Daniel 13

New Catholic Bible

Appendix^[a]

The Chaste Susanna

Chapter 13

Attempted Seduction of the Virtuous Susanna. ¹ Dwelling in Babylon was a man whose name was Joakim. ² He had married the daughter of Hilkiah, named Susanna, a God-fearing woman of remarkable beauty. ³ Her parents were devout Jews who had raised their daughter according to the law of Moses. ⁴ Joakim was a wealthy individual, and adjoining his home was a lovely garden. He was visited frequently by the Jews because they greatly respected him above everyone else.

⁵ During that year there were appointed two elders of the people to serve as judges. In their regard the Lord had said, “Wickedness has arisen in Babylon through the elders designated to govern the people in the role of judges.” ⁶ Those two elders were often present at Joakim’s house, and people would come to them there for a hearing of their legal cases.

⁷ The people would depart at midday, and then Susanna would stroll through her husband’s garden. ⁸ Each day the two elders would see her as she was entering the garden, and walking around, and they began to lust for her. ⁹ They ignored the light of reason, averting their eyes from heaven and forsaking their duty to act justly. ¹⁰ Although overcome with passion for her, they did not admit this failing to each other, ¹¹ for they were ashamed to reveal the lust they harbored to seduce her. ¹² Day by day they waited eagerly to catch a glimpse of her.

¹³ One day they said to each other, “Let us return to our homes. It is time for lunch.” So they parted and headed off, ¹⁴ but both then returned. When they encountered each other and asked the reason, they admitted their lustful desires. From that time they plotted to find an opportunity to surprise her when she was alone.

¹⁵ While they were waiting for a favorable opportunity, Susanna entered the garden for her usual stroll, accompanied by two maids; and inasmuch as it was quite warm, she decided to bathe there. ¹⁶ No one else was present, aside from the two elders who were watching her from their concealed hiding place. ¹⁷ She instructed the maids, “Bring me some oil and soap and then shut the garden doors so that I may bathe.” ¹⁸ The maids followed her instructions: they closed the doors and left the garden by a side entrance to obtain what she had requested them to bring, unaware of the presence of the elders who remained in hiding.

¹⁹ No sooner had the maids departed than the two elders sprang up and ran over to Susanna. ²⁰ “Look,” they pleaded with her, “the garden doors are shut, and no one can see us. We are burning with desire for you; consent and give yourself to us. ²¹ Should you refuse, we shall swear under oath that you were here with a young man in the garden, and that this was the reason why you sent the maids away.”

²² Susanna then cried out in anguish, “No matter what I decide, I am trapped. If I yield, it means death for me. If I refuse, I cannot evade your hands. ²³ But I choose not to succumb to your evil desire. I much prefer to remain innocent and fall into your power than to commit a sin against God’s law.”

²⁴ Then Susanna began to scream, and the two elders shouted against her, ²⁵ as one of them ran to open the garden doors. ²⁶ On hearing the noisy uproar in the garden, the people in the house rushed in through the side entrance to see what was happening. ²⁷ When the elders told their story, the servants were stunned, for no such allegation had ever been raised against Susanna.

²⁸ Susanna Falsely Accused and Condemned to Death. The next day the townspeople assembled at the home of Susanna’s husband Joakim. The two elders also were present, determined to pursue their wicked plot to have Susanna condemned to death. ²⁹ In the presence of the people they ordered, “Bring before us Susanna, the daughter of Hilkiah, the wife of Joakim.” When she was summoned, ³⁰ she came, accompanied by her parents and children and all her relatives. ³¹ Possessed of a delicate grace and beauty, ³² Susanna was veiled; the wicked elders ordered her veil to be removed so that they could further sate themselves with her loveliness. ³³ All of her relatives and the onlookers were weeping.

³⁴ The two elders stood up in the midst of all present and placed their hands on her head, ³⁵ while the tearful Susanna looked up to heaven, for she placed her complete trust in the Lord. ³⁶ The elders then testified, “We were walking by ourselves in the garden when this woman entered with two maids. After shutting the garden doors, she sent the maids away. ³⁷ Then a young man who had been hiding in the garden went over to her, and they lay together. ³⁸ From the corner of the garden where we were, we observed the crime taking place, and we ran toward them. ³⁹ We surprised them lying together, but we were unable to subdue the man because he was much too strong for us. He flung open the doors and escaped. ⁴⁰ However, we did seize this woman, but when we demanded that she reveal the identity of the young man, ⁴¹ she refused to tell us. We testify to this.” Since they were elders and judges of the people, those who were assembled there accepted their testimony and condemned her to death.

⁴² However, Susanna cried out in a loud voice, “O eternal God, no secret is hidden from you, and you are aware in advance of everything that will happen. ⁴³ You know that these elders have perjured themselves in their testimony against me. And now I am condemned to die, even though I bear no guilt in regard to any of their wicked charges against me.” ⁴⁴ And the Lord heard her cry.

⁴⁵ Susanna Rescued and Acquitted. As Susanna was being led off to the place of execution, God stirred up the holy spirit of a young man named Daniel, ⁴⁶ inspiring him to shout out in protest, “I will bear no responsibility for the death of this woman.”

⁴⁷ On hearing this, all the people turned toward him and asked, “What do you mean by that?” ⁴⁸ Standing in their midst, he replied: “Are you complete fools, O Israelites, in condemning a daughter of Israel without making a thorough investigation to determine the truth? ⁴⁹ Reopen the inquiry, for they have testified falsely in her regard.”

⁵⁰ All the people hurried back, and the remaining elders said to Daniel, “Come and sit with us and explain your thoughts, since God has given you the wisdom of an elder.” ⁵¹ He replied, “Separate these two men and keep them far apart from one another while I question them.”

⁵² After they had been separated, Daniel summoned one of them and said, “You have grown ever more wicked with age. Behold, the sins you committed in the past are coming to the light: ⁵³ pronouncing unjust sentences, condemning innocent people, and acquitting those who were guilty, although the Lord has said, ‘You must not put an innocent and righteous person to death.’ ^54 [b]Now, then, if you really saw this woman, tell me under what tree you observed her and the young man lying together.” He replied, ⁵⁵ “Under a mastic tree.” Daniel replied, “Excellent. That lie will cost you your head, for the angel of God has already received the sentence from God and will cut you in two.”

⁵⁶ Placing that elder off to the side, Daniel then commanded the other one to be brought forward. “Offspring of Canaan, not of Judah,” Daniel said to him, “beauty has seduced you and lust has perverted your heart. ⁵⁷ This is the manner in which you have been treating the daughters of Israel, and because of their terror they gave in to you. However, here is a daughter of Judah who would not put up with your iniquity. ^58 [c]Now, then, tell me under what tree you discovered them lying with each other.” ⁵⁹ He replied, “Under an oak tree.” “Indeed,” said Daniel. “That lie will also cost you your life. The angel of God is waiting with a sword to split you in two and to destroy both of you.”

⁶⁰ Then the entire assembly gave forth a great shout of thanksgiving and blessed God, who saves those who hope in him. ⁶¹ And they rose up against the two elders whom Daniel had convicted on the basis of their own perjured testimony and inflicted on them the identical penalty that they in their wickedness had intended to inflict on their neighbor. ⁶² In accordance with the law of Moses, they put them to death. Thus an innocent life was spared that day.

⁶³ Hilkiah and his wife praised God for their daughter Susanna, as did her husband Joakim and all her relatives, inasmuch as she had been declared innocent of a shameful deed. ⁶⁴ And from that day forward Daniel was held in the highest esteem among the people.