fall into your hands, without doing it, than to sin in the sight of the Lord.”
She then cried out with a loud voice; but the elders cried out against her. One of them ran to the orchard-gate, and opened it that the people might enter.
Then he and his companion falsely accused Susanna of the very crime they had proposed to her. Next day, accompanied by her parents and children, and other relatives, Susanna was brought before the tribunal of justice, where she was condemned and sentenced to death. But she, weeping, looked up to heaven, for her heart had confidence in God.
And the Lord heard her prayer. As she was led out to death[1], Daniel, inspired from above, exclaimed: “I am clean from the blood of this woman.” Then all the people began to ask him: “What meaneth this word that thou hast spoken?” He told them to return to judgment, because the elders had borne false witness against Susanna. Then the people went back in haste. But Daniel ordered the two accusers to be brought in separately.
This being done, he said to the first that came: “O thou that art grown old in evil days, now are thy sins come out. Tell me, under what tree thou sawest them conversing together?” He said: “Under a mastic-tree.” [2] Daniel replied: “Thou hast lied against thy own head.”[3] Then he sent him away, and had the other brought in, whom he asked: “Tell me, under what tree didst thou take them conversing together?” He answered: “Under a holm -tree.” Daniel replied: “Thou hast lied against thy own head.”
The people saw by the contrary statements of the old men that their testimony was false, and rising up against them, they put them both to death. Susanna was restored to her joyful husband and children, and they and all the people blessed God, who always saves and protects those who place their hopes in Him. Whereupon Daniel became great [4] in the sight of the people.
