Study Desk

"Alongside the land for the priests, the Levites will have a share about seven miles long and three miles wide; its full length will be about seven miles and its full width about three miles.

"The rest of the area will be about one and one-half miles wide and seven miles long. It will not be holy but will belong to the city and be used for homes and pastures. The city will be in the middle of it.

The city's land for pastures will be about four hundred thirty-seven feet on the north, four hundred thirty-seven feet on the south, four hundred thirty-seven feet on the east, and four hundred thirty-seven feet on the west.

Along the long side of the holy area there will be left three miles on the east and three miles on the west. It will be used to grow food for the city workers.

There will be three gates facing north: Reuben's Gate, Judah's Gate, and Levi's Gate, named for the tribes of Israel.

The king gave the young men a certain amount of food and wine every day, just like the food he ate. The young men were to be trained for three years, and then they would become servants of the king of Babylon.

Daniel decided not to eat the king's food or drink his wine because that would make him unclean. So he asked Ashpenaz for permission not to make himself unclean in this way.

Daniel said to the guard, "Please give us this test for ten days: Don't give us anything but vegetables to eat and water to drink.

After ten days compare how we look with how the other young men look who eat the king's food. See for yourself and then decide how you want to treat us, your servants."

So the guard agreed to test them for ten days.

At the end of the time set for them by the king, Ashpenaz brought all the young men to King Nebuchadnezzar.

So the king called for his fortune-tellers, magicians, wizards, and wise men, because he wanted them to tell him what he had dreamed. They came in and stood in front of the king.

So King Nebuchadnezzar's order to kill the wise men was announced, and men were sent to look for Daniel and his friends to kill them.

So Daniel went to King Nebuchadnezzar and asked for an appointment so that he could tell the king what his dream meant.

Then he called for the leaders: the governors, assistant governors, captains of the soldiers, people who advised the king, keepers of the treasury, judges, rulers, and all other officers in his kingdom. He wanted them to come to the special service for the statue he had set up.

So they all came for the special service and stood in front of the statue that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up.

Then the man who made announcements for the king said in a loud voice, "People, nations, and those of every language, this is what you are commanded to do:

Nebuchadnezzar became very angry and called for Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. When they were brought to the king,

The Most High God has done miracles and wonderful things for me that I am happy to tell you about.

I said, "Belteshazzar, you are the most important of all the fortune-tellers. I know that the spirit of the holy gods is in you, so there is no secret that is too hard for you to understand. This was what I dreamed; tell me what it means.