Tafsiran Daniel 1:9: Rashi, Chomat Anakh & Ibn Ezra

the chief officer who was the chief over the king’s servants.

"And God granted Daniel kindness and compassion before the chief of the eunuchs. It is possible that even the attribute of judgment turned into mercy, and thus it was kindness and compassion before the chief of the eunuchs. After I mentioned in my writings, I saw in the book 'Korban Mincha,' section 188, where it is written that God is judgment, and when it says 'God,' there are also mercy. And behold, he wrote that even though his request was not fulfilled, they granted him kindness by not rebuking him, not revealing his secret to the king, and also because he felt for the steward and hid his eye. Commentators explain."

[Daniel 1:9] Vayiten (וַיִּתֵּן - And God gave/disposed): The Gaon [Saadia Gaon] said: The meaning is that He [God] granted him [Daniel] favor (chen - חֵן), kindness (chesed - חֶסֶד), and compassion (rachamim - רַחֲמִים) in the eyes of the chief officer. [However,] he [the chief officer] did not [immediately] grant his [Daniel's] request. But he [the chief officer] responded [in such a way, as seen in the next verse] that he did not reveal his [Daniel's] secret [plan/request] to the king, because [if the king found out about the special diet and the youths looked worse for it] he [the king] would not let him [the chief officer] live. [Therefore, according to Saadia, the "favor" here was the officer's willingness to listen and his discreet handling of the sensitive request, rather than outright agreement at this point].