Susanna

Susanna

In Babylon there lived a man named Joiakim. He took a wife named Susanna, the daughter of Hilkiah, a woman of great beauty who feared the LORD; for her parents were righteous and had taught their daughter according to the law of Moses.

Joiakim was very rich, and had a fine garden adjoining his house; and the Jews used to gather to him, because he was held in greater honor than all others. In that year two elders of the people were appointed as judges, of whom the Lord had said, “Wickedness came forth from Babylon, from elders who were judges, who were supposed to govern the people.”

These two saw Susanna walking in her husband’s garden each day, and they began to lust for her. They perverted their minds and turned away their eyes from looking to Heaven and from remembering righteous judgments. Both were stricken with desire for her, but neither told the other of his shame, for they were ashamed to confess their longing. Day after day they watched eagerly to see her.

One day they parted as if to go home, but each turned back, and so they met. When they questioned one another, each admitted his desire; and together they agreed upon a time when they might find her alone.

It happened, as they watched for the right day, that Susanna entered the garden with only two maids, and wished to bathe, for the day was hot. No one was there but the two elders, who had hidden and were watching her. She said to the maids, “Bring me oil and ointments, and shut the garden doors so that I may bathe.” They did as she said and went out, and they did not see the elders, for they were hidden.

When the maids had gone, the two elders rose and ran to her, and said, “Look, the garden doors are shut, and no one sees us; we are burning with desire for you. Consent, and lie with us. If you refuse, we will testify against you that a young man was with you, and that this is why you sent your maids away.”

Susanna groaned and said, “I am hemmed in on every side. For if I do this thing, it is death for me; and if I do not, I shall not escape your hands. Yet it is better for me to fall into your hands and not do it, than to sin before the LORD.” Then she cried out with a loud voice; and the two elders shouted against her, and one of them ran and opened the garden doors.

When the household heard the outcry in the garden, they rushed in to see what had happened to her. And when the elders told their tale, the servants were greatly ashamed, for nothing like this had ever been said about Susanna.

The next day the people gathered at her husband’s house, and the two elders came, full of their lawless plan to put Susanna to death. They said before the people, “Send for Susanna, the daughter of Hilkiah, the wife of Joiakim.” So they sent for her, and she came with her parents, her children, and all her kindred. Susanna was a woman of great refinement and beauty, and the wicked men ordered her to be unveiled, that they might feast upon her beauty. But those with her wept, and all who saw her.

Then the two elders stood in the midst of the people and laid their hands upon her head. And she, weeping, looked up toward Heaven, for her heart trusted in the LORD. The elders declared, “As we walked in the garden alone, this woman came in with two maids, shut the doors, and sent the maids away. Then a young man, who had been hidden, came to her and lay with her. We were in a corner of the garden, and when we saw this wickedness we ran to them. We saw them together, but him we could not hold, for he was stronger than we, and he opened the doors and fled. But we seized this woman and asked who the young man was, and she would not tell us. To this we testify.”

The assembly believed them, since they were elders and judges of the people, and they condemned her to death. But Susanna cried out with a loud voice and said, “Eternal God, who knows what is secret and knows all things before they come to be, you know that these men have given false witness against me. And now I am to die, though I have done none of the things their wickedness has charged against me.”

The LORD heard her cry. As she was being led away to die, God stirred up the holy spirit of a young man named Daniel, and he shouted, “I am clean of the blood of this woman!” All the people turned to him and asked, “What is this you have said?” Standing among them he said, “Are you such fools, you sons of Israel? Have you condemned a daughter of Israel without examination and without learning the truth? Return to the place of judgment, for these men have given false witness against her.”

So the people returned in haste, and the elders said to Daniel, “Sit among us and tell us, for God has given you the standing of an elder.” Daniel said, “Separate them far from each other, and I will examine them.” When they were parted, he called one and said, “You who have grown old in wickedness, now your sins have come home. You have pronounced unjust judgments, condemning the innocent and freeing the guilty, though the LORD said, ‘Do not put the innocent and righteous to death.’ Now then, if you truly saw this woman, tell me: under what tree did you see them together?” He answered, “Under a mastic tree.” Daniel said, “Your lie is upon your own head, for the angel of God has received the sentence and will cut you in two.”

He set him aside and called the other, and said, “You offspring of Canaan and not of Judah, beauty has deceived you and lust has perverted your heart. So you dealt with the daughters of Israel, and out of fear they consented to you; but a daughter of Judah would not endure your wickedness. Now tell me: under what tree did you catch them together?” He answered, “Under an evergreen oak.” Daniel said, “Your lie too is upon your own head, for the angel of God waits with his sword to split you in two, that he may destroy you both.”

Then the whole assembly shouted aloud and blessed God, who saves those who hope in him. They rose against the two elders, for Daniel had convicted them of false witness out of their own mouths; and they did to them as they had wickedly planned against their neighbor. According to the law of Moses they put them to death. So innocent blood was spared that day.

Hilkiah and his wife praised God for their daughter Susanna, with Joiakim her husband and all her kindred, because nothing shameful was found in her. And from that day onward Daniel had a great name among the people.