Daniel 1:4

“Children in whom was no blemish, etc.] Not mere children, but young men of fifteen or twenty years of age; about which age Daniel is by Aben Ezra supposed to be when he was carried captive; and less than this be cannot well be thought to be, since, in a few years after, he was put into posts of the greatest eminence and importance: such were ordered to be selected that had no deformity or defect in any parts of their body, or wanted any, as an eye, or a hand, etc.; or, “in whom was not anything”f32; vicious or immoral, or scandalous in their character: but well favoured; of a good complexion, a ruddy countenance, and a healthful look. So Curtiusf33 says, that, in all barbarous or uncivilized…”

“no blemish--A handsome form was connected, in Oriental ideas, with mental power. "Children" means youths of twelve or fourteen years old. teach . . . tongue of . . . Chaldeans--their language and literature, the Aramaic-Babylonian. That the heathen lore was not altogether valueless appears from the Egyptian magicians who opposed Moses; the Eastern Magi who sought Jesus, and who may have drawn the tradition as to the "King of the Jews" from Dan 9:24, &c., written in the East. As Moses was trained in the learning of the Egyptian sages, so Daniel in that of the Chaldeans, to familiarize his mind with mysterious lore, and so develop his heaven-bestowed gift of understanding in visions (Dan…”

“Children in whom was no blemish - The word rendered “children” in this place (ילדים yelâdı̂ym) is different from that which is rendered “children” in Job 1:3 - בנים bânnı̂ym). That word denotes merely that they were “sons,” or “descendants,” of Israel, without implying anything in regard to their age; the word here used would be appropriate only to those who were at an early period of life, and makes it certain that the king meant that those who were selected should be youths. Compare Genesis 4:23, where the word is rendered “a young man.” It is sometimes, indeed, used to denote a son, without reference to age, and is then synonymous with בן bên, a “son.” But it properly means “one born;”…”

“The learning and the tongue - The Chaldeans were skilled above any other nation, in natural philosophy. Their tongue differed from the Hebrew in dialect and in pronunciation, which they learned that they might be the more acceptable to the king, and court. Daniel 1:5”

“1:4 strong, healthy: They had no defect or blemish that would disqualify them; the Lord had the same requirements for Israel’s priests (Lev 21:16-24; 22:17-25). These youths had the wisdom, knowledge, understanding, and character needed to function at the highest levels of government. • The literature of Babylon was immense and included wisdom and esoteric literature, creation stories, magic incantations, theogonies (origins and genealogies of the gods), legal corpora, ancient histories, letters, dream journals, vision manuals, and mathematical and astrological materials. The education of these young men—all in a foreign language—rivaled that of Moses in Egypt.”

“Children: The word yeladim rendered children, is frequently used for lads, or young men (see Gen 21:8, Gen 21:14-16), νεανισκους, as the LXX render; and Daniel must have been at this time at least seventeen or eighteen years of age. in whom: Lev 21:18-21, Lev 24:19, Lev 24:20; Jdg 8:18; Sa2 14:25; Act 7:20; Eph 5:27 and skillful: Rather, as Houbigant renders, "apt to understand wisdom, to acquire knowledge, and to attain science;" for it was not a knowledge of the sciences, but merely a capacity to learn them, that was required. Dan 2:20, Dan 2:21, Dan 5:11; Ecc 7:19; Act 7:22 ability: Dan 1:17-20; Pro 22:29 Daniel 1:5”