“Because they were
Elders of the people,
The assembly
Believed them.
They condemned her
To death.”
These two old judges were convincing, since they were the chosen elders of the people. Thus, they issued a condemnation of death for Susanna, since a stoning death was the common punishment for adultery. Noticeably absent from this story was her husband, the good Joakim.
“The elders said.
‘While we were walking
In the garden alone,
This woman came in
With two maids.
She shut
The garden doors.
She dismissed
The maids.
Then a young man,
Who was hiding there,
Came to her.
He lay with her.
We were in a corner
Of the garden.
When we saw
This wickedness,
We ran to them.
Although we saw them
Embracing,
We could not hold the man.
He was stronger than we.
He opened the doors.
He got away.
We did,
However,
Seize this woman.
We asked her
Who the young man was.
But she would not tell us.
These things we testify.’”
The two old judges testified about their story. They were simply walking in the garden together alone. Then, this young woman with two maids came into the garden. Next, she locked the garden doors and sent the two maids away. Suddenly, a young man who had been hiding in the garden appeared. The two of them, Susanna and this young man, got together and had sex with each other. The two old judges were in a corner of the garden. They then ran over to them as they were still embracing. However, they were not strong enough to hold the young man. Instead, they were able to grab the woman, Susanna. They asked her who the young man was, but she would not tell them. Thus, the two judges finished their testimony.
“Then the two elders
Stood up
Before the people.
They laid their hands
On her head.
Through her tears,
Susanna looked up
Toward heaven.
Her heart trusted
In the Lord.”
These two old judges laid their hands on the head of Susanna before this assembly of people, indicating that they were going to testify against her. She was weeping, but Susanna looked up to heaven, because she trusted in the Lord.
“So,
They sent for her.
She came
With her parents,
With her children,
With all her relatives.
Now Susanna was
A woman
Of great refinement.
She was beautiful
In appearance.
As she was veiled,
The scoundrels ordered her
To be unveiled.
Thus,
They might feast
Their eyes
On her beauty.
Those who were with her,
All who saw her,
Were weeping.”
Thus, these old judges sent for Susanna to come to the assembly. She came with her parents, her children, and her relatives. There was no mention of her husband. Thus, she was more than a newlywed, since she had children. She was a woman of great refinement and beauty. These scoundrel judges ordered that she be unveiled, so that they could feast on her beauty. However, those who were with her began to weep and cry.
“When the people
In the house
Heard the shouting
In the garden,
They rushed in
Through the side door
To see
What had happened
To Susanna.
When the elders
Told their story,
The servants
Felt very much ashamed.
Nothing like this
Had ever been said
Around Susanna.”
The people in the house heard all this shouting and screaming in the garden. They then arrived via the side door to the garden. Then the old judges told their story about Susanna and the young man. The servants were then ashamed, since nothing like this had ever happened to Susanna before.
“Then Susanna cried out
With a loud voice.
The two elders shouted
Against her.
One of them ran.
He opened
The garden doors.”
Susanna did the right thing. She started to scream in a loud voice. The two old judges then shouted against her. One of them ran to open the garden doors. So, it was a standoff, with both sides screaming at each other.
Eugene Finnegan Bible Project 