Good News [1976], GOOD NEWS BIBLE WITH DEUTEROCANONICALS / APOCRYPHA Today's English Version (AMERICAN BIBLE SOCIETY, New York) [word count] [B15000].
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The Book of SUSANNA
The Book of Susanna is a story that was added to The Book of Daniel,
evidently when the latter was translated into Greek. The book tells how the
beautiful and virtuous Susanna, falsely charged with adultery, is cleared by
the wisdom and courage of Daniel.
Two wicked judges attempt to seduce Susanna 1–27
Susanna is condemned to death 28–41
Daniel rescues Susanna and the judges are condemned to death 42–64
Susanna's Beauty Attracts Two Judges
1 In Babylon there lived a man
named Joakim,
2 who was married
to Susanna, daughter of Hilkiah. Susanna
was a beautiful woman and
deeply religious.
3 Her parents were
devout Jews who had brought up
their daughter to live according to
the Law of Moses.
4 Her husband
Joakim was very wealthy. Lovely
gardens surrounded his house, and
the other Jews often gathered there
for meetings, because they all
thought so highly of him.
5
6 Everyone
who had a legal case to present
would also go to Joakim's house,
where two judges held court. These
two leaders of the Jewish community
had recently been appointed to
office. They were the ones about
whom the Lord said, “There is wickedness
in Babylon; judges are failing
to give guidance to the people.”
7 Every day at noon, when all the
people left for lunch, Susanna used
to take a walk in the gardens.
8 The
two judges were so attracted to her
that they would wait around and
watch for her.
9 They became so obsessed
with their desire for her that
they lost interest both in prayer and
in their responsibility as judges.
10 They each wanted Susanna, but
neither told the other how he felt,
11 for each was ashamed to admit his
lust.
12 So day after day they
watched eagerly to catch sight of
her.
13 One day at noon they said to
each other, “It's time for lunch; let's
go home.”
14 So they both left and
went their separate ways, but soon
each one came back for a look at Susanna,
and by accident they met
each other. At first each tried to explain
what he was doing there, but
finally they both confessed their desire
for Susanna. They decided to
watch for a time when they might
find her alone.
15
16
17 So they kept
waiting for the right opportunity.
The Judges Try to Seduce Susanna
15
16
17 One day Susanna went into the
garden as usual with her two servant
girls. No one else was there, except
the two judges, who had hidden
themselves and were watching Susanna.
It was very hot and she decided
to take a bath. So she said to
her servants, “Bring me some bath
oil and some perfume, and lock the
gates, so that I won't be disturbed.”
18 The servants locked the main
gates and went out by the side door
to get what Susanna had asked for.
They did not notice the two men.
19 As soon as the servants had left,
the two judges jumped out from
their hiding place, ran to Susanna,
20 and said to her, “The gates are
locked and no one will see us. We
-- --
are burning to have sex with you, so
give us what we want.
21 If you don't,
we will go to court and swear that
we saw you send your servants
away, so that you could be alone
with a young man.”
22 “There is no way out,” Susanna
moaned. “If I give in to you, I could
be put to death for adultery. If I refuse,
you will still have me trapped. note
23 But I would rather be your innocent
victim than sin against the
Lord.”
24 So she started screaming as
loud as she could, and the two
judges began shouting accusations,
25 while one of them ran and unlocked
the gates.
26 As soon as the servants in the
house heard all the noise, they ran
into the gardens through the side
door to find out what had happened
to Susanna.
27 The judges told their
story, and the servants were
shocked and ashamed. Such a thing
had never before been said about
Susanna.
The Judges Testify against Susanna
28 The next day, when the people
assembled at Joakim's house, the
two judges arrived, fully determined
to carry out their wicked plan to
have Susanna put to death.
29 In
front of all the people they said,
“Send for Joakim's wife Susanna,
the daughter of Hilkiah.” When she
was called,
30 she came in with her
parents, her children, and all her
other relatives.
31 Susanna was so
graceful and beautiful
32 that the two
wicked men ordered her veil to be
removed, so that they might enjoy
looking at her.
33 Her family and
everyone else were in tears.
34 Then the two judges stood up in
front of the people, placed their
hands on Susanna's head, and began
making their accusations against
her.
35 She was crying, but she
looked up to heaven because she
trusted the Lord.
36 The two men
gave the following testimony: “We
were walking in the gardens when
this woman came in with her two
servant girls. She locked the main
gates and asked the servants to
leave.
37 Then a young man who had
been hiding in the gardens came to
her, and they lay down together.
38 We were in a corner of the gardens,
and when we saw what was
happening, we ran over
39 and
caught them in the act. We tried to
hold on to the man, but he was too
strong for us. He ran and opened the
gates and got away,
40 but we were
able to hold the woman. We asked
her who the man was, but she refused
to tell us. We swear that our
testimony is true.”
41 Because the
two men were not only leaders in the
-- --
community but also judges, the people
believed their story and condemned
Susanna to death.
Daniel Rescues Susanna
42 Then Susanna cried out in a loud
voice, “Eternal God, nothing can be
kept secret from you; you know
everything before it happens.
43 Here
I am about to die, but you know that
I am innocent, that these men are
lying. Why must I die?”
44 The Lord heard her prayer
45 and
led a young man named Daniel to
speak out, just as Susanna was
being taken away to her death.
46 He
shouted, “I refuse to be a party to
her death!”
47 Everyone turned around to look
at him and asked, “What are you
talking about?”
48 Daniel stood up before them and
said, “People of Israel, how foolish
can you be? Are you going to condemn
an Israelite woman to death
on this kind of evidence? You
haven't even tried to find out the
truth.
49 Reopen the case. The testimony
these men gave was a lie.”
50 So all the people hurried back to
where the trial had taken place, and
the officials said to Daniel, “God has
given you wisdom beyond your
years, so come and join us and explain
to us what you mean.”
51 Daniel said to them, “Separate
the two judges, and let me question
them one at a time.”
52 Then Daniel
called the first judge and said, “You
wicked old man, now you will have
to answer for all the sins you have
committed.
53 You have been giving
unjust sentences. You have condemned
the innocent and released
the guilty, even though the Lord has
said, ‘Do not put an innocent person
to death.’ note
54 Now if you really did see
this couple making love, tell me,
what tree were they under?”
54 “Under a small gum tree,” he answered.
55 Daniel said, “All right! That lie
will cost you your life. God's angel
has already been given orders to
chop note you in two.”
56 Then the first judge was led
away and the second one was
brought before Daniel. “You are
more like a Canaanite than a Jew,”
Daniel said to him. “This woman's
beauty has warped your judgment,
and lust has corrupted your thinking.
57 You are used to having your
way with the women of Israel because
they have been afraid of you,
but here is a Jewish woman, and she
would not give in.
58 Now, tell me
what tree you saw them under.”
58 “Under a large oak tree,” he answered.
59 Daniel said, “All right! That lie
will cost you your life; God's angel is
waiting with his sword in his hand,
ready to cut note you in two. Then we
shall be rid of you both.”
60 Then all the people shouted and
praised God, who saves those who
put their trust in him.
61 They turned
against the two judges because Daniel
had proved that they had lied under
oath.
62 The Law of Moses states
that people who give false testimony
shall receive the same punishment
that the accused person would have
received. And so the two judges
were put to death, and the life of an
innocent woman was saved. note
63 Susanna's
parents, her husband, and
all her relatives praised God because
she had been proved innocent of the
charges.
64 From that day on, Daniel
was held in high regard.
-- --
Good News [1976], GOOD NEWS BIBLE WITH DEUTEROCANONICALS / APOCRYPHA Today's English Version (AMERICAN BIBLE SOCIETY, New York) [word count] [B15000].
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