Chapter 31 "Susanna"

"Susanna" Susanna is framed In Babylon there lived a beautiful Judah woman named Susannah, who was a faithful believer and strictly kept the Law of Moses.Her husband, Joachim, was very wealthy, and their luxurious mansion was set in gardens.The upright conduct of the couple has won everyone's respect, and other Jews often come to their home for gatherings; and because two judges who have recently served as leaders of the Sanhedrin Sanhedrin sit here, some people who want to file lawsuits also come here to sue. . Susanna was used to taking the maid for a walk in the garden every day when others went to lunch at noon. She didn't know that two pairs of evil eyes had long been staring at her.The two sanctimonious judges had long coveted her, and often hid in the dark to watch her, even forgetting to pray and perform their duties as judges.Although they were tormented by evil desires, they couldn't tell each other their desire for Susanna.

One day at noon, they said goodbye to each other and went home to eat lunch, but by a strange coincidence, they all turned back to take another peek at Susanna.So the two met.At the beginning, both of them tried their best to confess that they had other business affairs when they came back, and later they both admitted that they were infatuated with Susanna.They decided to look for an opportunity with only Susanna present.The day has finally come for them. On this day, Susanna walked into the garden with her two maids as usual, but she didn't find anyone else in the garden at all: the two judges hid in the dark and watched her every move.The weather was very hot, and Susana felt that she was sweating, so she told the maids: "I want to take a bath, you go and get me the bath oil and perfume, and lock the door so that no one can come in." The maids obeyed and retreated. Get down, lock the door, and go out by the side door.

As soon as the maids left, the two judges came out of the shadows and came to her.Before the surprised Suzana could speak, they leaned over and said with fascination: "The gate is locked, and no one can see here. You know we have been infatuated with you for a long time, and today we finally found you." This opportunity, please satisfy us!" "No!" Susana stepped back, "I will never agree to your shameless request!" "Well, you don't have to, and we'll go to court and sue you for sending the servant away to have a private date with a lad, and say we saw it with our own eyes."

"Despicable! Shameless!" Susanna said angrily, "If I submit to you, I will commit adultery and be sentenced to death. Go ahead and frame me. I would rather die than betray God!" said Then, she yelled desperately. Seeing that something was wrong, the two judges also yelled loudly, and one of them ran to open the gate.When the servants heard the noise, they ran out of the house through the corner door and entered the garden. The two judges sang together and began to tell the story of "Susanna's adultery". The servants couldn't believe it. What the respected hostess does, everyone is ashamed of the host for doing such a thing.

The next day, when the people gathered again at Joachim's house, the two judges decided to declare Susannah's "crime" on this occasion and put her to death.When the crowd was almost there, they started the church: "Preach Joakin's wife Susanna!" After hearing the summons, Susana walked in with her parents, children and several relatives.She was still so beautiful that the two rascals were haunted in such a solemn place, and they ordered her to lift the veil, saying, "Let people see this evil woman", but they wanted to satisfy their greedy eyes, and then they Standing up, putting her hand on Suzanne's head, she began to accuse her: "We were walking in the garden when this woman entered the garden with her maid. She ordered the servants to leave and locked the gate herself.

At this time, a young man appeared, apparently he had made an appointment with her to hide in the garden beforehand.When they reached one place, they lay down together.We were in the corner of the garden at the time, and when we saw this happening, of course we couldn't ignore it, so we ran over to catch it on the spot.The man was very tough, neither of us was his match, let him run away, we only caught the woman, this is Susanna.We asked her who that man was, but she kept refusing to say.We swear that the testimony we have given is true and reliable. " These two men were the leaders of the Sanhedrin and both were judges. The people couldn't believe what they said, so they sentenced Susannah to death. (Su 1-41)

But use reason to resolve injustice Susanna didn't say a word as they told, tears streaming down her beautiful cheeks.When the two judges finished speaking, she raised her head and cried out loudly: "O God, I know no secret from you. Now I am going to die, only you know, I am innocent, it is these People are lying. Why must I die?" God heard her prayer and inspired a young man named Daniel to analyze the truth of the matter.Susannah was about to be dragged out to be executed, but Daniel stood up and shouted, "Wait a minute! I have something to say. I don't agree with her being executed!"

"Why?" Everyone asked him in unison: "Is there any reason for your objection?" Daniel stood up in front of the crowd and said, "Men of Israel, how foolish do you have to be to give up? Do you have any evidence to execute this Israeli woman just based on the words of the two judges? Why are you so easily fooled?" ?Why did you wrong an innocent woman without knowing the truth of the matter? Let me tell you that the testimonies of these two judges are all false, and the case should be reopened." Daniel's ingenuity had long been known, and people always wanted to hear what he had to say, even though he was very young.So the judges asked him to retry the case.Daniel began by commanding, "Separate the two judges, and let me interrogate them one by one."

The first judge is brought before Daniel. "You old bastard! Have you forgotten what God said never to put the innocent to death? Why do you frame the innocent and get away with it? Well, since you said you saw this man and woman committing adultery, tell me, they Under what tree did you do the case?" "Under a frankincense tree." "Good! Under the frankincense tree. This lie will kill you. The angel of God has been ordered to split you in two!" (Note: "Frankincense tree" in Hebrew and "split " has a similar pronunciation.) The first judge was taken away, and the second judge was brought before Daniel.

"You are not so much a Jew as a Canaanite. You are seduced by women's beauty, and you are so burned by lust that you forget your morals. Although you have always used this method to deal with Israeli women, they are afraid of you. But this Judah woman, she is not afraid of you, she will not budge. Well, since you said you saw this couple committing adultery, tell me, under what tree did they commit the crime? " "Under a great oak tree." "Good! Under the great oak tree. This lie will kill you. An angel of God is waiting for you with a sword in hand, and will cut you in two. Let us take you both together!" "(Note: The pronunciation of "big oak tree" in Hebrew is similar to that of "Che".) Daniel's interrogation proved that what the two judges said was all lies. shall be subject to the punishment to which the accused may be subjected", they were sentenced to death.

Susanna was saved.Everyone shouted and praised God, because God always rescues believers in time.From then on, Daniel was more respected by the people. (Su 42-64)