Lapho uNebukhadinezari ethatha izikhulu zakwaJuda eziyisa eBhabhiloni, wabeka u-Ashipenazi ukuba aziqondise. UNebukhadinezari watshela u-Ashipenazi ukuba athole abafana abayimiqemane futhi abahlakaniphe kunabo bonke phakathi kwazo. Laba bafana babezoqeqeshwa iminyaka emithathu. Ukuqeqeshwa kwakuzobalungiselela ukuba babe yizikhulu ezivelele eBhabhiloni. Abafana kwakufanele bafunde ukufunda, ukubhala nokukhuluma isi-Akkad ulimi lwaseBhabhiloni. Kwakulindeleke nokuba badle ukudla okufana nokwenkosi nezikhulu zayo. UDaniyeli, uHananiya, uMishayeli no-Azariya babengabanye balabo bafana. U-Ashipenazi wabetha amagama aseBhabhiloni: UBeliteshasari, uShadiraki, uMeshaki no-Abedi-Nego.  Ingabe le mfundo yayizobenza bayeke ukukhonza uJehova?

Laba bafana abane babezimisele ukulalela uJehova. Babazi ukuthi akufanele bakudle ukudla kwenkosi ngoba uJehova wayethe okunye kwako kungcolile. Ngakho bathi ku-Ashipenazi: ‘Sicela ungasiniki ukudla kwenkosi.’ U-Ashipenazi wathi: ‘Uma ningakudli lokudla bese inkosi inibona nibukeka sengathi niyagula, izongibulala.’

UDaniyeli wayenecebo. Wathi kumqaphi wabo: ‘Sicela usiphe imifino namanzi kuphela izinsuku eziyishumi. Bese usiqhathanisa nabafana abadla ukudla kwenkosi.’ Umqaphi wavuma.

Ngemva kwezinsuku eziyishumi, uDaniyeli nabangane bakhe abathathu babebukeka beyimiqemane kunabo bonke abanye abafana. Wajabula uJehova ngoba babemlalelile. Waze wanika ngisho noDaniyeli ukuhlakanipha kokuqonda imibono namaphupho.

Lapho sekuphelile ukuqeqeshwa, u-Ashipenazi waletha abafana kuNebukhadinezari. Inkosi yakhuluma nabo yabona ukuthi uDaniyeli, uHananiya, uMishayeli no-Azariya babehlakaniphe kakhulu futhi bephapheme kunabo bonke abanye abafana. Wakhetha uDaniyeli, uHananiya, uMishayeli no-Azariya ukuba basebenze esigodlweni sakhe. Inkosi yayivame ukucela iseluleko sabo ezindabeni ezibalulekile. UJehova wabenza bahlakanipha kunawo wonke amadoda ahlakaniphile nenza imilingo.

Ngisho nalapho bengekho ezweni lakubo uDaniyeli, uHananiya, uMishayeli no-Azariya abazange bakhohlwe ukuthi bangabantu bakaJehova. Ingabe nawe uzohlale umkhumbula njalo uJehova, ngisho nalapho abazali bakho bengekho nawe?