Study Desk

In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, came Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon to Jerusalem, and laid siege against it;

and the Lord gave into his hand Jehoiakim king of Judah, and a part of the vessels of the house of God, and he brought them into the land of Shinar, into the house of his gods, - and, the vessels, brought he into the treasure-house of his gods.

Then did the king give word to Ashpenaz, the chief of his eunuchs, - that he should bring in, of the sons of Israel, even of the seed royal, and of the nobles,

youths in whom was no blemish, but comely of countenance, and skilful in all wisdom, and possessed of knowledge, and able to impart instruction, and who had vigour in them, to stand in the palace of the king, - and that they should be taught the learning and the tongue of the Chaldeans.

And the king appointed them the provision of each day upon its day, out of the delicacies of the king and out of the wine which he drank, and so to let them grow three years, - and, at the end thereof, that they should stand before the king.