Daniel 1:8-16

⁸But Daniel made up his mind that he would not defile himself with the king’s choice food or with the wine which he drank; so he sought permission from the commander of the officials that he might not defile himself. ⁹Now God granted Daniel favor and compassion in the sight of the commander of the officials. ¹⁰The commander of the officials said to Daniel, “I am afraid of my lord the king, who has allotted your food and your drink; for why should he see your faces looking gaunt in comparison to the youths who are your own age? Then you would make me forfeit my head to the king.” ¹¹But Daniel said to the overseer whom the commander of the officials had appointed over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, ¹²“Please put your servants to the test for ten days, and let us be given some vegetables to eat and water to drink. ¹³Then let our appearance be examined in your presence and the appearance of the youths who are eating the king’s choice food; and deal with your servants according to what you see.”

¹⁴So he listened to them in this matter, and put them to the test for ten days. ¹⁵And at the end of ten days their appearance seemed better, and they were fatter than all the youths who had been eating the king’s choice food. ¹⁶So the overseer continued to withhold their choice food and the wine they were to drink, and kept giving them vegetables.