The In-Dept Study of the Bible
Portions 13
THE HISTORY OF SUSANNA
1 †A man lived in Babylon, and his name
was Joakim.
2 He took a wife, whose name was Susanna,
the daughter of Helkias, a very fair
woman, and one who feared the Lord.
3 Her parents were also righteous, and
taught their daughter according to the law
of Moses.
4 Now Joakim was a great rich man, and
had a beautiful garden next to his house.
The Jews used to come to him, because he
was more honorable than all others.
5 The same year, two of the elders of
the people were appointed to be judges,
such as the Lord spoke of, that wickedness
came from Babylon from elders who were
judges, who were supposed to govern the
people.
6 These were often at Joakim’s house. All
that had any lawsuits came to them.
7 When the people departed away at
noon, Susanna went into her husband’s
garden to walk.
8 The two elders saw her going in every
day and walking; and they were inflamed
with lust for her.
9 They perverted their own mind and
turned away their eyes, that they might
not look to heaven, nor remember just
judgments.
10 And although they both were
wounded with lust for her, yet dared not
show the other his grief.
11 For they were ashamed to declare
their lust, what they desired to do with her.
12 Yet they watched eagerly from day to
day to see her.
13 The one said to the other, “Let’s go
home, now; for it is dinner time.”
14 So when they had gone out, they
parted company, and turning back again,
they came to the same place. After they
had asked one another the cause, they
acknowledged their lust. Then they
appointed a time both together, when they
might find her alone.
15 It happened, as they watched on an
opportune day, she went in as before with
only two maids, and she desired to wash
herself in the garden; for it was hot.
16 There was nobody there except the
two elders who had hid themselves and
watched her.
17 Then she said to her maids, “Bring me
olive oil and ointment, and shutthe garden
doors, that I may wash myself.”
18 They did as she asked them and shut
the gardendoors, and went outthemselves
atthe side doors to fetch the things that she
had commanded them. They didn’t see the
elders, because they were hidden.
19 Now when the maids had gone out, the
two elders rose up and ran to her, saying,
20 “Behold, the garden doors are shut,
that no man can see us, and we are in love
with you. Therefore consent to us, and lie
with us.
21 If you will not, we will testify against
you,that a young man was with you; therefore
you sent your maids away from you.”
22 Then Susanna sighed, and said, “I am
trapped; for if I do this thing, it is death
to me. If I don’t do it, I can’t escape your
hands.
23 It is better for me to fall into your
hands, and not do it, than to sin in the sight
of the Lord.”
24 With that Susanna cried with a loud
voice; and the two elders cried out against
her.
25 Then one of them ran and opened the
garden doors.
26 So when the servants of the house
heard the cry in the garden, they rushed in
at the side door to see what had happened
to her.
27 But when the elders had told their
tale, the servants were greatly ashamed;
for there was never such a report made of
Susanna.
28 It came to pass on the next day,
when the people assembled to her husband
Joakim, the two elders came full of
their wicked intent against Susanna to put
her to death,
29 and said before the people, “Send for
Susanna, the daughter of Helkias, Joakim’s
wife.” So they sent;
30 and she came with her father and
mother, her children, and all her kindred.
31 Now Susanna was a very delicate
woman, and beautiful to behold.
32 These wicked men commanded her to
be unveiled, for she was veiled, that they
might be filled with her beauty.
33 Therefore her friends and all who saw
her wept.
34 Then the two elders stood up in the
midst of the people and laid their hands
upon her head.
35 She, weeping, looked up toward
heaven; for her heart trusted in the Lord.
36 The elders said, “As we walked in the
garden alone, this woman came in with two
maids, shutthe garden doors, and sent
the maids away.
37 Then a young man who was hidden
there came to her and lay with her.
38 And we, being in a corner of the garden,
saw this wickedness and ran to them.
39 And when we saw them together, we
couldn’t hold the man; for he was stronger
than we, and opened the doors, and leaped
out.
40 But having taken this woman, we
asked who the young man was, but she
would not tell us. We testify these things.
41 Then the assembly believed them, as
those who were elders of the people and
judges; so they condemned her to death.
42 Then Susanna cried out with a loud
voice, and said, “O everlasting God, you
know the secrets, and know all things
before they happen.
43 You know that they have testified
falsely against me. Behold,I must die, even
though I never did such things as these
men have maliciously invented against me.
44 The Lord heard her voice.
45 Therefore when she was led away to
be put to death, God raised up the holy
spirit of a young youth, whose name was
Daniel.
46 He cried with a loud voice, “I am clear
from the blood of this woman!”
47 Then all the people turned them
toward him, and said, “What do these words
that you have spoken mean?”
48 So he, standing in the midst of them,
said, “Are you all such fools, you sons of
Israel, that without examination or
knowledge of the truth you have condemned a
daughter of Israel?
49 Return again to the place of judgment;
for these have testified falsely against her.”
50 Therefore all the people turned again
in haste, and the elders said to him, “Come,
sit down among us, and show it to us,
seeing God has given you the honor of an
elder.”
51 Then Daniel said to them, “Put them
far apart from each another, and I will
examine them.”
52 So when they were put apart one from
another, he called one of them, and said
to him, “O you who have become old in
wickedness, now your sins have returned
which you have committed before,
53 in pronouncing unjust judgment, condemning
the innocent, and letting the
guilty go free; although the Lord says, ‘You
shall not kill the innocent and righteous.’
54 Now then, if you saw her, tell me,
under which tree did you see them companying together?”
He answered, “Under a mastick tree.”
55 And Daniel said, “You have certainly
lied against your own head; for even now
the angel of God has received the sentence
of God and will cut you in two.”
56 So he put him aside, and commanded
to bring the other, and said to him, “O you
seed of Canaan, and not of Judah, beauty
has deceived you, and lust has perverted
your heart.
57 Thus you have dealt with the daughters of Israel,
and they for fear were intimate with you;
but the daughter of Judah
would not tolerate your wickedness.
58 Now therefore tell me, under which
tree did you take them being intimate together?”
He answered, “Under an evergreen oak
tree.”
59 Then Daniel said to him, “You have
also certainly lied against your own head;
for the angel of God waits withthe swordto
cut you in two, that he may destroy you.”
60 With that, all the assembly cried out
with a loud voice, and blessed God, who
saves those who hope in him.
61 Thenthey arose againstthe two elders,
for Daniel had convicted them of false
testimony out of their own mouth.
62 According to the law of Moses they did
to them what they maliciously intended to
do to their neighbor. They put them to
death, and the innocent blood was saved
the same day.
63 The refore Helkias andhis wifepraised
God for their daughter Susanna, with
Joakim her husband, and all the kindred,
because there was no dishonesty found in
her.
64 And from that day forth, Daniel had a
great reputation in the sight of the people.