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Chapter 1: Daniel and his three companions were put into the care
of the chief of the eunuchs, who was to give them the food and
drink of the king himself. The king wanted them to learn the
letters and language of the Chaldeans. That would have included
classical Akkadian, the official literary language from the days
of Hammurabi. They also needed the study of the language and
literature of ancient Sumerian religious literature, magical, and
astrological and scientific, was important for Babyonian religion.

The chief of the eunuchs gave the four Chaldean names.

The young men were to be educated for three years. Yet soon, in
the second year they will be called on to explain the king 's
dream (chapter 2). There is more than one way to explain the
second year. First, these may have been taken captive in 605 when
Nabuchodonosor was in Israel. Or - because of his distress, the
king may have tried all possible means to interpret his dream and
so even though their education was only 2/3 finished, they might
still help, and did so. Or -If we recall the semitic approximation
and looseness of numbers which we explained above, this could be
an other instance of that sort of thing.

The king ordered his own food and wine to be given them. But that
would surely involve foods forbidden to Jews. God made the chief
of eunuchs favorable, and so Daniel asked him to give them only
vegetables and water for a 10 day trial period.

At the end of the 10 days, Daniel and his three companions looked
healthier-- a miracle- not a proof that fasting is physically
beneficial.