Daniel 1:17-20

1:17 Now as for these four young men, God endowed them with knowledge and skill in all sorts of literature and wisdom – and Daniel had insight into all kinds of visions and dreams.

1:18 When the time appointed by the king arrived, ¹  the overseer of the court officials brought them into Nebuchadnezzar’s presence. 1:19 When the king spoke with them, he did not find among the entire group ²  anyone like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, or Azariah. So they entered the king’s service. ³  1:20 In every matter of wisdom and ⁴  insight the king asked them about, he found them to be ten times ⁵  better than any of the magicians and astrologers that were in his entire empire.

[1:18]  ¹ tn Heb “at the end of the days which the king said to bring them.”

[1:19]  ² tn Heb “from all of them.”

[1:19]  ³ tn Heb “stood before the king.”

[1:20]  ⁴ tc The MT lacks the conjunction, reading the first word in the phrase as a construct (“wisdom of insight”). While this reading is not impossible, it seems better to follow Theodotion, the Syriac, the Vulgate, and the Sahidic Coptic, all of which have the conjunction.

[1:20]  ⁵ tn Heb “hands.”