Daniel Chapter 1 Bible Skits (Part 1 of 6)

My husband and I watched the movie “The Book of Daniel” on Netflix last week. It was a really good depiction of the book of Daniel. Some of the things that happened in the movie made me go back to the Bible and make sure if they were accurate. I didn’t remember them and I wasn’t sure if they were the movie makers adding in their thoughts to make the movie flow better, or if they were actually Biblical.
As we were watching the movie, I thought to myself how great it would be if there were skits written from the book of Daniel. So that’s what I did. I have written skits to cover the first 6 chapters in the book of Daniel. I was going to continue and finish the entire 12 chapters of the book, but as I was looking through them, they were mostly discussing Daniel’s visions for the future. I felt that I wouldn’t be able to keep the skits at a level suitable for children, so I decided that the first 6 chapters would be enough.
Each chapter is separated into multiple skits, the number of which varies depending on the subjects in the chapter. I have taken these directly from the NASB. I have made character and prop lists as well as added stage cues for acting. I have added speaking parts where it could have been a narrator, but tried to keep really close to the context of what had been spoken.
Going through these chapters in order to write the skits has given me a greater understanding of Daniel and all that he had been through. This would be a great study for a Sunday School class, Wednesday night class, or even for the congregation if the preacher is preaching on Daniel.
This is the 1st part in a 6 part series on the book of Daniel. Chapter 1 covers: The Choice Young Men and Daniel Resolve.
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Daniel Chapter 1
The Choice Young Men: Daniel 1:1-7
Characters:
Narrator, Sign Holder, Jehoiakim, Nebuchadnezzar, Nebuchadnezzar’s army(optional), Ashpenaz, Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, Azariah, Commander of the Officials
Props:
“3rd Year of Jehoiakim” sign
Items that look like their from a palace – cup of gold, scepter, etc.
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(Enter Jehoiakim, Nebuchadnezzar, and his army)
(sign holder walks across the stage that says “3rd Year of Jehoiakim”, as Narrator speaks)
Narrator: In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it.
(Nebuchadnezzar & army walk across stage – Jehoiakim bows down to him and gives him things from palace)
Jehoiakim: The Lord has given me into your hand.
Narrator: The Lord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand, along with some of the vessels of the house of God; and he brought them to the land of Shinar, to the house of his god, and he brought the vessels into the treasury of his god.
(Exit Jehoiakim) (Enter Ashpenaz, bowing to Nebuchadnezzar)
Nebuchadnezzar: Ashpenaz, chief of my officials, bring in some of the sons of Israel, including some of the royal family and of the nobles, youths in whom is no defect, who are good-looking, showing intelligence in every branch of wisdom, endowed with understanding and discerning knowledge, and who has ability for serving in the king’s court. Teach them the literature and language of our people.
They will have a daily ration from the my choice food and from the wine which I drink. They should be educated for three years, at the end of which they will enter into my personal service.
(Ashpenaz stands, bows in agreement, and leaves)
(Enter Commander of Officials, Ashpenaz with Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah)
Narrator: Now among them from the sons of Judah were Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah.
Commander of Officials: You will be assigned new names; Daniel, you will be Belteshazzar, Hananiah, you are now Shadrach, Mishael you are now Meshach, and Azariah, will now be Abed-nego.
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Daniel’s Resolve: Daniel 1:8-21
Characters:
Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, Azariah, Narrator, Commander of the Officials, Overseer, Sign Holder, Other Youth, Nebuchadnezzar
Props:
“10 Days Have Passed” sign
Basket of Vegetables
“3 Years Have Passed” sign
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(Enter Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, Azariah, Commander of the Officials, and Overseer)
Daniel (to Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah): I will not defile himself with the king’s choice food or with the wine which he drinks. I’m going to get permission from the commander of the officials that we might not defile ourselves.
Narrator: Now God granted Daniel favor and compassion in the sight of the commander of the officials.
Commander of the Officials said to Daniel, “I am afraid of my lord the king, who has appointed your food and your drink; for why should he see your faces looking more haggard than the youths who are your own age? Then you would make me forfeit my head to the king.”
(Exit Commander of the Officials)
Daniel (to the Overseer): Please test your servants for ten days, and let us be given some vegetables to eat and water to drink. Then let our appearance be observed 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.
(Overseer nods in agreement; Daniel and friends smile at each other)
(Sign Holder walks across stage with “10 Days Have Passed” sign)
(Enter other Youth looking weak and frail) (Daniel and friends show muscles and strength)
Narrator: 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. So the overseer continued to withhold their choice food and the wine they were to drink, and kept giving them vegetables.
Narrator: As for these four youths, God gave them knowledge and intelligence in every branch of literature and wisdom; Daniel even understood all kinds of visions and dreams.
(Exit All)
(Sign Holder walks across the stage with “3 Years Have Passed”)
(Enter Nebuchadnezzar, Commander of the Officials, Other Youth, Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah)
Narrator: Then at the end of the days which the king had specified for presenting them, the commander of the officials presented them before Nebuchadnezzar.
Nebuchadnezzar (pointing at Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah): None have been found like these. They will enter into my service.
Narrator: As for every matter of wisdom and understanding about which the king consulted them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and conjurers who were in all his realm. And Daniel continued until the first year of Cyrus the king.
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