Daniel 1:12 kjv
Prove thy servants, I beseech thee, ten days; and let them give us pulse to eat, and water to drink.
Daniel 1:12 nkjv
"Please test your servants for ten days, and let them give us vegetables to eat and water to drink.
Daniel 1:12 niv
"Please test your servants for ten days: Give us nothing but vegetables to eat and water to drink.
Daniel 1:12 esv
"Test your servants for ten days; let us be given vegetables to eat and water to drink.
Daniel 1:12 nlt
"Please test us for ten days on a diet of vegetables and water," Daniel said.
Daniel 1 12 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Gen 7:2-3 | “Take with you seven pairs of every clean animal...and a pair of every unclean animal..." | Distinction of clean and unclean food. |
| Lev 11:47 | “to make a distinction between the unclean and the clean, and between the animal that may be eaten and the animal that may not be eaten.” | God's command for dietary purity. |
| Deut 8:2-3 | “And you shall remember the whole way that the LORD your God has led you these forty years in the wilderness, that he might humble you, testing you to know what was in your heart..." | God's use of testing to reveal character and promote dependence. |
| Deut 14:3-10 | “You shall not eat any abomination...but every clean bird you may eat." | Specific Old Testament dietary regulations. |
| 1 Sam 17:37 | “The LORD who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.” | Trust in God for deliverance and provision in a crisis. |
| 2 Chr 32:31 | "...God left him to himself, in order to test him and to know all that was in his heart." | God allows trials to test motives and hearts. |
| Ps 37:25 | “I have been young, and now am old, yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken or his children begging for bread.” | God's faithfulness in providing for the righteous. |
| Ps 34:10 | “The young lions suffer want and hunger; but those who seek the LORD lack no good thing.” | Divine provision for those who seek God. |
| Prov 2:6 | “For the LORD gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding...” | Wisdom and understanding come from God. |
| Jer 35:6-8 | "...but we will drink no wine, for Jonadab the son of Rechab, our father, commanded us, ‘You shall not drink wine...’" | Examples of commitment to specific abstinence for principle. |
| Dan 1:8 | "But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king's food, nor with the wine..." | The foundational commitment underlying Daniel's request. |
| Dan 1:15 | "At the end of ten days it was seen that they were better in appearance and fatter in flesh than all the young men..." | The successful outcome validating Daniel's trust and God's favor. |
| Matt 4:4 | “But he answered, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’” | Spiritual nourishment prioritized over physical sustenance. |
| Matt 6:31-33 | “Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’... But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you." | Trust in God's provision when prioritizing His kingdom. |
| 1 Cor 8:4, 8 | "Therefore, as to the eating of food offered to idols... 'Food will not commend us to God...'" | Discussion on food associated with paganism and its spiritual implications. |
| 1 Cor 10:13 | “No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.” | God's faithfulness in trials and tests. |
| Acts 10:14 | “But Peter said, “By no means, Lord; for I have never eaten anything that is common or unclean.” | Peter's initial adherence to Old Testament dietary laws. |
| Phil 4:19 | “And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.” | God's boundless provision for His people. |
| Heb 11:6 | “And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who diligently seek him.” | The principle that faith in God leads to His reward. |
| Jas 1:2-4 | “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness." | Trials refine and strengthen faith. |
| 1 Pet 1:6-7 | “In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.” | The purpose and value of tests for strengthening faith. |
| Rev 2:10 | "Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and you will have tribulation for ten days." | Specific mention of a 'ten-day' tribulation/test in scripture. |
Daniel 1 verses
Daniel 1 12 Meaning
Daniel 1:12 presents Daniel's humble yet firm request to the chief eunuch's steward. It is a proposition for a practical test of faith and obedience, proposing a specific, limited diet of simple plant-based food and water for ten days, rather than partaking in the king's rich and potentially defiling provisions. This request reflects a deep commitment to Yahweh and the covenant dietary laws, trusting that God would honor their decision to remain ceremonially clean and spiritually uncompromised, even in a pagan kingdom. It demonstrates a desire for God's favor and wisdom over human comforts or conformity to foreign customs.
Daniel 1 12 Context
Daniel 1:12 occurs early in the Book of Daniel, setting the stage for the prophet’s remarkable life of faithfulness in exile. Judah has fallen to Babylon under King Nebuchadnezzar (605 BC), and the best of its youth, including Daniel and his three friends (Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah), have been deported to serve in the royal court. They are to undergo three years of training, fed by the king’s provisions, a privilege also designed to indoctrinate them into Babylonian culture and religion. Daniel 1:8 explicitly states Daniel's resolve not to defile himself with the king's food or wine. Verse 12 is Daniel's proactive, humble, yet firm proposal to the steward (מֶלְצַר, Meltsar), who was placed in charge of them, after having received favor from God and the chief eunuch (Daniel 1:9). It is a test presented to a human official, but it is ultimately an appeal to God's intervention. This scene immediately establishes the tension between fidelity to Yahweh's laws and the pressures of assimilation into a pagan society, highlighting the themes of purity, faith, and divine vindication.
Daniel 1 12 Word analysis
- Please test: (נָסָה, nasah): This Hebrew verb often implies proving, putting to the test, or trying out. Daniel isn't demanding, but politely proposing an experiment. It reflects humility and a lack of presumption, yet an unwavering conviction that God would demonstrate His power. This testing isn't just about their health but about vindicating their resolve to maintain purity.
- your servants: (עֲבָדֶיךָ, 'avaddeyka): Daniel refers to himself and his friends as "your servants," recognizing the steward's authority under the chief eunuch and the king. This humble address aids in winning favor and avoiding offense, even while holding firm to a principle that defied the norm.
- for ten days: This specific duration (עֲשָׂרָה יָמִים, ‘asarah yamim) is significant. Ten often symbolizes completeness, a probationary period, or a time for testing in the Bible (e.g., God’s ten plagues on Egypt, the giving of the Ten Commandments). It was long enough to observe a difference in their physical appearance if God indeed intervened, but short enough not to draw the king's ire prematurely. It sets a definite deadline for God to act, placing faith in divine timing.
- let us be given: The phrasing shows respect and dependence on the steward's consent and actions. It is a request, not a defiant act or a command.
- vegetables: (הַזֵּרֹעִים, hazzero'im): The definite article "the" suggests a specific class of food. This word literally means "things sown" or "seeds" and refers generally to grain, legumes, or simple plants, differentiating it from rich meat or lavish delicacies. It represents a plain, natural diet, fundamentally "clean" according to Mosaic law, and distinct from food possibly offered to Babylonian idols or slaughtered improperly (thus defiling under the covenant).
- to eat: (וְנֹאכְלָה, veno’khlah): Simple act of sustenance.
- and water to drink: (וּמַיִם נִשְׁתֶּה, u'mayim nishteh): Pure, unadulterated water, standing in stark contrast to the king’s wine (likely fermented and potentially part of idolatrous toasts). This also implies complete abstinence from the luxuries and potential defilements of the royal table.
- Words-group by words-group analysis:
- "Please test your servants for ten days": This phrase reveals Daniel’s strategic wisdom and humility. Instead of directly disobeying an order, he proposes a trial, shifting the burden of proof to God's demonstration. The 'ten days' signifies a period of proving divine power within human limitation.
- "let us be given vegetables to eat and water to drink": This highlights their radical commitment to covenant purity over luxury or physical indulgence. This simple diet would not have been subjected to idolatrous consecration and was certainly clean by Mosaic standards, ensuring their religious purity in exile. It also serves as a polemic against the supposed strength or sufficiency of Babylon's opulent provision.
Daniel 1 12 Bonus section
The concept of "ten days" as a trial period echoes later in Revelation 2:10 where a church is warned they will suffer "tribulation for ten days," indicating a specific, appointed time of testing and proving. Daniel's bold request was not rooted in self-sufficiency but in a profound dependency on Yahweh, showing his belief that God was not limited by Babylonian power or customs. The choice of zero'im (vegetables/pulses) over meat and wine also signifies a prophetic fasting or self-denial for spiritual purposes, much like Nazirite vows or periods of deep consecration in the Bible, focusing on spiritual nourishment above physical delights. This choice implicitly serves as a quiet protest and an act of worship to the God who provides and vindicates.
Daniel 1 12 Commentary
Daniel 1:12 encapsulates a crucial moment of decision and trust. Faced with an imperative to conform to pagan cultural norms that violated his covenant with God, Daniel chose a path of courageous, yet wise and respectful, resistance. His request for a ten-day test period demonstrates not defiance, but humble faith—he invites the steward to observe God's hand in action, essentially allowing God to defend Daniel's integrity and choice. By opting for "vegetables" and "water," Daniel prioritized spiritual purity and obedience to God's law over worldly benefits, convenience, or pleasure. This verse teaches that unwavering commitment to God often requires discerning and specific choices that may seem insignificant to others, yet are profoundly significant in the eyes of the Lord. God honored this faithfulness, demonstrating His ability to sustain and empower those who trust and obey Him, even in challenging environments where outward appearances might suggest otherwise. The ultimate victory was God's honor and the testimony of His power through His obedient servants.