And God gave Daniel favor and compassion in the sight of the chief of the eunuchs,
English Standard Version (ESV)
This verse highlights that it wasn't just Daniel's character or intelligence, but God's direct intervention that softened the heart of the official. The original phrasing emphasizes a deep, even parental, compassion ("bowels of compassion") that God actively imparted, making this favor a profound act of divine providence amidst Daniel's difficult circumstances.
And God gave Daniel favor and compassion in the sight of the chief of the eunuchs,
English Standard Version (ESV)
Daniel and his friends have just been taken captive to Babylon and selected for special training. Despite the king's decree to feed them royal provisions, Daniel is determined not to defile himself with the king's rich food and wine. He makes a bold request to the official in charge, asking for a simpler diet instead, a request that could easily have led to severe punishment.
Ever wonder if people genuinely like you, or if it's just a fluke? Daniel's story shows us that even the
Daniel is in a foreign land, stripped of his identity and facing a king's decree. He makes a bold request to the chief eunuch, asking for a different diet. We might expect this to be met with anger or dismissal. Instead, the text says, "God gave Daniel favor and compassion." This wasn't just luck. The Hebrew word for "compassion" (rakhamim) can also mean "bowels," suggesting a deep, tender affection, almost parental. It’s a powerful picture of God intervening not just in circumstances, but in the hearts of people. He doesn't just control events; He moves individuals. This same God who orchestrated Joseph's rise in Egypt is at work here, shaping the heart of an official to show kindness to a captive youth.
God's Hand in Human Relationships
Ask a follow-up
What does it mean for God to give 'compassion'? It’s more than just a passing feeling; it speaks to a deep, relational desire.
The phrase "tender love" or "compassion" here is particularly striking. The underlying Hebrew word often translates to "bowels," a biblical metaphor for the deepest seat of emotion, akin to our modern understanding of the heart. It signifies a profound, nurturing, and parental kind of affection.
Beyond Mere Politeness
Understand the original words
chesed · Hebrew Noun
A term denoting grace, acceptance, or goodwill. In the Bible, it describes the unmerited favor shown by one person to another, often prompted by God's providential intervention.
rachamim · Hebrew Noun
A deep, sympathetic feeling or mercy. It refers to the inward movement of the heart that leads one to act kindly or mercifully toward another, reflecting divine pity.
This verse highlights God's direct intervention, not just in granting Daniel favor, but in orchestrating a specific act of compassion that allowed Daniel to maintain his religious convictions amidst exile.
c. 605 BC
Babylonian Conquest of Judah
Nebuchadnezzar's Babylonian forces conquer Jerusalem, marking the beginning of the Babylonian exile for many Judeans, including Daniel and his companions.
c. 605 BC
First Deportation to Babylon
Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah are among the Judean nobility taken captive to Babylon as part of Nebuchadnezzar's campaign.
c. 605 BC
Assigned to Royal Training
Daniel and his friends are selected for a special training program in Babylonian court affairs, to be educated and serve the king.
c. 605 BC— this verse
Daniel's Request for Diet
Daniel resolves not to defile himself with the king's rich food and wine, requesting a simpler diet of vegetables and water from the eunuch official.
c. 605 BC
God Grants Favor
God causes Daniel to find favor and compassion in the sight of the chief of the eunuchs, allowing his request to be considered.
c. 605 BC - 586 BC
Testing Period
Daniel and his companions are tested on their special diet for ten days, proving its superiority and leading to their continued unique status.
This passage shows God giving Joseph favor in the sight of the prison keeper, mirroring how God acted to grant Daniel favor with the chief of the eunuchs in a difficult foreign land.
Psalm 106:46This verse explicitly states that God made his captive people 'to be pitied' by their captors, directly reflecting the divine action behind Daniel's favorable reception.
Proverbs 16:7This proverb suggests that when a person's ways please the Lord, He can even make their enemies to be at peace with them, providing a theological principle for why Daniel found favor.
1 Kings 8:50In Solomon's prayer for the people, he asks God to grant them compassion before their captors, echoing the exact same idiom found in Daniel 1:9 and highlighting God's role in securing favor for His people.
bensonDaniel 1:9: "Now God had brought Daniel into favour and tender love with the prince of the eunuchs."
Daniel 1:9 . Now God had brought Daniel into favour and tender love, &c. — Hebrew, לרחמים , compassionate regard, or, bowels of compassion, which is also the sense of the same word, Daniel 2:18 . It is a very strong expression, and denotes a kind of parental compassion, like that of St. Paul in his epistle to Philemon, Daniel 1:12 , Receive him that is mine own bowels. We see a like instance of…
pulpitDaniel 1:9: "Now God had brought Daniel into favour and tender love with the prince of the eunuchs."
Verse 9. - Now God had brought Daniel into favour and tender love with the prince of the eunuchs. The word here translated "tender love" really means "bowels," and then "mercy" or "compassion." Hence the Apostle Paul (Philippians 2:1) combines the two meanings, "If there be any bowels and mercies." The Revised Version is here to be preferred, "favour and compassion,' as the Authorized exaggerate…
This verse highlights that it wasn't just Daniel's character or intelligence, but God's direct intervention that softened the heart of the official. The original phrasing emphasizes a deep, even parental, compassion ("bowels of compassion") that God actively imparted, making this favor a profound act of divine providence amidst Daniel's difficult circumstances.
Daniel and his friends have just been taken captive to Babylon and selected for special training. Despite the king's decree to feed them royal provisions, Daniel is determined not to defile himself with the king's rich food and wine. He makes a bold request to the official in charge, asking for a simpler diet instead, a request that could easily have led to severe punishment.
Daniel and his friends have just been taken captive to Babylon and selected for special training. Despite the king's decree to feed them royal provisions, Daniel is determined not to defile himself with the king's rich food and wine. He makes a bold request to the official in charge, asking for a simpler diet instead, a request that could easily have led to severe punishment.
"And God gave Daniel favor and compassion in the sight of the chief of the eunuchs," — This verse highlights that it wasn't just Daniel's character or intelligence, but God's direct intervention that softened the heart of the official. The original phrasing emphasizes a deep, even pare…
Get the original Greek and Hebrew, verse-by-verse context, and related passages inside the app.
Last reviewed October 2026