Daniel 1:5

5 And the king ordained to them lifelode by each day of his meats, and of the wine whereof he drank; that they nourished by three years, should stand afterward before the sight of the king. (And the king ordained for them the daily sustenance of his food, and the wine which he drank; and that after they were nourished for three years, they would stand before the king.)

Daniel 1:5 Meaning and Commentary

Daniel 1:5

And the king appointed them a daily provision of the king's
meat
Every day a portion was ordered them, from the king's table, of the richest dainties he himself ate of; which was done not only as an act of royal munificence and generosity, and in respect of their birth and breeding; but also as a bait and snare to allure and entice them, to make them in love with the country and condition in which they were, and to forget their own; as well also in order to preserve their well favoured look and good complexion, and fit them for their study of language and literature; which might be hindered for want of the necessaries of life, or by living on gross and coarse food: and of the wine which he drank;
which, as it was of various sorts, so of the best and most excellent; and which, moderately drank, conduces to the health of the body, and cheerfulness of the mind; and which are both useful to forward learned studies: so nourishing them three years;
this was the time fixed for their acquiring the learning and language of the Chaldeans; during which they were to be provided for from the king's table, and at his expense, as above; which term of time was judged sufficient for their learning everything necessary to qualify them for the king's service; and in which time it might be thought they would forget their own country, customs, religion, and language, and be inured to the place and persons where they were, and be satisfied and easy with their condition and circumstances: that at the end thereof they might stand before the king;
that is, at the end of three years they might be presented to the king for his examination and approbation, and be appointed to what service he should think fit; and particularly that they might be in his court, and minister to him in what post it should be his pleasure to place them. Some in Aben Ezra, and which he himself inclines to, read and interpret it, "that some of them might stand before the king"; such as he should choose out of them, that were most accomplished and most fit for his service; so Jacchiades.

Daniel 1:5 In-Context

3 And the king said to Ashpenaz, sovereign of his honest servants and chaste, that he should bring in of the sons of Israel, and of the king's seed, and the children of tyrants, [or (of) strong men,] (And the king said to Ashpenaz, the ruler of his honest and chaste servants, that is, the master of his eunuchs, that he should bring in some of the Israelites, yea, some of the king's descendants, and some of the young men of the strong men,)

4 in which were no wem, fair in shape, and learned in all wisdom, wary in knowing, and taught in chastising, either learning, and that might stand in the palace of the king, that he should teach them the letters and language of Chaldees. (in whom there was no blemish, or fault, comely in shape, and learned in all wisdom, yea, knowledgeable, and taught in learning, or in the disciplines, and who might stand in the palace of the king, so that he could teach them the letters and the language of the Chaldeans.)

5 And the king ordained to them lifelode by each day of his meats, and of the wine whereof he drank; that they nourished by three years, should stand afterward before the sight of the king. (And the king ordained for them the daily sustenance of his food, and the wine which he drank; and that after they were nourished for three years, they would stand before the king.)

6 Therefore Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, of the sons of Judah, were among them. (And so Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, of the sons of Judah, were among them.)

7 And the sovereign of the honest servants and chaste putted to them names (And the ruler of the honest and chaste servants, that is, the master of the eunuchs, gave them new names); to Daniel he putted Belteshazzar; to Hananiah, Shadrach; to Mishael, Meshach, and to Azariah, Abednego.