Daniel 1 — Daniel and his companions at the royal court — Hebrew, Aramaic and Old Greek compared
Disparate in this chapter: 1:11
Each card keeps the independently rendered source readings above their shared comparison and reception notes. The badge records the source’s governing classification; disparate readings are marked in red. Each reading retains its original reference.
Daniel 1 — Daniel and his companions at the royal court
Source texts for Daniel 1: Hebrew / Aramaic
Source texts for Daniel 1: Old Greek
Verse 1:1 Similar
Hebrew / Aramaic–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[1:1] In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it.
Old Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[1:1] In the third year of King Joakim of Judea, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon arrived at Jerusalem and besieged it.
Classification & Notes
Similar. Text: The date and siege correspond. Joakim and Judea preserve the Greek forms of the king’s name and realm; Nebuchadnezzar uses the recognizable shared name.
Verse 1:2 Divergent
Hebrew / Aramaic–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[1:2] The Lord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand, together with some of the vessels of God’s house. He brought them to the land of Shinar, to the house of his god, and brought the vessels into his god’s treasure-house.
Old Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[1:2] The Lord handed the city into his hands, together with Joakim king of Judea and a portion of the Lord’s sacred vessels. He carried them away to Babylon and deposited them in his idol-temple.
Classification & Notes
Divergent. Text: The Greek explicitly includes the city among what is handed over, names Babylon instead of Shinar, and has one deposit in an idol-temple instead of the Hebrew’s two house clauses. Hebrew Adonai is Lord here; it is not the name YHWH.
Verse 1:3 Different
Hebrew / Aramaic–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[1:3] The king told Ashpenaz, chief of his eunuchs, to bring some of the children of Israel, of royal descent and of the nobles:
Old Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[1:3] The king told Abiesdri, his chief eunuch, to bring him some of the sons of Israel’s magnates, of the royal family and of the chosen men:
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: The chief eunuch is Ashpenaz in Hebrew and Abiesdri in Old Greek. The Greek explicitly limits the first group to magnates’ sons and describes the final group as chosen.
Verse 1:4 Different
Hebrew / Aramaic–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[1:4] youths without any defect, handsome, discerning in every kind of wisdom, possessing knowledge and understanding learning, and able to stand in the king’s palace, to teach them the writing and language of the Chaldeans.
Old Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[1:4] young men without blemish, handsome, knowledgeable in every kind of wisdom, literate, intelligent, wise, and strong enough to be in the king’s house, and to teach them letters and the Chaldean tongue,
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: The Greek expands the qualifications with distinct descriptions of literacy, intelligence, and wisdom, and says to be in the house where the Hebrew says to stand in the palace.
Verse 1:5 Different
Hebrew / Aramaic–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[1:5] The king assigned them a daily portion from the king’s rich food and the wine he drank, to rear them for three years, at the end of which they would stand before the king.
Old Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[1:5] and to give them a ration from the king’s house each day, from the royal table and the wine the king drank, and to educate them for three years and place some of them before the king.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: The Hebrew gives the end of the three years as the time of presentation; the Greek says to place some of them before the king. The Greek also keeps the ration and education within the preceding command construction.
Verse 1:6 Similar
Hebrew / Aramaic–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[1:6] Among them, from the sons of Judah, were Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah.
Old Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[1:6] Among the lineage of Israel’s sons from Judea were Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah.
Classification & Notes
Similar. Text: The four young men correspond; the Greek expressly includes their Israelite lineage as well as Judean origin.
Verse 1:7 Different
Hebrew / Aramaic–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[1:7] The chief of the eunuchs gave them names: Daniel he named Belteshazzar, Hananiah Shadrach, Mishael Meshach, and Azariah Abed-nego.
Old Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[1:7] The chief eunuch assigned them names: Daniel, Baltasar; Hananiah, Sedrach; Mishael, Misach; and Azariah, Abdenago.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Both report the same four renamings, but the source-specific imposed name forms are retained, especially Belteshazzar and Baltasar.
Verse 1:8 Similar
Hebrew / Aramaic–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[1:8] Daniel resolved in his heart not to defile himself with the king’s rich food or the wine he drank. He asked the chief of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself.
Old Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[1:8] Daniel considered in his heart how he might avoid being polluted by the king’s dinner and the wine he drank, and petitioned the chief eunuch that he might not be contaminated.
Classification & Notes
Similar. Text: Both preserve inward resolve and a request to avoid defilement. The Old Greek main text supplies both pollution verbs; no lacuna from another edition is imported.
Verse 1:9 Different
Hebrew / Aramaic–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[1:9] God granted Daniel kindness and compassion before the chief of the eunuchs.
Old Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[1:9] The Lord gave Daniel honor and favor before the chief eunuch.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: The Hebrew names God and kindness with compassion; the Greek names the Lord and honor with favor.
Verse 1:10 Different
Hebrew / Aramaic–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[1:10] The chief of the eunuchs said to Daniel, “I fear my lord the king, who assigned your food and drink. Why should he see your faces looking worse than those of youths your own age? You would make my head answerable to the king.”
Old Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[1:10] The chief eunuch said to Daniel, “I am anxious about my lord the king, who prescribed your food and drink, lest he see your faces drawn and weak beside the foreign youths being reared with you, and I risk my own neck.”
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: The Hebrew compares youths of the same age and makes Daniel’s group answerable for endangering the official. The Greek compares foreign youths raised alongside them and states the official’s risk in the first person.
Verse 1:11 Disparate
Hebrew / Aramaic–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[1:11] Daniel said to the steward whom the chief of the eunuchs had appointed over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah,
Old Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[1:11] Daniel said to Abiesdri, appointed chief eunuch over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah,
Classification & Notes
Disparate. Text: The Hebrew introduces a subordinate steward; the Old Greek names the chief eunuch Abiesdri himself as Daniel’s addressee. The person and administrative relationship change.
Verse 1:12 Similar
Hebrew / Aramaic–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[1:12] “Please test your servants for ten days. Let them give us seed-grown food to eat and water to drink.
Old Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[1:12] “Test your servants for ten days, and let us be given legumes from the earth to eat, with water to drink.
Classification & Notes
Similar. Text: The ten-day trial and water agree. The Hebrew has a broad seed-derived food term; the Greek specifically names legumes or pulses.
Verse 1:13 Different
Hebrew / Aramaic–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[1:13] Let our appearance and the appearance of the youths eating the king’s rich food be examined before you; then deal with your servants according to what you see.”
Old Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[1:13] If our appearance looks drawn beside the other young men eating the royal dinner, then deal with your servants however you wish.”
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: The Hebrew requests a comparison followed by action according to what is seen. The Greek makes deterioration an explicit condition and leaves the response to the official’s wish.
Verse 1:14 Similar
Hebrew / Aramaic–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[1:14] He listened to them in this matter and tested them for ten days.
Old Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[1:14] He dealt with them in this manner and tested them for ten days.
Classification & Notes
Similar. Text: Hearing their proposal and adopting that procedure result in the same ten-day test.
Verse 1:15 Similar
Hebrew / Aramaic–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[1:15] At the end of ten days their appearance was better and their bodies fuller than all the youths eating the king’s rich food.
Old Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[1:15] After ten days their appearance was good and their bodily condition better than the other young men eating the royal dinner.
Classification & Notes
Similar. Text: The Hebrew specifically describes fuller flesh and comparison with all the other youths; the Greek speaks more generally of superior bodily condition.
Verse 1:16 Different
Hebrew / Aramaic–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[1:16] The steward kept taking away their rich food and the wine they were to drink and giving them seed-grown food.
Old Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[1:16] Abiesdri kept removing their dinner and wine and giving them legumes in exchange.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: The Hebrew retains the steward as the acting official; the Old Greek explicitly names Abiesdri, continuing its changed identity from verse eleven. The food vocabulary also remains distinct.
Verse 1:17 Divergent
Hebrew / Aramaic–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[1:17] To these four youths God gave knowledge and discernment in every kind of writing and wisdom, and Daniel understood every vision and dreams.
Old Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[1:17] The Lord gave the young men knowledge, understanding, and practical wisdom in every literary skill; to Daniel He gave understanding in every utterance, vision, dreams, and all wisdom.
Classification & Notes
Divergent. Text: The Greek names the Lord, omits the explicit four, and expands Daniel’s gift to utterance and all wisdom as well as visions and dreams. Its separate divine giving to Daniel is explicit.
Verse 1:18 Different
Hebrew / Aramaic–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[1:18] At the end of the days the king had appointed for bringing them in, the chief of the eunuchs brought them before Nebuchadnezzar.
Old Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[1:18] After these days the king ordered them brought in, and the chief eunuch brought them before King Nebuchadnezzar.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: The Hebrew refers back to the appointed interval; the Greek narrates a command after the interval. Both give the chief eunuch the presentation role.
Verse 1:19 Different
Hebrew / Aramaic–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[1:19] The king spoke with them, and among them all no one was found like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. They stood before the king.
Old Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[1:19] The king conversed with them, and among the wise no one was found like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. They remained beside the king.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: The Hebrew’s comparison is among them all; the Greek specifically compares the wise. Standing before the king corresponds to remaining in his presence.
Verse 1:20 Divergent
Hebrew / Aramaic–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[1:20] In every matter of discerning wisdom about which the king questioned them, he found them ten times superior to all the magicians and enchanters throughout his kingdom.
Old Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[1:20] In every matter of discourse, understanding, and education about which the king questioned them, he found them ten times wiser than the learned experts and philosophers throughout his kingdom. The king honored them, appointed them rulers, and declared them wiser than all his own men in affairs throughout his land and kingdom.
Classification & Notes
Divergent. Text: The Greek changes the court-specialist designations and adds royal honor, appointment as rulers, and a further declaration of superior wisdom. Both preserve the tenfold comparison.
Verse 1:21 Different
Hebrew / Aramaic–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[1:21] Daniel remained until the first year of King Cyrus.
Old Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[1:21] Daniel remained until the first year of the reign of Cyrus king of the Persians.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: The Greek expressly identifies Cyrus’s reign and Persian kingship; the Hebrew simply names King Cyrus.