Please test your servants for ten days
This phrase begins with a humble request from Daniel, demonstrating his faith and reliance on God. The Hebrew word for "test" is "nassah," which implies a trial or proving of one's faith and character. Daniel's request for a test reflects his confidence in God's provision and the belief that God will honor their commitment to His dietary laws. The number "ten" often symbolizes completeness or divine order in the Bible, suggesting that this period is sufficient for God to reveal His faithfulness.

Let us be given only vegetables to eat
The word "vegetables" in Hebrew is "zeroa," which can refer to seeds or things sown. This choice of diet is significant because it aligns with the Jewish dietary laws and represents a commitment to purity and obedience to God. In the context of Babylon, where Daniel and his friends were offered rich foods from the king's table, choosing a simple diet was a bold statement of faith and identity. It highlights their desire to remain undefiled and faithful to God's commandments, even in a foreign land.

and water to drink
Water, in the biblical context, often symbolizes purity and life. By choosing water over the king's wine, Daniel and his friends are making a conscious decision to avoid indulgence and maintain spiritual clarity. This choice underscores their reliance on God for sustenance and strength, rather than the luxuries of the Babylonian court. It also reflects a spiritual discipline and a commitment to holiness, setting an example of faithfulness and integrity.

(12) Ten days.--The number "ten" is treated as a round number here, and in Daniel 1:20. (Comp. Genesis 31:41.) By adopting this mode of life, Daniel resumes the simple diet commonly used by his ancestors previously to their entering Canaan (Deuteronomy 12:15-16; Deuteronomy 26:5; Deuteronomy 26:9). This simplicity of life prevailed till the early times of David (1Samuel 17:17-18). At the Persian court, in later times, Daniel changed his rule of life (Daniel 10:3), the infirmities of age beginning to tell upon his constitution. . . . Verse 12. - Prove thy servants, I beseech thee, ten days; and let them give us pulse to eat, and water to drink. The Septuagint seems to have read yutan, "let there be given," instead of yitnu, "let them give." Zero'im, "seeds" (σπερμάτων, Theodotion), "pulse" (ὀσπρίων, Septuagint and Authorized and Revised Versions). This word occurs only here; it differs, however, only by the second vowel from zeruim in Isaiah 61:11, and there it is rendered as by Theodotion here, σπέρματα. As the vowels were not written for centuries after the latest critical date of Daniel, it is in the highest degree absurd to ground any argument on the pronunciation affixed to the word by these late scribes, probably with as great caprice as made them maintain to all time "suspended letters" here and there in the text, or sometimes begin a word with a final mere. Professor Bevan regards this word a s possibly a scribe's mistake for zeronim, a word with the same meaning, which occurs in ver. 16, and is found in the Talmud. He might more naturally regard zero'him as a scribe's mistake for zero'im. As, however, the word is Aramaic, occurring both in the Eastern and Western dialects, it may be a case where the original word shines through. Prove thy servants ten days. The word used for "prove' is that frequently used of God in relation to men, as in Genesis 22:1," God did prove Abraham." Calvin thinks that Daniel made this request because he had been directed by the Divine Spirit. We would not for one moment deny that all wisdom comes down from above, and that it is the Spirit of the Almighty that giveth understanding, yet the suggestion was a reasonable one, the period was long enough to have given signs that it affected them injuriously, and yet not so long but the evil effects might easily be removed. Ten days. It may be that this is merely a round number - an easily marked period - but an experiment would have a definite period. It is approximately the third of a revolution of the moon, and as the Babylonians were attentive observers of the movements of the heavenly bodies, especially of the moon, "ten days" is likely enough to be a period with them, as certainly a week was. Moreover, among all the nations of antiquity numbers were credited with special powers, as all who have studied Greek philosophy know. Pythagoras rested the whole universe on number. This theory, in which to some extent he was followed by Plato, seems to have been derived from Assyrian, if not Babylonian sources. Thus Lenormant, in 'La Magic,' gives a dialogue between Hea and his son Hilgq-mulu-qi. Everything depends on knowing "the number." It may be noted, as bearing on this, that in the bas-reliefs portraying a feast from the palace of Asshurbanipal, the guests are seated in messes of four round small tables. If, then, as is probable, all these young cadets at the Babylonian court sat in the royal presence, they would have a table to themselves, and thus the peculiarity of their meal would not be patent to the whole company. Had the number of friends been more, they would have been conspicuous: had they been fewer, they would have been observed by those added to make up the number. Their request to be allotted to eat only pulse and to drink only water, had not, as we have already said, anything necessarily of the asceticism of the Essenes. They, the Essenes, rather started from Daniel and his friends. Maimonides tells us that there were three kinds of zeronim - tbu'ah, "crops," wheat, barley, millet, etc.; gatonith, "small crops," peas, beans, lentils; geenah, "garden seeds," such as mint, anise, and cummin. The English versions and the Septuagint agree in regarding the second of these classes as here intended. There is this to be said, that seeds are the most nourishing form of vegetable diet. Aben Ezra suggests "rice" as the seeds used for this purpose; but as, just as in all hot climates, vegetables and fruits of all sorts were largely consumed in Babylon, definition is unnecessary. To the present day among the inhabitants of the district around ancient Babylon, indeed, over the Levant generally, dates and raisins, with grain, and in the season fresh fruit, form the staple food. Daniel really prayed to live as the common people.

Parallel Commentaries ...


“Please
נָ֥א (nā)
Interjection
Strong's 4994: I pray', 'now', 'then'

test
נַס־ (nas-)
Verb - Piel - Imperative - masculine singular
Strong's 5254: To test, to attempt

your servants
עֲבָדֶ֖יךָ (‘ă·ḇā·ḏe·ḵā)
Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine singular
Strong's 5650: Slave, servant

for ten
עֲשָׂרָ֑ה (‘ă·śā·rāh)
Number - masculine singular
Strong's 6235: Ten

days.
יָמִ֣ים (yā·mîm)
Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 3117: A day

Let us be given
וְיִתְּנוּ־ (wə·yit·tə·nū-)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 5414: To give, put, set

only vegetables
הַזֵּרֹעִ֛ים (haz·zê·rō·‘îm)
Article | Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 2235: Something sown, a vegetable

to eat
וְנֹאכְלָ֖ה (wə·nō·ḵə·lāh)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive imperfect Cohortative - first person common plural
Strong's 398: To eat

and water
וּמַ֥יִם (ū·ma·yim)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 4325: Water, juice, urine, semen

to drink.
וְנִשְׁתֶּֽה׃ (wə·niš·teh)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive imperfect Cohortative if contextual - first person common plural
Strong's 8354: To imbibe


Daniel 1:12 NIV
Daniel 1:12 NLT
Daniel 1:12 ESV
Daniel 1:12 NASB
Daniel 1:12 KJV

Daniel 1:12 BibleApps.com
Daniel 1:12 Biblia Paralela
Daniel 1:12 Chinese Bible
Daniel 1:12 French Bible
Daniel 1:12 Catholic Bible

OT Prophets: Daniel 1:12 Prove your servants I beg you ten (Dan. Da Dn)