CHAPTER1
1TheredweltamaninBabylon,calledJoacim: 2Andhetookawife,whosenamewasSusanna, thedaughterofChelcias,averyfairwoman, andonethatfearedtheLord.
3Herparentsalsowererighteous,andtaught theirdaughteraccordingtothelawofMoses.
4NowJoacimwasagreatrichman,andhada fairgardenjoininguntohishouse:andtohim resortedtheJews;becausehewasmore honourablethanallothers.
5Thesameyearwereappointedtwoofthe ancientsofthepeopletobejudges,suchasthe Lordspakeof,thatwickednesscamefrom Babylonfromancientjudges,whoseemedto governthepeople.
6ThesekeptmuchatJoacim'shouse:andall thathadanysuitsinlawcameuntothem
7Nowwhenthepeopledepartedawayatnoon, Susannawentintoherhusband'sgardentowalk.
8Andthetwoelderssawhergoinginevery day,andwalking;sothattheirlustwas inflamedtowardher
9Andtheypervertedtheirownmind,and turnedawaytheireyes,thattheymightnotlook untoheaven,norrememberjustjudgments.
10Andalbeittheybothwerewoundedwithher love,yetdurstnotoneshewanotherhisgrief.
11Fortheywereashamedtodeclaretheirlust, thattheydesiredtohavetodowithher
12Yettheywatcheddiligentlyfromdaytoday toseeher.
13Andtheonesaidtotheother,Letusnowgo home:foritisdinnertime
14Sowhentheyweregoneout,theypartedthe onefromtheother,andturningbackagainthey cametothesameplace;andafterthattheyhad askedoneanotherthecause,they acknowledgedtheirlust:thenappointedtheya timebothtogether,whentheymightfindher alone.
15Anditfellout,astheywatchedafittime, shewentinasbeforewithtwomaidsonly,and shewasdesiroustowashherselfinthegarden: foritwashot.
16Andtherewasnobodytheresavethetwo elders,thathadhidthemselves,andwatched her.
17Thenshesaidtohermaids,Bringmeoiland washingballs,andshutthegardendoors,thatI maywashme
18Andtheydidasshebadethem,andshutthe gardendoors,andwentoutthemselvesatprivy doorstofetchthethingsthatshehad commandedthem:buttheysawnottheelders, becausetheywerehid.
19Nowwhenthemaidsweregoneforth,the twoeldersroseup,andranuntoher,saying, 20Behold,thegardendoorsareshut,thatno mancanseeus,andweareinlovewiththee; thereforeconsentuntous,andliewithus.
21Ifthouwiltnot,wewillbearwitnessagainst thee,thatayoungmanwaswiththee:and thereforethoudidstsendawaythymaidsfrom thee.
22ThenSusannasighed,andsaid,Iam straitenedoneveryside:forifIdothisthing,it isdeathuntome:andifIdoitnotIcannot escapeyourhands.
23Itisbetterformetofallintoyourhands,and notdoit,thantosininthesightoftheLord 24WiththatSusannacriedwithaloudvoice: andthetwoelderscriedoutagainsther.
25Thenrantheone,andopenedthegarden door.
26Sowhentheservantsofthehouseheardthe cryinthegarden,theyrushedinattheprivy door,toseewhatwasdoneuntoher.
27Butwhentheeldershaddeclaredtheir matter,theservantsweregreatlyashamed:for therewasneversuchareportmadeofSusanna.
28Anditcametopassthenextday,whenthe peoplewereassembledtoherhusbandJoacim, thetwoelderscamealsofullofmischievous imaginationagainstSusannatoputhertodeath;
29Andsaidbeforethepeople,Sendfor Susanna,thedaughterofChelcias,Joacim's wifeAndsotheysent
30Soshecamewithherfatherandmother,her children,andallherkindred.
31NowSusannawasaverydelicatewoman, andbeauteoustobehold
32Andthesewickedmencommandedto uncoverherface,(forshewascovered)that theymightbefilledwithherbeauty.
33Thereforeherfriendsandallthatsawher wept.
34Thenthetwoeldersstoodupinthemidstof thepeople,andlaidtheirhandsuponherhead.
35Andsheweepinglookeduptowardheaven: forherhearttrustedintheLord.
36Andtheelderssaid,Aswewalkedinthe gardenalone,thiswomancameinwithtwo maids,andshutthegardendoors,andsentthe maidsaway.
37Thenayoungman,whotherewashid,came untoher,andlaywithher.
38Thenwethatstoodinacornerofthegarden, seeingthiswickedness,ranuntothem.
39Andwhenwesawthemtogether,theman wecouldnothold:forhewasstrongerthanwe, andopenedthedoor,andleapedout.
40Buthavingtakenthiswoman,weaskedwho theyoungmanwas,butshewouldnottellus: thesethingsdowetestify.
41Thentheassemblybelievedthemasthose thatweretheeldersandjudgesofthepeople:so theycondemnedhertodeath
42ThenSusannacriedoutwithaloudvoice, andsaid,OeverlastingGod,thatknowestthe secrets,andknowestallthingsbeforetheybe:
43Thouknowestthattheyhavebornefalse witnessagainstme,and,behold,Imustdie; whereasIneverdidsuchthingsasthesemen havemaliciouslyinventedagainstme.
44AndtheLordheardhervoice.
45Thereforewhenshewasledtobeputto death,theLordraiseduptheholyspiritofa youngyouthwhosenamewasDaniel:
46Whocriedwithaloudvoice,Iamclearfrom thebloodofthiswoman.
47Thenallthepeopleturnedthemtowardhim, andsaid,Whatmeanthesewordsthatthouhast spoken?
48Sohestandinginthemidstofthemsaid,Are yesuchfools,yesonsofIsrael,thatwithout examinationorknowledgeofthetruthyehave condemnedadaughterofIsrael?
49Returnagaintotheplaceofjudgment:for theyhavebornefalsewitnessagainsther.
50Whereforeallthepeopleturnedagainin haste,andtheelderssaiduntohim,Come,sit downamongus,andshewitus,seeingGod hathgiventheethehonourofanelder.
51ThensaidDanieluntothem,Putthesetwo asideonefarfromanother,andIwillexamine them
52Sowhentheywereputasunderonefrom another,hecalledoneofthem,andsaidunto him,Othouthatartwaxenoldinwickedness,
nowthysinswhichthouhastcommitted aforetimearecometolight.
53Forthouhastpronouncedfalsejudgment andhastcondemnedtheinnocentandhastlet theguiltygofree;albeittheLordsaith,The innocentandrighteousshaltthounotslay.
54Nowthen,ifthouhastseenher,tellme, Underwhattreesawestthouthemcompanying together?Whoanswered,Underamasticktree.
55AndDanielsaid,Verywell;thouhastlied againstthineownhead;forevennowtheangel ofGodhathreceivedthesentenceofGodtocut theeintwo.
56Soheputhimaside,andcommandedto bringtheother,andsaiduntohim,Othouseed ofChanaan,andnotofJuda,beautyhath deceivedthee,andlusthathpervertedthine heart.
57Thushaveyedealtwiththedaughtersof Israel,andtheyforfearcompaniedwithyou: butthedaughterofJudawouldnotabideyour wickedness.
58Nowthereforetellme,Underwhattreedidst thoutakethemcompanyingtogether?Who answered,Underanholmtree.
59ThensaidDanieluntohim,Well;thouhast alsoliedagainstthineownhead:fortheangel ofGodwaitethwiththeswordtocuttheein two,thathemaydestroyyou.
60Withthatalltheassemblycriedoutwitha loudvoice,andpraisedGod,whosaveththem thattrustinhim.
61Andtheyaroseagainstthetwoelders,for Danielhadconvictedthemoffalsewitnessby theirownmouth:
62AndaccordingtothelawofMosestheydid untotheminsuchsortastheymaliciously intendedtodototheirneighbour:andtheyput themtodeath.Thustheinnocentbloodwas savedthesameday
63ThereforeChelciasandhiswifepraisedGod fortheirdaughterSusanna,withJoacimher husband,andallthekindred,becausetherewas nodishonestyfoundinher
64FromthatdayforthwasDanielhadingreat reputationinthesightofthepeople.