The two witnesses and Susannah

by Bang 12 Replies latest jw friends

  • Matty
    Matty

    There very little reference to this story anywhere in the 1999 CD ROM. This is pretty much it:

    Insight book 1 page 121 Apocrypha
    …three additions to Daniel: The Song of the Three Holy Children, Susanna and the Elders, and The Destruction of Bel and the Dragon. The exact time of their being written is uncertain, but the evidence points to a time no earlier than the second or third century B.C.E.
    Insight book 1 Page 577 under “Daniel”
    Daniel’s Writership. Daniel is referred to by Christ (Mt 24:15) and alluded to at Hebrews 11:33. It cannot be demonstrated successfully by the critics that one or more later writers of Maccabean times had to do with the writing of all or parts of the canonical book of Daniel. However, three additions called “The Song of the Three Holy Children,” “Susanna and the Elders,” and “The Destruction of Bel and the Dragon” are Apocryphal and are by a later hand. These and other writings that claim Daniel as the writer or that set forth unusual feats or teachings by him are more in the realm of fable, revolving around the great fame of Daniel, and are not reliable.

    However, I do have a book called "Equipped for Every Good Work". It was published in 1946, and was the predecessor to the “All Scripture” Book. I remembered that it had information about the Apocrypha, which the later book didn’t have.

    Equipped for every good work Page 95

    Susanna and the Elders. This thirteenth chapter added to Daniel tells of the lust of two elders for the virtuous Susanna, who regularly walks in her husband’s orchard. One day they surprise Susanna alone in the orchard and propose illicit relationship. She refuses despite their threats to falsely accuse her of impure conduct with a young man. The threats being translated into action, Susanna is condemned to die. At this crucial point Daniel intervenes and by questioning separately the two elders exposes their false testimony. Innocent Susanna lives; the two elders that framed her die. The author was a Greek speaking Jew.

    The Jerusalem Bible is popular with the WBTS, because it's not in archaic English – and it’s deemed as pretty accurate, and a bonus is that it uses the name Yahweh all through the Old Testament.
  • Bang
    Bang
    It cannot be demonstrated successfully by the critics that one or more later writers of Maccabean times had to do with the writing of all or parts of the canonical book of Daniel. However, three additions called “The Song of the Three Holy Children,” “Susanna and the Elders,” and “The Destruction of Bel and the Dragon” are Apocryphal and are by a later hand.

    Now that wouldnt' be the hand of God now would it.
    It's known to be inspired. How? That's not very easy to explain. How was the rest of the Bible compiled?
    Ever hear a particular song that moved your soul, a piece of art that you can't explain your connection with, like a longing of soul - well that sort of a way to say it.

    There's a song we sing in church called "taste and see the goodness of God".

    I tasted and I believe so.

    Bang

    Here's a website with it.
    http://www.stg.brown.edu/webs/bible_browser/pbform.shtml

    Just type in - sus 1:1 - with the selection on 'passage'.

  • Nathan Natas
    Nathan Natas

    Here ya go - it isn't that long...

    Susanna
    Chapter 13 of the Greek version of Daniel)

    1 There was a man living in Babylon whose name was Joakim.

    2 He married the daughter of Hilkiah, named Susanna, a very beautiful woman and one who feared the Lord.

    3 Her parents were righteous, and had trained their daughter according to the law of Moses.

    4 Joakim was very rich, and had a fine garden adjoining his house; the Jews used to come to him because he was the most honored of them all.

    5 That year two elders from the people were appointed as judges. Concerning them the Lord had said: "Wickedness came forth from Babylon, from elders who were judges, who were supposed to govern the people."

    6 These men were frequently at Joakim's house, and all who had a case to be tried came to them there.

    7 When the people left at noon, Susanna would go into her husband's garden to walk.

    8 Every day the two elders used to see her, going in and walking about, and they began to lust for her.

    9 They suppressed their consciences and turned away their eyes from looking to Heaven or remembering their duty to administer justice.

    10 Both were overwhelmed with passion for her, but they did not tell each other of their distress,

    11 for they were ashamed to disclose their lustful desire to seduce her.

    12 Day after day they watched eagerly to see her.

    13 One day they said to each other, "Let us go home, for it is time for lunch." So they both left and parted from each other.

    14 But turning back, they met again; and when each pressed the other for the reason, they confessed their lust. Then together they arranged for a time when they could find her alone.

    The Elders Attempt to Seduce Susanna

    15 Once, while they were watching for an opportune day, she went in as before with only two maids, and wished to bathe in the garden, for it was a hot day.

    16 No one was there except the two elders, who had hidden themselves and were watching her.

    17 She said to her maids, "Bring me olive oil and ointments, and shut the garden doors so that I can bathe."

    18 They did as she told them: they shut the doors of the garden and went out by the side doors to bring what they had been commanded; they did not see the elders, because they were hiding.

    19 When the maids had gone out, the two elders got up and ran to her.

    20They said, "Look, the garden doors are shut, and no one can see us. We are burning with desire for you; so give your consent, and lie with us.

    21 If you refuse, we will testify against you that a young man was with you, and this was why you sent your maids away."

    22 Susanna groaned and said, "I am completely trapped. For if I do this, it will mean death for me; if I do not, I cannot escape your hands.

    23 I choose not to do it; I will fall into your hands, rather than sin in the sight of the Lord."

    24 Then Susanna cried out with a loud voice, and the two elders shouted against her.

    25 And one of them ran and opened the garden doors.

    26When the people in the house heard the shouting in the garden, they rushed in at the side door to see what had happened to her.

    27 And when the elders told their story, the servants felt very much ashamed, for nothing like this had ever been said about Susanna.

    The Elders Testify against Susanna

    28 The next day, when the people gathered at the house of her husband Joakim, the two elders came, full of their wicked plot to have Susanna put to death. In the presence of the people they said,

    29"Send for Susanna daughter of Hilkiah, the wife of Joakim."

    30 So they sent for her. And she came with her parents, her children, and all her relatives.

    31 Now Susanna was a woman of great refinement and beautiful in appearance.

    32As she was veiled, the scoundrels ordered her to be unveiled, so that they might feast their eyes on her beauty.

    33 Those who were with her and all who saw her were weeping.

    34 Then the two elders stood up before the people and laid their hands on her head.

    35Through her tears she looked up toward Heaven, for her heart trusted in the Lord.

    36 The elders said, "While we were walking in the garden alone, this woman came in with two maids, shut the garden doors, and dismissed the maids.

    37 Then a young man, who was hiding there, came to her and lay with her.

    38 We were in a corner of the garden, and when we saw this wickedness we ran to them.

    39 Although we saw them embracing, we could not hold the man, because he was stronger than we, and he opened the doors and got away.

    40 We did, however, seize this woman and asked who the young man was,

    41 but she would not tell us. These things we testify." Because they were elders of the people and judges, the assembly believed them and condemned her to death.

    42 Then Susanna cried out with a loud voice, and said, "O eternal God, you know what is secret and are aware of all things before they come to be;

    43 you know that these men have given false evidence against me. And now I am to die, though I have done none of the wicked things that they have charged against me!"

    44 The Lord heard her cry.

    45 Just as she was being led off to execution, God stirred up the holy spirit of a young lad named Daniel,

    46 and he shouted with a loud voice, "I want no part in shedding this woman's blood!"

    Daniel Rescues Susanna

    47 All the people turned to him and asked, "What is this you are saying?"

    48 Taking his stand among them he said, "Are you such fools, O Israelites, as to condemn a daughter of Israel without examination and without learning the facts?

    49 Return to court, for these men have given false evidence against her."

    50 So all the people hurried back. And the rest of thea elders said to him, "Come, sit among us and inform us, for God has given you the standing of an elder."

    51 Daniel said to them, "Separate them far from each other, and I will examine them."

    52 When they were separated from each other, he summoned one of them and said to him, "You old relic of wicked days, your sins have now come home, which you have committed in the past,

    53 pronouncing unjust judgments, condemning the innocent and acquitting the guilty, though the Lord said, 'You shall not put an innocent and righteous person to death.'

    54 Now then, if you really saw this woman, tell me this: Under what tree did you see them being intimate with each other?" He answered, "Under a mastic tree."

    55 And Daniel said, "Very well! This lie has cost you your head, for the angel of God has received the sentence from God and will immediately cut you in two."

    56 Then, putting him to one side, he ordered them to bring the other. And he said to him, "You offspring of Canaan and not of Judah, beauty has beguiled you and lust has perverted your heart.

    57 This is how you have been treating the daughters of Israel, and they were intimate with you through fear; but a daughter of Judah would not tolerate your wickedness.

    58 Now then, tell me: Under what tree did you catch them being intimate with each other?" He answered, "Under an evergreen oak."

    59 Daniel said to him, "Very well! This lie has cost you also your head, for the angel of God is waiting with his sword to splite you in two, so as to destroy you both."

    60 Then the whole assembly raised a great shout and blessed God, who saves those who hope in him.

    61 And they took action against the two elders, because out of their own mouths Daniel had convicted them of bearing false witness; they did to them as they had wickedly planned to do to their neighbor.

    62 Acting in accordance with the law of Moses, they put them to death. Thus innocent blood was spared that day.

    63 Hilkiah and his wife praised God for their daughter Susanna, and so did her husband Joakim and all her relatives, because she was found innocent of a shameful deed.

    64 And from that day onward Daniel had a great reputation among the people.

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