What does Daniel 1:5 mean?

Nebuchadnezzar seems to have planned to mold children from noble Jewish families into willing allies for his conquest. This would make them useful agents to understand and control the Jewish people. The most intelligent and attractive youths were taken for special training, including education in Babylonian language and ideals (Daniel 1:3–4). Undoubtedly, this would have included efforts to transform them into followers of Babylonian religion, as well.

This verse suggests that part of the captives' reeducation was immersion in Babylonian culture. They were to be given the same food and drink as the king. This would have created a sense of prestige and privilege, not to mention obligation. For young men, taken from their families, these efforts would have created immense pressure to conform. To emphasize their intended purpose, the captives were renamed according to Babylonian preferences (Daniel 1:7).

Modern-day believers, too, are often under intense pressure to be what the world desires. Some of that comes in the form of persecution, but it can also come through the temptations of luxury. The apostle Paul exhorts: "Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect" (Romans 12:2).