Daniel 1:8

Linguistic Bible Translation from Source Texts

But Daniel resolved in his heart not to defile himself with the royal food or wine. So he requested permission from the chief official not to defile himself.

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

וַיָּ֤שֶׂם דָּנִיֵּאל֙ עַל־לִבּ֔וֹ אֲשֶׁ֧ר לֹֽא־יִתְגָּאַ֛ל בְּפַתְבַּ֥ג הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ וּבְיֵ֣ין מִשְׁתָּ֑יו וַיְבַקֵּשׁ֙ מִשַּׂ֣ר הַסָּרִיסִ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֖ר לֹ֥א יִתְגָּאָֽל׃

Transliteration

wayyāśem Dāniyyēʾl upon-libbô ʾăsher not-yithgāʾal with-pathbagh the-melekh and-with-yêyn mishtāyw wayəbhaqqēsh from-śar the-sārîsîm ʾăsher not yithgāʾāl

Grammar Details

• *wayyāśem*: qal imperfect with waw consecutive, 3rd masculine singular - and he set/placed
• *Dāniyyēʾl*: proper noun, masculine singular - Daniel
• *libbô*: noun masculine singular with 3rd masculine singular suffix - his heart
• *ʾăsher*: relative pronoun - that
• *yithgāʾal*: hithpael imperfect, 3rd masculine singular - he would defile himself
• *pathbagh*: noun masculine singular construct - food portion of
• *melekh*: noun masculine singular with definite article - the king
• *yêyn*: noun masculine singular - wine
• *mishtāyw*: noun masculine plural with 3rd masculine singular suffix - his drinks
• *wayəbhaqqēsh*: piel imperfect with waw consecutive, 3rd masculine singular - and he sought/requested
• *śar*: noun masculine singular construct - chief of
• *sārîsîm*: noun masculine plural with definite article - the eunuchs/officials
• *yithgāʾāl*: hithpael imperfect, 3rd masculine singular - he would defile himself

Word Meanings

• *wayyāśem ʿal-libbô*: set in his heart/purposed/determined
• *yithgāʾal*: defile himself/pollute himself/make himself impure
• *pathbagh*: food portion/delicacies/royal food
• *wayəbhaqqēsh*: and he sought/and he requested/and he asked

Other Translations

• King James Version 1769 (Standard Version)

  But niel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king's meat, nor with the wine which he drank: therefore he requested of the prince of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself.

• KJV1611 – Modern English

  But Daniel resolved in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king's delicacies, nor with the wine he drank; therefore he requested of the chief of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself.

• King James Version 1611 (Original)

  But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king's meat, nor with the wine which he drank: therefore he requested of the prince of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself.

• American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

  But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the king's dainties, nor with the wine which he drank: therefore he requested of the prince of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself.

• King James Version with Strong's Numbers

  But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king's meat, nor with the wine which he drank: therefore he requested of the prince of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself.

• Coverdale Bible (1535)

  But Daniel was at a poynt wt himself, that he wolde not be defyled thorow the kynges meate, ner ye wyne which he droke. And this he desyred off the chefe chaberlayne, lest he shulde defyle himselff.

• Geneva Bible (1560)

  But Daniel had determined in his heart, that hee woulde not defile him selfe with the portion of the Kings meate, nor with the wine which he dranke: therefore he required the chiefe of the Eunuches that he might not defile himselfe.

• Bishops' Bible (1568)

  But Daniel purposed in his heart that he woulde not defile hym selfe with the portion of the kinges meate, nor with the wyne which he dranke: therefore he required the chiefe chamberlayne that he might not defile him selfe.

• Authorized King James Version (1611)

  ¶ But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king's meat, nor with the wine which he drank: therefore he requested of the prince of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself.

• Webster's Bible (1833)

  But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the king's dainties, nor with the wine which he drank: therefore he requested of the prince of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself.

• Young's Literal Translation (1862/1898)

  And Daniel purposeth in his heart that he will not pollute himself with the king's portion of food, and with the wine of his drinking, and he seeketh of the chief of the eunuchs that he may not pollute himself.

• American Standard Version (1901)

  But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the king's dainties, nor with the wine which he drank: therefore he requested of the prince of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself.

• American Standard Version (1901)

  But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the king's dainties, nor with the wine which he drank: therefore he requested of the prince of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself.

• Bible in Basic English (1941)

  And Daniel had come to the decision that he would not make himself unclean with the king's food or wine; so he made a request to the captain of the unsexed servants that he might not make himself unclean.

• World English Bible (2000)

  But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the king's dainties, nor with the wine which he drank: therefore he requested of the prince of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself.

• NET Bible® (New English Translation)

  But Daniel made up his mind that he would not defile himself with the royal delicacies or the royal wine. He therefore asked the overseer of the court officials for permission not to defile himself.

Referenced Verses

• Hos 9:3-4 : 3 They will not remain in the land of the LORD; Ephraim will return to Egypt, and they will eat unclean food in Assyria. 4 They will no longer pour out wine offerings to the LORD, and their sacrifices will not please Him. Their sacrifices will be like the bread of mourners; all who eat it will become defiled. Their food will only satisfy their own appetite; it will not enter the house of the LORD.
• Lev 11:45-47 : 45 For I am the LORD, who brought you up out of Egypt to be your God; therefore, be holy, because I am holy. 46 These are the laws regarding animals, birds, every living creature that moves in the water, and every creature that moves along the ground. 47 You must distinguish between the unclean and the clean, between living creatures that may be eaten and those that may not be eaten.
• Ezek 4:13-14 : 13 The Lord said, 'In this way the people of Israel will eat their defiled bread among the nations where I will drive them.' 14 Then I said, 'Ah, Lord God, I have never been defiled! From my youth until now, I have never eaten anything that died naturally or was torn by animals. No unclean meat has ever entered my mouth.'
• Ps 141:4 : 4 Do not let my heart incline to an evil thing, to practice wicked deeds with those who do iniquity, and let me not eat of their delicacies.
• 1 Cor 10:18-21 : 18 Consider the people of Israel. Are not those who eat the sacrifices participants in the altar? 19 What am I saying then? That an idol is anything, or that food sacrificed to idols is anything? 20 No, but what the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to demons and not to God, and I do not want you to become participants with demons. 21 You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons too; you cannot share in the Lord’s table and the table of demons.
• 1 Cor 7:37 : 37 But the man who has settled the matter in his own mind, who is under no compulsion but has control over his own will, and who has made up his mind not to marry the virgin—this man also does the right thing.
• Ps 119:115 : 115 Depart from me, evildoers, that I may keep the commandments of my God.
• Dan 1:5 : 5 The king assigned them a daily portion from the royal food and wine that he drank. They were to be trained for three years, and at the end of that time, they were to serve before the king.
• Deut 32:38 : 38 The ones who ate the fat of their sacrifices and drank the wine of their drink offerings? Let them rise up and help you; let them be your shelter!
• Ruth 1:17-18 : 17 Where you die, I will die, and there I will be buried. May the LORD deal with me, be it ever so severely, if even death separates you and me. 18 When Naomi saw that Ruth was determined to go with her, she stopped trying to persuade her.
• 2 Cor 9:7 : 7 Each person should give as they have decided in their heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.
• 1 Kgs 5:5 : 5 Judah and Israel lived in safety, each man under his own vine and fig tree, from Dan to Beersheba, all the days of Solomon.
• Ps 106:28 : 28 They joined themselves to Baal of Peor and ate sacrifices offered to lifeless gods.
• Ps 119:106 : 106 I have sworn, and I will confirm it, to keep Your righteous judgments.
• 1 Cor 8:7-9 : 7 However, not everyone knows this. Some, being accustomed to idols until now, eat it as if it were truly food offered to an idol, and their weak conscience is defiled. 8 Food will not bring us closer to God. We are no worse off if we do not eat, and no better off if we do. 9 But be careful that this right of yours does not somehow become a stumbling block to those who are weak. 10 For if someone sees you, who have knowledge, eating in an idol's temple, won’t their weak conscience be emboldened to eat food sacrificed to idols?
• 1 Cor 10:28-31 : 28 But if someone says to you, 'This has been offered in sacrifice,' then do not eat it, for the sake of the one who told you and for the sake of conscience. 29 I do not mean your own conscience, but that of the other person's. For why is my freedom judged by another’s conscience? 30 If I partake with thankfulness, why am I denounced because of what I give thanks for? 31 So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.
• Acts 10:14-16 : 14 But Peter said, 'By no means, Lord! For I have never eaten anything common or unclean.' 15 Again, the voice came to him a second time, saying, 'What God has made clean, you must not call common.' 16 This happened three times, and immediately the object was taken up into heaven.
• Acts 11:23 : 23 When he arrived and saw the grace of God, he was glad and encouraged them all to remain true to the Lord with devoted hearts.
• Rom 14:15-17 : 15 If your brother or sister is distressed because of what you eat, you are no longer acting in love. Do not by your eating destroy someone for whom Christ died. 16 Therefore, do not let what you know is good be spoken of as evil. 17 For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit.