“Et constituit eis rex annonam per singulos dies de cibis suis, et de vino unde bibebat ipse, ut enutriti tribus annis, postea starent in conspectu regis.”
“And the king appointed them a daily provision of the king's meat, and of the wine which he drank: so nourishing them three years, that at the end thereof they might stand before the king. the wine: Heb. the wine of his drink”
“The king assigned them daily provisions of the royal food and wine. They were to be trained for three years, after which they were to enter the king’s service.”
“The king appointed for them a daily portion of the king’s dainties, and of the wine which he drank, and that they should be nourished three years; that at its end they should stand before the king.”
“And the king appointed for them a daily portion of the king's dainties, and of the wine which he drank, and that they should be nourished three years; that at the end thereof they should stand before the king.”
Meat: more exquisite. (De Dieu.) — All was first served on the king’s table. (Athen. vi. 14.)
Verses 1-7 Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, in the first year of his reign, took Jerusalem, and carried whom and what he pleased away. From this first captivity, most think the seventy years are to be dated. It is the interest of princes to employ wise men; and it is their wisdom to find out and train up such. Nebuchadnezzar ordered that these chosen youths should be taught. All their Hebrew names had something of God in them; but to make them forget the God of their fathers, the Guide of their youth, the heathen gave them names that savoured of idolatry. It is painful to reflect how often public education tends to corrupt the principles and morals.