Susanna

There was a man living in Babylon whose name was Joacim.

1There dwelt a man in Babylon, called Joacim:

NoteBabylon: the story is set among the Jews deported to Babylonia after Jerusalem fell in 587 BC. They lived under foreign rule, with no king and no temple, but ran their own internal affairs. Susanna survives only in Greek. In Greek and Latin Bibles it is attached to the book of Daniel, and the King James printed it among the books it called the Apocrypha.

2He took a wife named Susanna, the daughter of Chelcias. She was a very beautiful woman, and she feared the Lord.

2And he took a wife, whose name was Susanna, the daughter of Chelcias, a very fair woman, and one that feared the Lord.

NoteJoacim and Chelcias are Greek spellings of the Hebrew names Jehoiakim and Hilkiah. "One that feared the Lord" does not mean she was frightened of him; in the King James it is the standard phrase for someone devout and observant.

3Her parents were righteous too, and they taught their daughter according to the law of Moses.

3Her parents also were righteous, and taught their daughter according to the law of Moses.

NoteThe law of Moses: the first five books of the Bible, which contained Israel's laws along with its earliest history. It was normally sons who were taught its contents, so the detail marks this household as unusually careful.

4Joacim was a great and rich man, and he had a fine garden next to his house. The Jews used to come to him, because he was more respected than anyone else.

4Now Joacim was a great rich man, and had a fair garden joining unto his house: and to him resorted the Jews; because he was more honourable than all others.

NoteThe exiled community settled its own disputes among itself. With no royal or temple court available, cases were heard in the house of a leading man, which is why Joacim's home fills with people each morning.

5That same year two of the elders of the people were appointed as judges. They were the kind the Lord had spoken about, when he said that wickedness came out of Babylon from elders who were judges, men who were supposed to govern the people.

5The same year were appointed two of the ancients of the people to be judges, such as the Lord spake of, that wickedness came from Babylon from ancient judges, who seemed to govern the people.

NoteAn elder was a senior man whose standing in the community gave him authority to judge cases; the King James calls them "ancients," meaning old men, not ancient people. The saying attributed to the Lord here does not appear in this form anywhere in the Hebrew Bible. It is usually connected with Jeremiah's letter to the exiles, which names two men in Babylon as false prophets and adulterers (Jeremiah 29:21-23).

6These two spent much of their time at Joacim's house, and everyone who had a lawsuit came to them.

6These kept much at Joacim’s house: and all that had any suits in law came unto them.

7When the people went away at noon, Susanna would go into her husband's garden to walk.

7Now when the people departed away at noon, Susanna went into her husband’s garden to walk.

NoteBusiness at the house was done in the morning. At midday the crowd broke up for the main meal and the worst of the heat, leaving the household to itself.

8The two elders saw her going in every day and walking there, and their lust for her was set on fire.

8And the two elders saw her going in every day, and walking; so that their lust was inflamed toward her.

9They twisted their own thinking. They turned their eyes away, so that they would not look up to heaven or remember what just judgments were.

9And they perverted their own mind, and turned away their eyes, that they might not look unto heaven, nor remember just judgments.

10Both of them were wounded with desire for her, yet neither dared to show the other what he was suffering.

10And albeit they both were wounded with her love, yet durst not one shew another his grief.

11They were ashamed to admit their lust, and what they wanted to do with her.

11For they were ashamed to declare their lust, that they desired to have to do with her.

12Still, day after day they watched carefully for a chance to see her.

12Yet they watched diligently from day to day to see her.

13One said to the other, "Let's go home now. It is time for the midday meal."

13And the one said to the other, Let us now go home: for it is dinner time.

14So they went out and separated from each other. Then each turned back and came to the same place again. When they had asked each other the reason, they admitted their lust. Then together they set a time when they could find her alone.

14So when they were gone out, they parted the one from the other, and turning back again they came to the same place; and after that they had asked one another the cause, they acknowledged their lust: then appointed they a time both together, when they might find her alone.

15It happened, while they were watching for the right day, that she went in as before with only two servant girls. She wanted to wash herself in the garden, because it was hot.

15And it fell out, as they watched a fit time, she went in as before with two maids only, and she was desirous to wash herself in the garden: for it was hot.

16Nobody was there except the two elders, who had hidden themselves and were watching her.

16And there was no body there save the two elders, that had hid themselves, and watched her.

17She said to her servant girls, "Bring me oil and washing balls, and shut the garden doors, so that I can wash."

17Then she said to her maids, Bring me oil and washing balls, and shut the garden doors, that I may wash me.

NoteWashing balls: soap as we know it was not in ordinary use. Bathers rubbed themselves with olive oil and then with a ball of scouring material, usually ash or soda worked together with fat or oil, and scraped or rinsed it off.

18They did what she told them. They shut the garden doors and went out themselves by the side doors to fetch what she had asked for. They did not see the elders, because the elders were hidden.

18And they did as she bade them, and shut the garden doors, and went out themselves at privy doors to fetch the things that she had commanded them: but they saw not the elders, because they were hid.

19When the servant girls had gone out, the two elders got up and ran to her. They said,

19Now when the maids were gone forth, the two elders rose up, and ran unto her, saying,

20"Look, the garden doors are shut, and no one can see us. We are in love with you. So give in to us and lie with us.

20Behold, the garden doors are shut, that no man can see us, and we are in love with thee; therefore consent unto us, and lie with us.

21If you will not, we will testify against you that a young man was with you, and that this is why you sent your servant girls away."

21If thou wilt not, we will bear witness against thee, that a young man was with thee: and therefore thou didst send away thy maids from thee.

NoteThe threat has real force. Under the law of Moses a charge was established by two witnesses (Deuteronomy 19:15), and these two are not merely witnesses but the very judges who would try the case. The penalty for adultery was death (Leviticus 20:10, Deuteronomy 22:22).

22Then Susanna groaned and said, "I am hemmed in on every side. If I do this thing, it means death for me. If I do not do it, I cannot escape your hands.

22Then Susanna sighed, and said, I am straitened on every side: for if I do this thing, it is death unto me: and if I do it not I cannot escape your hands.

23It is better for me to fall into your hands without doing it, than to sin in the sight of the Lord."

23It is better for me to fall into your hands, and not do it, than to sin in the sight of the Lord.

24With that Susanna shouted with a loud voice, and the two elders shouted against her.

24With that Susanna cried with a loud voice: and the two elders cried out against her.

NoteCrying out was legally significant. The law distinguished a woman attacked in open country, where no one could hear her, from one in a town who did not cry out and was therefore treated as consenting (Deuteronomy 22:23-27). By shouting, Susanna does exactly what the law required of a woman being assaulted.

25Then one of them ran and opened the garden door.

25Then ran the one, and opened the garden door.

26When the servants of the house heard the shouting in the garden, they rushed in through the side door to see what had been done to her.

26So when the servants of the house heard the cry in the garden, they rushed in at the privy door, to see what was done unto her.

27But when the elders had told their story, the servants were deeply ashamed, because nothing like this had ever been said about Susanna.

27But when the elders had declared their matter, the servants were greatly ashamed: for there was never such a report made of Susanna.

28The next day, when the people gathered at the house of her husband Joacim, the two elders came as well, full of their wicked plan against Susanna, to have her put to death.

28And it came to pass the next day, when the people were assembled to her husband Joacim, the two elders came also full of mischievous imagination against Susanna to put her to death;

29They said in front of the people, "Send for Susanna, the daughter of Chelcias, Joacim's wife." So they sent for her.

29And said before the people, Send for Susanna, the daughter of Chelcias, Joacim’s wife. And so they sent.

30She came, with her father and mother, her children, and all her relatives.

30So she came with her father and mother, her children, and all her kindred.

31Susanna was a very delicate woman, and beautiful to look at.

31Now Susanna was a very delicate woman, and beauteous to behold.

Note"Delicate" in 1611 English means refined and daintily brought up, a woman of a wealthy household. It does not mean fragile or sickly.

32These wicked men ordered that her face be uncovered, since she was veiled, so that they could feed on her beauty.

32And these wicked men commanded to uncover her face, (for she was covered) that they might be filled with her beauty.

NoteA married woman of standing appeared in public with her head and face covered. Ordering her uncovered in front of the whole assembly was a public humiliation, and, as the text says outright, a way for the two men to look at her again.

33So her friends, and everyone who saw her, wept.

33Therefore her friends and all that saw her wept.

34Then the two elders stood up in the middle of the people and laid their hands on her head.

34Then the two elders stood up in the midst of the people, and laid their hands upon her head.

NoteLaying hands on the head of the accused was the formal gesture of witnesses in a capital case. It identified the person they were accusing and fixed responsibility for the death on their testimony (Leviticus 24:14). Witnesses were also required to throw the first stones at the execution (Deuteronomy 17:6-7).

35She wept and looked up toward heaven, because her heart trusted in the Lord.

35And she weeping looked up toward heaven: for her heart trusted in the Lord.

36The elders said, "As we were walking in the garden alone, this woman came in with two servant girls, shut the garden doors, and sent the girls away.

36And the elders said, As we walked in the garden alone, this woman came in with two maids, and shut the garden doors, and sent the maids away.

37Then a young man, who had been hiding there, came to her and lay with her.

37Then a young man, who there was hid, came unto her, and lay with her.

38We were standing in a corner of the garden. When we saw this wickedness, we ran toward them.

38Then we that stood in a corner of the garden, seeing this wickedness, ran unto them.

39When we saw them together, we could not hold on to the man, because he was stronger than we were. He opened the door and jumped out.

39And when we saw them together, the man we could not hold: for he was stronger than we, and opened the door, and leaped out.

40But we caught this woman and asked her who the young man was, and she would not tell us. This is what we testify."

40But having taken this woman, we asked who the young man was, but she would not tell us: these things do we testify.

41The assembly believed them, since they were the elders and judges of the people, and they condemned her to death.

41Then the assembly believed them as those that were the elders and judges of the people: so they condemned her to death.

42Then Susanna cried out with a loud voice and said, "Everlasting God, you know what is hidden, and you know all things before they happen.

42Then Susanna cried out with a loud voice, and said, O everlasting God, that knowest the secrets, and knowest all things before they be:

43You know that they have testified falsely against me. Look, I must die, though I never did any of the things these men have wickedly made up against me."

43Thou knowest that they have borne false witness against me, and, behold, I must die; whereas I never did such things as these men have maliciously invented against me.

44And the Lord heard her voice.

44And the Lord heard her voice.

45So as she was being led away to be put to death, the Lord stirred up the holy spirit of a young boy whose name was Daniel.

45Therefore when she was led to be put to death, the Lord raised up the holy spirit of a young youth whose name was Daniel:

Note"A young youth" doubles the wording because the Greek calls Daniel a young lad, a boy not yet old enough to sit as a judge, which is the point of the elders' concession in verse 50. He is the Daniel of the book of Daniel, shown here at the very beginning of his reputation.

46He shouted with a loud voice, "I am innocent of this woman's blood!"

46Who cried with a loud voice, I am clear from the blood of this woman.

Note"I am clear from the blood of this woman" is an idiom for taking no share in the guilt of a death. Anyone who helped bring about an unjust execution, by testifying, by judging, or by going along with the crowd, was held to carry bloodguilt for it.

47All the people turned toward him and said, "What do you mean by these words you have spoken?"

47Then all the people turned them toward him, and said, What mean these words that thou hast spoken?

48He stood in the middle of them and said, "Are you such fools, you sons of Israel? Without examining anything or learning the truth, you have condemned a daughter of Israel.

48So he standing in the midst of them said, Are ye such fools, ye sons of Israel, that without examination or knowledge of the truth ye have condemned a daughter of Israel?

49Go back to the place of judgment, because these men have testified falsely against her."

49Return again to the place of judgment: for they have borne false witness against her.

NoteThe court has already risen and the crowd has moved out to the execution ground. Daniel is demanding that the trial be reopened and the evidence heard again.

50So all the people hurried back, and the elders said to him, "Come, sit down among us and show us, since God has given you the standing of an elder."

50Wherefore all the people turned again in haste, and the elders said unto him, Come, sit down among us, and shew it us, seeing God hath given thee the honour of an elder.

NoteOnly elders sat as judges, and Daniel is far too young for the office. In saying God has given him the honor of an elder, they are granting him the standing to conduct the questioning.

51Then Daniel said to them, "Separate these two men, far apart from each other, and I will question them."

51Then said Daniel unto them, Put these two aside one far from another, and I will examine them.

NoteSeparating the witnesses is the whole of Daniel's method. A conviction needed two witnesses whose accounts agreed, so if they differ on a checkable detail, the testimony falls apart.

52So when they had been put apart from one another, he called one of them and said to him, "You who have grown old in wickedness, now the sins you committed long ago have come to light.

52So when they were put asunder one from another, he called one of them, and said unto him, O thou that art waxen old in wickedness, now thy sins which thou hast committed aforetime are come to light.

53You have handed down false judgments. You have condemned the innocent and let the guilty go free, although the Lord says, 'You shall not put the innocent and righteous to death.'

53For thou hast pronounced false judgment and hast condemned the innocent and hast let the guilty go free; albeit the Lord saith, The innocent and righteous shalt thou not slay.

NoteThe quotation is from Exodus 23:7, "the innocent and righteous slay thou not."

54Now then, if you really saw her, tell me: under what tree did you see them together?" He answered, "Under a mastic tree."

54Now then, if thou hast seen her, tell me, Under what tree sawest thou them companying together? Who answered, Under a mastick tree.

NoteThe mastic is a low evergreen shrub grown for its resin, rarely more than a few feet high and poor cover for what the elder claims to have watched. The answer also sets up a pun that works only in Greek: schinos, the mastic, echoes schisei, "he will cut," in Daniel's reply.

55Daniel said, "Very good. You have lied, and it is against your own head. Right now the angel of God has received God's sentence, and he will cut you in two."

55And Daniel said, Very well; thou hast lied against thine own head; for even now the angel of God hath received the sentence of God to cut thee in two.

Note"Thou hast lied against thine own head" means the lie will fall back on the liar himself. Under the law, a witness proved false suffered the punishment he had tried to bring on the accused, which here is death (Deuteronomy 19:18-19).

56So he set that one aside and ordered them to bring the other. He said to him, "You offspring of Canaan and not of Judah, beauty has deceived you, and lust has twisted your heart.

56So he put him aside, and commanded to bring the other, and said unto him, O thou seed of Chanaan, and not of Juda, beauty hath deceived thee, and lust hath perverted thine heart.

NoteCalling him offspring of Canaan and not of Judah is an insult. The Canaanites were the people Israel had displaced, and Israelite tradition charged them with sexual corruption; Judah is the tribe of the exiles from Jerusalem. Daniel is saying his conduct shows him to be no true Israelite.

57This is how you two have treated the daughters of Israel, and out of fear they went along with you. But this daughter of Judah would not put up with your wickedness.

57Thus have ye dealt with the daughters of Israel, and they for fear companied with you: but the daughter of Juda would not abide your wickedness.

NoteThe Greek is blunter than the English: other women submitted to these men sexually because they were afraid of them. Susanna is the one who refused.

58So now tell me: under what tree did you catch them together?" He answered, "Under an evergreen oak."

58Now therefore tell me, Under what tree didst thou take them companying together? Who answered, Under an holm tree.

NoteThe holm tree, an evergreen oak, is a large forest tree, quite unlike the small mastic shrub the first elder named. It carries the matching Greek pun: prinos, the oak, echoes prisai, "to saw in two," in Daniel's reply.

59Then Daniel said to him, "You too have lied, and it is against your own head. The angel of God is waiting with his sword to cut you in two, so that he may destroy you both."

59Then said Daniel unto him, Well; thou hast also lied against thine own head: for the angel of God waiteth with the sword to cut thee in two, that he may destroy you.

60At that the whole assembly shouted with a loud voice and praised God, who saves those who trust in him.

60With that all the assembly cried out with a loud voice, and praised God, who saveth them that trust in him.

61They turned on the two elders, because Daniel had proved out of their own mouths that they had testified falsely.

61And they arose against the two elders, for Daniel had convicted them of false witness by their own mouth:

62Following the law of Moses, they did to the elders exactly what the elders had wickedly planned to do to their neighbor, and they put them to death. So innocent blood was saved that day.

62And according to the law of Moses they did unto them in such sort as they maliciously intended to do to their neighbour: and they put them to death. Thus the innocent blood was saved the same day.

NoteThe law required that a witness proved false receive the penalty he had tried to bring on the person he accused (Deuteronomy 19:16-21). Since the elders had pressed for Susanna's execution, they were executed.

63Chelcias and his wife praised God for their daughter Susanna, and so did Joacim her husband and all their relatives, because nothing shameful was found in her.

63Therefore Chelcias and his wife praised God for their daughter Susanna, with Joacim her husband, and all the kindred, because there was no dishonesty found in her.

Note"Dishonesty" in 1611 English means disgrace or unchastity, not lying. The sense is that nothing shameful was proved against her.

64And from that day on, Daniel was held in great respect by the people.

64From that day forth was Daniel had in great reputation in the sight of the people.