Daniel’s Captivity

00:00:00 Speaker 1: Previously on The Chosen People. 00:00:03 Speaker 2: We can't keep babbling to... Gah! We can't keep bowing. Bowing to Babylon? Babylon! What's left of our people are restless. We must act. We must act. My lord, rebellion means death. Nebuchadnezzar does not know mercy. 00:00:21 Speaker 1: Nebuchadnezzar unceremoniously drove his dagger into the throat of Zedekiah's oldest son. 00:00:29 Speaker 3: The glory of your ancestors dies with you. You cowardly, pathetic, sniveling, double-minded dog. 00:00:39 Speaker 1: It took eleven days to unmake a city that took centuries to build. Eleven days for King Nebuchadnezzar to turn the Covenant people into a valley of dry bones. He did not rage. He did not roar. He moved through Zion like a surgeon through cancer, blade steady, expression blank, dissecting every sacred thing Judah thought untouchable. 00:01:10 Speaker 3: Load them all. Babylon will melt down the worship of this god and turn it into currency. 00:01:18 Speaker 1: Mercy hides in margins. The god who once thundered from Sinai knows how to set a table, even in Babylon. Ash still covered Zion like a burial cloth. Bones still littered the valley. The temple was still gone. The king was blind. The ark was missing. The songs were faint. But hope, hope was eating dinner in Babylon. And the Lord was not done, not even close. Jerusalem had fallen, a city once radiant now reduced to smoldering ruin. Babylon had descended swiftly, mercilessly, and precisely, its armies as vast as a storm sweeping relentlessly across the land. The city of David had fallen silent, covered in darkness, hope flickering feebly beneath the ruins. Rough ropes bound the children of Israel as they stumbled forward, each step a grim reminder of their stolen freedom. Daniel moved among them, a slender silhouette of quiet resilience amid the despair. His posture spoke of strength, but beneath the surface churned turmoil. Wisdom had aged Daniel prematurely. but in this moment his eyes were wide with terror. Still, Daniel felt the burden of concealing the doubt. Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah walked closely behind Daniel, ropes cutting rawly into wrists. Daniel felt their gazes on his back. Even though he was chained with them, he felt the painful burden of leadership over them. He turned back, looking at his friends, then gazing once more upon Jerusalem's smoking ruins behind them. 00:03:29 Speaker 4: Be strong and courageous, brothers. 00:03:32 Speaker 5: No one can say what awaits us behind the walls of Babylon. 00:03:36 Speaker 1: Hananiah's voice quivered behind him. 00:03:39 Speaker 2: I know what awaits us. Beatings, starvation, death. 00:03:44 Speaker 1: Mishael rolled his eyes. Mishael was the gruffest of the four companions, rough, sharp. 00:03:52 Speaker 2: Pipe down, Ananya. I don't want another strike on the jaw from these soldiers. Get a hold of yourself. 00:03:58 Speaker 1: Azariah twitched, counting some invisible numbers no one else could see. 00:04:04 Speaker 6: You know, it's highly unlikely they'll harm us any further. If the Babylonians and King Nebuchadnezzar are as intelligent as people say, they would know that harming us is not in their best interest. 00:04:18 Speaker 2: What do you mean? 00:04:19 Speaker 6: Well, these large kingdoms need more people. 00:04:22 Speaker 2: To work their economy. 00:04:23 Speaker 6: They need people to work and earn and spend to sustain their growing empire. We're captives, yes, but the Babylonians will be much better off if we're healthy and assimilated. 00:04:35 Speaker 2: Yeah, still captives, though. 00:04:38 Speaker 6: Indeed, but useful captives. The Babylonians don't want useless mouths to feed. They want us to fuel their economy. 00:04:47 Speaker 2: We don't speak their language. We don't know their customs. Be wise. 00:04:54 Speaker 1: Daniel interrupted, his gaze intense but reassuring to his friends. For a heartbeat, he hesitated, feeling acutely the temptation to offer empty comfort. But Daniel's integrity forbade it. 00:05:09 Speaker 4: Remember who you are and who you serve. Much will change for us in Babylon. They'll do what they want with our bodies, but only we can surrender our souls. 00:05:21 Speaker 1: He reached out, gripping Hananiah's shoulder. His friend nodded, his courage flickering back to life behind weary eyes. The desert wind churned, and with it, the sands covered what was left of Jerusalem. They all stole one final glance at the promised land, certain it was the last time they would see it. But while Israel remained in its place, buried under ash and sand, the God of Israel moved. He was before them and beside them. Ahead loomed Babylon. It was ruled by a king whose shadow stretched like a great and ominous promise. Daniel had heard the tales whispered fearfully by captives and conquerors alike. Nebuchadnezzar was cold measured, dangerously brilliant, capable of both monstrous violence and astonishing wisdom. This contradiction frightened Daniel more deeply than brutality ever could, for it meant resistance would demand subtlety rather than mere defiance. Lost in thought, Daniel was startled by a sudden movement. Dust swirled sharply as a rider emerged on a black stallion, Daniel tensed instinctively, watching warily as the figure approached. The rider's face was obscured by indigo silk, eyes alone visible. Black, sharp, as pitiless and precise as the king he served. 00:07:00 Speaker 2: Who's that, do you think? 00:07:01 Speaker 1: The rider moved swiftly, inspecting captives with ruthless discernment, his gaze sliding indifferently over those cowering beneath his presence. Occasionally he selected one, shoving them roughly toward waiting wagons. Daniel's heartbeat quickened, a sickening anxiety clawing at his throat as the rider drew nearer, inspecting face after face with cold detachment. Then, abruptly, their eyes met. A tense silence thickened between them. The rider cocked his head to the side and slowly approached. Daniel steadied himself refusing to flinch, knowing instinctively that this single moment could seal their fate. He turned to his companions and gave orders. 00:07:52 Speaker 2: Easy, gentlemen. 00:07:54 Speaker 1: Don't flinch. 00:07:55 Speaker 2: Remain still. 00:07:57 Speaker 5: Easier said than done. 00:08:00 Speaker 1: The rider approached the four young men. His gaze narrowed slightly, as if recognizing Daniel. With chilling decisiveness... The rider raised a gloved hand, pointing directly toward Daniel and the companions at his side. The rider's voice was higher than Daniel expected, sharper. Daniel knew just enough Assyrian to understand. They were being set apart from the rest of the captives. The soldiers seized them, ropes cutting deeper as they were torn from the larger group. Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah exchanged apprehensive glances with Daniel. They were lashed firmly to a cart already crowded with others. Daniel took measure of who else was in the cart with them. Young men, handsome, well-built, healthy. Daniel recognized many of them. They were sons of noblemen, educated, articulate. What were they planning to do with them? Daniel was terrified like the others, yes, but with that terror came a burning curiosity. What awaited them behind the walls of Babylon, and what would it cost them to survive? Babylon rose steadily before them, a city seemingly woven from equal parts wonder and dread. Its towers ascended defiantly, gilded domes catching the sun like flames, challenging the heavens themselves. Ziggurats climbed toward clouds, crowned with temples adorned in alabaster and gold. The streets teemed with a dizzying spectacle of humanity. Merchants shouting exotic tongues, peddling spices and silk. Courtiers wrapped in bright fabrics. murmuring the story. chants. Perfume and incense wafted thickly, sweet and cloying, mixed with roasting meat and pungent oils. Daniel watched his friend's reactions closely. Hananiah's face was pale, his lips parted in uneasy awe. Mishael's fists clenched and unclenched rhythmically, tension simmering beneath his calm demeanour. Azariah glanced around, calculating everything. The other young men were in awe, smiles widening as they beheld pillars of ivory, women leaning provocatively against temple walls. a nobleman lounging under the shade of decorated idols. 00:10:46 Speaker 7: How easily this beauty could consume a man. 00:10:50 Speaker 1: Daniel could sense the seductive pull behind Babylon's dazzling facade. He set his jaw firmly, aware that survival here would require more tact than willpower. As they neared the city gates, towering statues of Nebuchadnezzar loomed into view. their impassive eyes fixed eternally upon all who entered. At the palace gates, their veiled rider suddenly drew away, the great black stallion snorting impatiently. With practiced elegance, he unwrapped the indigo scar from his face, revealing sharp features etched with ritual scars, intricate marks of devotion and sacrifice. Daniel immediately recognized what they signified. The rider was a eunuch. Something tightened painfully in Daniel's chest. 00:11:47 Speaker 5: Welcome to Babylon. 00:11:49 Speaker 1: The eunuch spoke perfect Hebrew now. He dismounted fluidly, approaching with purposeful strides, his gaze assessing them with detached intensity. 00:11:59 Speaker 2: I am Ashpenaz. 00:12:02 Speaker 5: King Nebuchadnezzar, in his wisdom, has summoned select men. young of body and sharp of mind, to serve his courts. You will learn our ways, master our language, unravel our mysteries, and if you survive, you will stand among his greatest advisors and govern your people on his behalf. 00:12:25 Speaker 1: Daniel felt a jolt of dread and anticipation ripple through him simultaneously. He understood immediately the subtle test hidden within Ashpenaz's words. This offer for power and knowledge came at a price, like the fruit offered in the Garden of Eden. 00:12:45 Speaker 5: Follow me. 00:12:46 Speaker 1: There was a hesitation among the young men, a pause brief enough to feel heavy. Then, instinctively, Daniel stepped forward. He met Ashpenaz's cool gaze directly, then bowed his head. Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah quickly stepped forward as well, Following Daniel's example, though their eyes were wary, their steps mirrored Daniel's strength, drawing courage from the steady resolve he emanated. Standing beneath Nebuchadnezzar's statues, Daniel felt the familiar weight of temptation pressing upon him, the urge to simply blend in, to surrender just enough to avoid pain. But another impulse, stronger yet less certain, stirred within him, the conviction that he was not here by chance, that Babylon's grandeur might yet bow subtly beneath a quieter strength, a deeper wisdom. Ashpenaz guided Daniel and his companions deeper into the palace, leading them through hallways that twisted as intricately as the mines that designed them. The corridors dripped with wealth. The walls were adorned in gold and lapis lazuli, tapestries woven with the proud, bloody conquests of kings. Opulence saturated every inch, yet Daniel sensed something else beneath this lavish display, a carefully cultivated intimidation, beauty designed to crush the spirit, grandeur wielded as both seduction and weapon. Daniel had yet to stand before King Nebuchadnezzar, but he could feel his presence in every inch of these halls. Daniel glanced uneasily at his companions. Hananiah's lips pressed tight, Azariah's eyes were wary, and Mishael's jaw tensed. Finally, Ashpenaz stopped before grand doors of polished cedar. He turned to Daniel, eyes probing silently. measuring the young man's resolve yet again, before he pushed the doors open. 00:15:10 Speaker 2: Enter. 00:15:10 Speaker 1: Daniel stepped forward, breath catching in his throat as the doors swung wide. Beyond lay a vast chamber filled with countless scrolls and tablets, a treasury of knowledge gathered from across the known world. Daniel's heart quickened at the sight of it all. Yet as he moved cautiously among the shelves, Daniel's awe darkened. Babylon's wisdom, he saw clearly now, was not neutral. It held the dangerous allure of power twisted subtly into knowledge. Beneath each scroll, each etched tablet, lurked the Empire's insatiable hunger for dominance, a cold, hidden cruelty masked by golden elegance. He paused, fingers hovering above an ancient text inscribed with astronomical secrets, realizing the temptation was not merely in pleasure or excess, but in the seductive notion of power itself. 00:16:17 Speaker 2: This place. 00:16:19 Speaker 5: It's more than a library. It's a storehouse of secrets. 00:16:24 Speaker 1: Secrets to power. A pang of uncertainty gripped Daniel. How far could he safely venture into Babylon's mysteries without losing himself? Ashpenaz raised his arms toward the towering statue of Nebuchadnezzar. 00:16:44 Speaker 5: From this day forward, you belong to King Nebuchadnezzar. the mighty and eternal. Your old lives end here. To bind you fully to Babylon, you shall receive new names. 00:16:57 Speaker 1: Daniel's chest tightened painfully. Names were anchors, threads woven back through generations, binding identity to purpose. To strip away his name felt as though Babylon were clawing into his soul, attempting to claim what no empire had a right to touch. Ashpenaz approached Hananiah first. 00:17:20 Speaker 5: You shall be Shadrach, commanded by Aku himself, god of the moon. 00:17:27 Speaker 1: Hananiah cringed. His true name had meant the lord is gracious, but his new name honored another eerie Babylonian god. Ashpenaz turned to Mishael. 00:17:41 Speaker 2: You shall be Meshach. 00:17:44 Speaker 5: The one who searches for the mysteries of Aku. 00:17:48 Speaker 1: Mishael's jaw tensed. Meshach was a cruel bastardization of his name. Who is God? Ashpenaz smirked, seemingly content to see Meshach squirm. He turned to Azariah. 00:18:02 Speaker 5: Abednego shall be your name. Servant of Naboo. God of wisdom. 00:18:08 Speaker 1: Daniel's brow perked at that. Servant of Wisdom was a fitting name for Azariah. He wondered if Ashpenaz knew more about them than he had let on. Finally, Ashpenaz's gaze turned to Daniel. His brow slanted ever so slightly. Daniel almost felt as though Ashpenaz was undressing him with his eyes. 00:18:32 Speaker 5: We shall see what the Great King has for you. 00:18:36 Speaker 1: Ashpenaz turned away and gestured them toward a vast corridor. Daniel's stomach twisted anxiously as the door swung open, a wave of overwhelming scents pouring outward, heavy with spices, incense, roasting meats and wine. Inside lay a banquet designed to dazzle yet repulse. Pork glistened thickly, monkeys roasted whole grinned grotesquely from silver platters, pigeons coated in honey gleamed in the firelight, and meats openly sacrificed to Babylon's gods dripped oil, their aroma both inviting and nauseating. Around the tables sprawled young nobles from conquered lands, their eyes glazed from endless feasting, minds dulled, spirits broken, chained willingly by luxury rather than force. This is nourishment, it's poison, he glanced at Hananiah. sensing his friend's discomfort, and leaned toward him, whispering firmly. This is a trap. Don't eat it. 00:19:48 Speaker 2: I'm starving, Daniel. 00:19:50 Speaker 4: This won't satisfy us. It will only dull our senses. 00:19:55 Speaker 2: What do we do then? 00:19:57 Speaker 1: Follow my lead. The four companions remained unmoving in their seats, refusing to touch the food. Ashpenaz noticed their refusal immediately. Irritation flickering behind his carefully composed mask. 00:20:12 Speaker 5: Do you reject the king's generosity? 00:20:15 Speaker 1: Daniel straightened, respectfully firm. 00:20:18 Speaker 2: Eating this way is forbidden by our customs. 00:20:21 Speaker 5: Your customs burned beneath the rubble of Jerusalem. 00:20:25 Speaker 7: Our city burned, but our lord endures the flame. 00:20:30 Speaker 1: Ashpenaz's expression hardened, then softened just slightly, frustration blending with genuine concern. 00:20:38 Speaker 5: Your stubbornness endangers us both. The king himself entrusted your health to me. Do not tempt his anger. Eat or we both suffer. 00:20:50 Speaker 7: I know your risk, Lord Ashpenaz, but look around you carefully. Do you see strength here? Do you allow your soldiers to eat this way? No, you want them strong. You feed these young men delicacies because you want them to feel like princes, but At what cost? Allow us ten days to eat only vegetables, lentils, barley, fruit, and water. And then judge for yourself. If we appear weaker, then we will submit. 00:21:22 Speaker 5: You have my word. 00:21:24 Speaker 1: Ashpenaz hesitated, clearly torn between duty and doubt, finally sighing reluctantly. 00:21:32 Speaker 2: Very well. 00:21:33 Speaker 1: Ten days. No more, Daniel nodded quietly, feeling both relief and a deeper dread. This was a test of wills, identities, and kingdoms. One of fire and stone, the other of word and wisdom. For ten days, Daniel and his friends ate only what grew naturally from the earth. Vegetables, fruits, lentils, barley. They drank only clear water and withheld wine and strong drinks from their lips. Over ten days' time, the contrast between the four companions and the other youths was stark, especially as they all sat at the decadent table. Ashpenaz entered the hall and the clamour of the dining room ceased. He strode purposefully to Daniel and the faithful three. 00:22:29 Speaker 2: Ten days. 00:22:31 Speaker 5: It seems you've done quite well. You don't seem pleased. Pleasure, pain, purpose. These aren't sentiments I chase. I seek to serve the king, and he requests your presence. 00:22:48 Speaker 3: Come. 00:22:49 Speaker 1: Ashpenaz turned on his heel and bid them follow. They did, uncertain of what awaited them in the king's hall. The king's palace was like a temple. Statues of King Nebuchadnezzar held up the roof as pillars. Torches turned purple from rare oils lit the halls with an unearthly glow. Daniel tried to hide his fear. For their sake, Mishael, Azariah and Hananiah looked to him for strength. He took that role seriously. Ashpenaz strode forward with soft feet. reverently approaching the grand cedar doors the height of five men. The guards lowered their spears. Ashpenaz hissed in Assyrian. The guards lifted their spears, gripped the iron handles, and pressed their shoulders against the cedar. The great doors opened wide like the mouth of a dragon. The walls were hewn from pure black onyx. When the doors closed behind them, the room darkened to a near pitch blackness. Then, abruptly, a flame erupted from the iron hearth, illuminating the great hall. And there, sitting atop his throne, was the beast himself. The conqueror, the captor of nations, King Nebuchadnezzar. His eyes glowed red from the reflection of the flame. His thick arms rested on the sides of the throne, taut like coiled oak branches. He spoke, deep, slow, deliberate. 00:24:40 Speaker 3: A strong arm. 00:24:42 Speaker 1: His eyes glared under the red flame from the cauldron. 00:24:46 Speaker 3: A sharp mind. 00:24:48 Speaker 1: The king rose from his throne, stepped down beside the hearth, and raised his hand over the flame. The fire licked his fingers like the tongues of serpents, but didn't burn him. 00:25:01 Speaker 3: I could have destroyed your people, but I didn't. Do you know why? 00:25:09 Speaker 1: Each man looked to Daniel, who did his best to hide his terror. Daniel's tongue rolled in his mouth, but he said nothing. 00:25:19 Speaker 3: The kingdoms to the east devour without thought to the future. They have strong arms, but their minds are dull. I have no use for them. They burn in the white-hot furnace of my greatness. 00:25:38 Speaker 1: King Nebuchadnezzar circled the four young men. They could feel each of his steps in their chest. 00:25:45 Speaker 3: But you Israelites aren't completely worthless. Despite the sniveling cowards you crowned as kings... Despite the complete waste of resources to your temple, you survive. You always survive. There's a secret to your people. I intend to mine those depths. 00:26:13 Speaker 2: Beginning with you four. 00:26:16 Speaker 1: The king paused when standing over Daniel. The two locked eyes changed. Exchanging something akin to respect, if Nebuchadnezzar could feel such a thing. 00:26:28 Speaker 3: You are the one they call Daniel, yes? 00:26:32 Speaker 2: Yes, great king. 00:26:35 Speaker 3: So, it was you who refused my generosity. 00:26:41 Speaker 2: Yes, great king. 00:26:45 Speaker 3: Strong arms, sharp minds. These are the pillars by which I shall build this kingdom to outlast the others. Your insolent challenge to our ways turned out to be a revelation. 00:27:00 Speaker 5: It is in the law of Moses, great king. Our people have endured because of our great God. 00:27:09 Speaker 3: I see. Then I shall inquire more about this law and the God you claim gave it. 00:27:18 Speaker 7: It would be my honor, great king, but be warned. You have subjugated his people. Many kings have tried to do the same, and the Lord has sought them out. 00:27:29 Speaker 3: Yes, yes. Well, then, I have decided on your new name, Daniel. Belteshazzar. for it is you who shall protect me from the wrath of your God. 00:27:55 Speaker 1: The young men were dismissed, and in every matter of wisdom and understanding about which the king inquired of them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters that were in all his kingdom. This Pray.com production is only made possible by our dedicated team of creative talents. Steve Katina, Max Bard, Zach Schelleberger and Ben Gammon are the executive producers of The Chosen People, narrated by Paul Coltofianu. Characters are voiced by Jonathan Cotton, Aaron Salvato, Sarah Seltz, Mike Reagan, Stephen Ringwald, Sylvia Zaradok, Thomas Copeland Jr., Rosanna Pilcher, and Mitch Lashinsky. Music by Andrew Morgan Smith. Written by Aaron Salvato, Brie Rosely, and Chris Baig. You can hear more Prey.com productions on the Prey.com app, available on the Apple App Store and Google Play Store. If you enjoyed The Chosen People, please rate and leave a review.