; and he carried away as captives very many of the
princes and nobles, the best people in the land of Judah.

When these Jews were brought to the land of Chaldea or Babylon, King
Nebuchadnezzar gave orders to the prince, who had charge of his palace,
to choose among these Jewish captives some young men who were of noble
rank, and beautiful in their looks, and also quick and bright in their
minds; young men who would be able to learn readily. These young men
were to be placed under the care of wise men, who should teach them all
that they knew, and fit them to stand before the king of Babylon, so
that they might be his helpers to carry out his orders; and the king
wished them to be wise, so that they might give him advice in ruling his
people.

Among the young men thus chosen were four Jews, men who had been brought
from Judah. By order of the king the names of these men were changed.
One of them, named Daniel, was to be called Belteshazzer; the other
three young men were called Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego. They were
taught in all the knowledge of the Chaldeans; and after three years of
training they were taken into the king's palace.

King Nebuchadnezzar was pleased with them, more than with any others who
stood before him. He found them wise and faithful in the work given to
them, and able to rule over men under them. And these four men came to
the highest places in the kingdom of the Chaldeans.

At one time King Nebuchadnezzar caused a great image to be made, and to
be covered with gold. This image he set up, as an idol to be worshipped,
on the plain of Dura, near the city of Babylon. When it was finished, it
stood upon its base or foundation almost a hundred feet high; so that
upon the plain it could be seen far away. Then the king sent out a
command for all the princes, and rulers, and nobles in the land, to come
to a great gathering, when the image was to be set apart for worship.

The great men of the kingdom came from far and near and stood around
the image. Among them, by command of the king, were Daniel's three
friends, the young Jews, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego. For some
reason, Daniel himself was not there. He may have been busy with the
work of the kingdom in some other place.

At one moment in the service before the image, all the trumpets sounded,
the drums were beaten, and music was made upon musical instruments of
all kinds, as a signal for all the people to kneel down and worship the
gre