water (Dan 1:16), the pleasures of which they enjoyed, and we have reason to think were not envied the enjoyment. Here is a great example of temperance and contentment with mean things; and (as Epicurus said) "he that lives according to nature will never be poor, but he that lives according to opinion will never be rich." This wonderful abstemiousness of these young men in the days of their youth contributed to the fitting of them, 1. For their eminent services. Hereby they kept their minds clear and unclouded, and fit for contemplation, and saved for the best employments a great deal both of time and thought; and thus they prevented those diseases which indispose men for the business of age that owe their rise to the intemperances of youth. 2. For their eminent sufferings. Those that had thus inured themselves to hardship, and lived a life of self-denial and mortification, could the more easily venture upon the fiery furnace and the den of lions, rather than sin against God.
Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 8–16. Public domain.
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Theodoret of CyrusAD 458
COMMENTARY ON DANIEL 1:10
This pointless objection of the eunuch was cowardly. He [the eunuch] was a man whose spirit did not know grace but took pleasure in his own sensuality. Of this man and human morality, take heed as there is the opinion that sumptuous feeding on nutritious foods provides for the body nourishment enough for it to flourish. In fact, it is not with such indulgence that you should chance your life, for it was with a small portion and by way of self-control that they [Daniel and his friends] flourished.
Source: Quotations drawn from early Church Fathers and historical Christian theologians (AD 100–1500). Some quotes address the surrounding passage context rather than this verse alone.
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SUMMARY
Daniel 1:10 vividly portrays the intense apprehension of the prince of the eunuchs, Ashpenaz, as Daniel proposes a dietary alternative to the king's prescribed provisions. The prince expresses profound fear of King Nebuchadnezzar, whose direct decree established the young men's sustenance. His paramount concern is the potential for Daniel and his companions to appear less healthy than other trainees, which would directly jeopardize the prince's own life and position under the king's absolute and ruthless authority. This verse powerfully underscores the high stakes involved in Daniel's faithful resolve and the immediate human cost of even indirectly challenging a royal command.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
The verse employs several effective literary devices to convey the tension and stakes of the situation. Dialogue is central, presenting the prince's direct and emotional response, which immediately humanizes his character and highlights the dramatic conflict. The prince's expression, "I fear my lord the king," is a form of hyperbole, emphasizing the overwhelming and potentially fatal nature of the king's power and the prince's deep-seated reverence (or dread) for it. The phrase "worse liking" functions as a subtle euphemism for appearing unhealthy or malnourished, conveying the prince's anxiety about the visible evidence that would condemn him without explicitly stating the dire physical condition. Most powerfully, the idiom "endanger my head" is a striking example of metonymy (where "head" stands for "life") and synecdoche (where a part represents the whole), vividly communicating the life-threatening consequences the prince faced. This stark imagery underscores the brutal realities of the Babylonian court and the immense pressure on those serving the king.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Daniel 1:10 serves as a crucial moment that tests Daniel's faith and introduces the theme of divine favor in the face of human fear. The prince's understandable dread of the king's wrath stands in stark contrast to Daniel's quiet confidence, rooted in his conviction to honor God above all else. This setup highlights the biblical principle that obedience to God often requires courage to defy human expectations, cultural norms, or even powerful systems, even when it creates discomfort or perceived risk for others. Ultimately, the narrative demonstrates how God can work through human anxieties and even use them to bring about His purposes, as seen in the prince's eventual willingness to allow the test. This initial test of faithfulness sets the stage for Daniel's entire prophetic ministry, demonstrating that God honors those who honor Him and can orchestrate circumstances to protect His servants.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Daniel 1:10 presents a powerful scenario where personal conviction meets institutional fear and absolute power. The prince of the eunuchs, caught between the king's absolute decree and Daniel's principled request, reveals the very real human cost of navigating such tensions. For us, this verse challenges us to consider the implications of our own faithfulness in a world that often demands compromise or conformity. When our commitment to biblical principles might inconvenience, challenge, or even threaten the comfort or position of others—especially those in authority—how do we respond? Do we prioritize the "fear of man" and its immediate, tangible consequences over our unwavering commitment to God's will and His eternal principles? This passage reminds us that standing firm in our faith can indeed create ripple effects, sometimes causing discomfort or perceived risk for those around us. Yet, it also sets the stage for God's miraculous intervention and the demonstration of His power to protect and prosper those who trust Him, even in seemingly impossible or intimidating situations. It encourages us to pray for wisdom, discernment, and divine favor when our convictions put us at odds with worldly systems, trusting that God can work through even the fears and anxieties of others to accomplish His divine and perfect plan.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Why was the prince of the eunuchs so afraid of the king's reaction?
Answer: The prince's fear was entirely rational and deeply rooted in the brutal realities of King Nebuchadnezzar's absolute monarchy. The king had personally "appointed" (Hebrew: mânâh, H4487) the specific diet for these elite young men, making any deviation a direct challenge to his supreme authority. In ancient Near Eastern despotic regimes, a king's word was absolute law, and failure to comply or to meet his expectations could result in severe, often capital, punishment for those responsible. The prince, as the one directly accountable for the well-being and appearance of Daniel and his friends, knew that if they looked "worse liking" (Hebrew: zâʻaph, H2196)—that is, less healthy or robust—than other trainees, it would be seen as his personal failure. This perceived failure would "endanger" (Hebrew: chûwb, H2325) his "head" (Hebrew: rôʼsh, H7218), an idiom for risking his life, as execution was a common and swift consequence for displeasing such a powerful and ruthless ruler. His fear was not an overreaction but a clear and sober understanding of the life-or-death stakes involved in his high-ranking position within the king's court.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Daniel 1:10, while highlighting the prince's fear and Daniel's faithfulness, ultimately points to the greater obedience and perfect provision found in Christ. Daniel's resolve not to defile himself with the king's food, even at the risk of jeopardizing another's life, foreshadows the perfect obedience of Jesus. Our Savior, though tempted in every way, lived a life without sin and perfectly fulfilled God's righteous requirements (Hebrews 4:15). Where Daniel's faithfulness led to a test and God's favor, Christ's perfect obedience led to the ultimate sacrifice, taking upon Himself the consequences of humanity's defilement and disobedience, becoming sin for us so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God (2 Corinthians 5:21). The prince's fear of the king's wrath finds its ultimate resolution in Christ, who delivers us from the fear of death and the wrath to come, for He has rescued us from the coming judgment (Hebrews 2:14-15 and 1 Thessalonians 1:10). Just as God granted Daniel favor and ensured his well-being, Christ, through His finished work on the cross, provides true spiritual nourishment and sustains His followers, enabling them to live lives of faithfulness without fearing the ultimate consequences of human disapproval, for our lives are hidden with Christ in God (Colossians 3:3).