Silken Enslavement

In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim, king of Judah, King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon came and laid siege to Jerusalem. The Lord handed over to him Jehoiakim, king of Judah, and some of the vessels of the temple of God; he carried them off to the land of Shinar, and placed the vessels in the temple treasury of his god. The king told Ashpenaz, his chief chamberlain, to bring in some of the children of Israel of royal blood and of the nobility, young men without any defect, handsome, intelligent and wise, quick to learn, and prudent in judgment, such as could take their place in the king’s palace; they were to be taught the language and literature of the Chaldeans; after three years’ training they were to enter the king’s service. The king allotted them a daily portion of food and wine from the royal table.

Among these were men of Judah: Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. But Daniel was resolved not to defile himself with the king’s food or wine; so he begged the chief chamberlain to spare him this defilement. Though God had given Daniel the favor and sympathy of the chief chamberlain, he nevertheless said to Daniel, “I am afraid of my lord the king; it is he who allotted your food and drink. If he sees that you look wretched by comparison with the other young men of your age, you will endanger my life with the king.”

Then Daniel said to the steward whom the chief chamberlain had put in charge of Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, “Please test your servants for ten days. Give us vegetables to eat and water to drink. Then see how we look in comparison with the other young men who eat from the royal table and treat your servants according to what you see.” He acceded to this request and tested them for ten days; after ten days they looked healthier and better fed than any of the young men who ate from the royal table. So the steward continued to take away the food and wine they were to receive, and gave them vegetables.

To these four young men God gave knowledge and proficiency in all literature and science, and to Daniel the understanding of all visions and dreams. At the end of the time the king had specified for their preparation, the chief chamberlain brought them before Nebuchadnezzar. When the king had spoken with all of them, none was found equal to Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah; and so they entered the king’s service. In any question of wisdom or prudence which the king put to them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters in his kingdom. (Daniel 1:1-6, 8-20a) 

In 586 BCE Jerusalem fell with its walls and temple ground to rubble.  Daniel was exiled, along with his companions, who were chosen from the exiles by the king Nebuchadnezzar.  They all were branded slaves and were frozen in time and place.  Somewhat strangely, they were singled out for favor and tested, although the 10-day test involved receipt of food.  Daniel seemed to fool the chief chamberlain. Ultimately, the king entered them into his service.

According to Daniel Berrigan in his book “Daniel: Under the Siege of the Divine” (1998), there was a motive to this special treatment: “A new ‘silken’ enslavement replaces the former brutal one.  Let the favored ones forget their compatriots in travail.  Let the images and memories of suffering fade away.  Let their former companions be reduced to strangers, faceless ‘others.’  The rewards accruing to the king’s choice are apparent: access to the powerful, together with a carefully meted authority of one’s own, prestige, citizenship in the high culture of empire.”  There is no greater honor than to be chosen to sit at the king’s table.

Sort of reminds me of seduction and politics.  We can be seduced to abandon our principles when a smooth-taking person bearing gifts and favors turns us to his/her side at the expense of those who watch us drift away and change allegiances.  Lobbyists are skilled at this form of seduction and indebtedness.  Such is Congress where the wolves stalk the sheep in hallways and private spaces and carry inducements for support and votes.  That is the enchanters’ spider-like, silken enslavement of politicians seeking rank, privilege, and, of course, the root of all evil - money.

Deacon David Pierce