TRV
Translation
King James Version
¶ 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.
KJV (with Strong's)
But Daniel H1840 purposed H7760 in his heart H3820 that he would not defile H1351 himself with the portion H6598 of the king's H4428 meat H6598, nor with the wine H3196 which he drank H4960: therefore he requested H1245 of the prince H8269 of the eunuchs H5631 that he might not defile H1351 himself.
Complete Jewish Bible
But Dani'el resolved that he would not defile himself with the king's food or the wine he drank, so he asked the chief officer to be excused from defiling himself.
Berean Standard Bible
But Daniel made up his mind that he would not defile himself with the king’s food or wine. So he asked the chief official for permission not to defile himself.
American Standard Version
But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the king’s dainties, nor with the wine which he drank: therefore he requested of the prince of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself.
World English Bible Messianic
But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the king’s dainties, nor with the wine which he drank: therefore he requested of the prince of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself.
Geneva Bible (1599)
But Daniel had determined in his heart, that hee woulde not defile him selfe with the portion of the Kings meate, nor with the wine which he dranke: therefore he required the chiefe of the Eunuches that he might not defile himselfe.
Young's Literal Translation
And Daniel purposeth in his heart that he will not pollute himself with the king's portion of food, and with the wine of his drinking, and he seeketh of the chief of the eunuchs that he may not pollute himself.
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In the KJVVerse 21,746 of 31,102
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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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Hippolytus of RomeAD 235
Hippolytus Exegetical Fragments - Scholia on Daniel
"And Daniel purposed in his heart." Oh, blessed are they who thus kept the covenant of the fathers, and transgressed not the law given by Moses, but feared the God proclaimed by him. These, though captives in a strange land, were not seduced by delicate meats, nor were they slaves to the pleasures of wine, nor were they caught by the bait of princely glory. But they kept their mouth holy and pure, that pure speech might proceed from pure mouths, and praise with such (mouths) the heavenly Father.
JeromeAD 420
St. Jerome, Commentary on Daniel, CHAPTER ONE
Verse 8. "Daniel, however, purposed in his heart that he would not be defiled by food from the king's table, nor by the wine which he drank, and he asked the chief of the eunuchs that he might not be polluted." He who would not eat or drink of the king's food or wine lest he be denied (especially if he should be aware that the wisdom and teaching of the Babylonians is mistaken), would never consent to utter what was wrong. On the contrary they speak it forth, not that they may follow it themselves, but in order to pass judgment upon it and refute it. Just as anyone would expose himself to ridicule if he being untrained in mathematics should desire to write in confutation of mathematicians, or, being ignorant of the teachings of philosophers should desire to write in opposition to philosophers. Hence they study the teaching of the Chaldeans with the same intention as Moses studied the wisdom of the Egyptians.
Theodoret of CyrusAD 458
COMMENTARY ON DANIEL 1:8
For those who love God do not seek after the God of all in just one place, but even in the midst of this misfortune they worshiped as if in the house of the Creator. In that place there are many wondrous moments to be found. For having been reared on the teachings of the Jews and having learned the customary service to God, they now were dwelling in a foreign land and were being forced into slavery exactly at the prime of their life. They were forced to abide under the foreign customs. But having seen the Babylonians offer defiled meat to the idols and the polluted libations at the temple, they took heed and, neglecting their own safety, rejected the king’s banquet, beseeching the chief eunuch to allow them to be excused from partaking of the king’s food.
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 1:8 stands as a foundational verse, revealing the young prophet's unwavering commitment to God amidst the profound pressures of Babylonian captivity. Despite being selected for an elite royal training program and offered luxurious provisions from the king's own table, Daniel made a resolute internal decision not to compromise his faith or defile himself with food and wine that likely violated Mosaic dietary laws and had been offered to pagan idols. This pivotal act of spiritual conviction establishes Daniel's character and sets the stage for God's subsequent favor, wisdom, and miraculous interventions throughout the book.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Daniel 1:8 is rich in Foreshadowing and Symbolism. Daniel's resolute decision to "purpose in his heart" foreshadows his unwavering commitment throughout the book, particularly in the face of life-threatening situations like the fiery furnace (Daniel 3) and the lion's den (Daniel 6). The king's "meat" and "wine" serve as Symbols of the Babylonian system's pervasive attempt to assimilate and corrupt God's people, both physically and spiritually. By refusing them, Daniel symbolically rejects the spiritual and cultural defilement of Babylon, asserting his unreserved allegiance to Yahweh. This act of personal purity becomes a Metonymy for the broader conflict between God's kingdom and the earthly empires that oppose Him, a central theme of the entire book. The narrative also employs Contrast, setting Daniel's internal, principled resolve against the external pressures and tempting allure of the king's command, thereby highlighting his exceptional faith and moral fortitude.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Daniel 1:8 is a profound testament to the power of personal conviction and unwavering faithfulness in a hostile, compromising environment. It underscores the vital theological principle that true devotion to God often requires counter-cultural living and a courageous willingness to prioritize divine commands over human expectations, comforts, or even perceived survival. Daniel's decision was not merely about dietary preferences; it was fundamentally about identity, allegiance, and the sanctity of his covenant relationship with God. This verse establishes a clear pattern of God honoring those who honor Him, demonstrating that faithfulness, even in seemingly small or personal acts, can lead to significant divine favor, protection, and impact far beyond the individual. It challenges believers across all generations to cultivate an internal resolve that is prepared to stand firm against the compromising influences of the world, trusting implicitly in God's provision and protection.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Daniel 1:8 offers a powerful and enduring paradigm for contemporary believers navigating a world that constantly pressures conformity to values contrary to biblical truth. Daniel's "purposing in his heart" before the temptation even fully materialized is a critical lesson for spiritual formation: genuine integrity is forged in pre-decided convictions and deeply rooted principles, not in reactive moments of crisis or spontaneous emotional responses. We are called to identify our non-negotiables, those areas where we will not compromise our faith or defile our conscience, and to establish those boundaries firmly in our hearts through prayer and diligent study of God's Word. This requires a deep understanding of God's commands and a robust spiritual discipline that cultivates a sensitive conscience. Furthermore, Daniel's approach—respectfully requesting rather than defiantly demanding—teaches us profound wisdom in our witness. We are to be uncompromising in principle but gracious and discerning in presentation, seeking avenues for faithfulness that honor God without unnecessarily alienating others or creating needless conflict. Ultimately, Daniel's story reminds us that faithfulness, even in seemingly small acts of obedience, is profoundly significant to God and can unlock His favor, wisdom, and power in unexpected ways, enabling us to live out our Christian identity with courage and grace in a fallen world.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
What does it mean that Daniel "purposed in his heart"?
Answer: The phrase "purposed in his heart" (Hebrew: yāśīm ʿal-libbō) signifies a deep, internal, and settled decision or commitment. It was not an impulsive reaction or a last-minute choice, but a deliberate, thoughtful resolution made by Daniel before he was even presented with the king's food and wine. This indicates a strong moral character, spiritual maturity, and a pre-existing resolve to obey God's laws and maintain his covenant identity, even in a challenging foreign environment. It underscores the idea that true faithfulness begins with an internal alignment of one's will and intellect with God's revealed will.
Why was eating the king's food and wine considered "defiling" for Daniel?
Answer: The king's provisions were considered defiling for two primary, interconnected reasons. Firstly, the food likely included items forbidden by the Mosaic dietary laws (e.g., unclean animals, animals not slaughtered according to kosher standards) outlined in the Torah (see Leviticus 11 and Deuteronomy 14). Secondly, and perhaps more significantly, it was common practice in Babylonian courts for food and drink to be offered or dedicated to pagan idols before being served to the king and his court. Partaking in such provisions would have been seen as participating in or tacitly condoning idolatry, thereby violating Daniel's covenant with Yahweh and rendering him ritually and spiritually unclean. Daniel's refusal was thus an act of maintaining his purity, his allegiance to the one true God, and his distinct identity as an Israelite.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Daniel 1:8, though set firmly in the Old Testament, finds profound Christ-centered fulfillment in the person and work of Jesus Christ. Daniel's resolute "purposing in his heart" not to defile himself foreshadows Christ's absolute purity and unwavering obedience to the Father's will, even unto death on the cross. While Daniel refused defiling food, Jesus, the true Lamb of God, willingly became sin for us, though He knew no sin, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God (2 Corinthians 5:21). He perfectly fulfilled the Law, never defiling Himself, and resisted every temptation of the devil in the wilderness, demonstrating a perfect, uncompromised commitment to God's will and purpose (Matthew 4:1-11). Daniel's request for an alternative diet and God's subsequent favor and provision point to Christ as the ultimate provision and spiritual sustenance. Jesus declared Himself the "bread of life" and the "living water," offering spiritual nourishment that truly satisfies and never defiles, cleansing us from all spiritual impurity (John 6:35; John 4:10-14). Through His perfect life, atoning sacrifice, and resurrection, Jesus cleanses us from all defilement, making us holy and blameless before God, presenting the church to Himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing (Ephesians 5:25-27). Thus, Daniel's stand for purity points to the perfect purity and redemptive work of Christ, who enables us to live undefiled lives in a defiling world through His grace and empowering Spirit.