Page:KJV 1772 Oxford Edition, vol. 2.djvu/144

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Apocrypha.
HISTORY of SUSANNA.
Apocrypha.


30 So she came with her father and mo ther, her children, and all her. kindred.

31 Now Susanna was a very delicate woman1, and beauteous to behold.

32 And these wicked men commanded to uncover her face, (for she was covered) ' that they might be filled with her beauty.

33 Therefore her friends and all that saw her wept.

34 Then the two elders stood up in the midst of the people, and laid their hands upon her head,

35 And (he weeping looked up toward heaven : for her heart trusted in the Lord'.

36 And the elders said, As we walked in the garden alone, this woman came in with two maids, and Unit the garden doors, and sent the maids away.

37 Then a young man, who was there hid, came unto her, and lay with her.

38 Then We that stood in a corner of the garden, feeing this wickedness, ran unto them.

39 And when1 we saw them together, the man we could not hold : for he was stronger than we, and opened the door, and leaped out.

40 But having taken this woman, we ask ed who the young man was, but she would not tell us : these things do we testify.

41 Then the assembly believed them, as those that were the elders and judges of the people : so they condemned her to death.

42 Then Susanna cried out with a loud voice, and said, O everlasting God, that knowest the secrets, and knowest all things before they be :

43 Thou knowest that they have borne false witness against me, and, behold; I must die; whereas I never did such things as these men have maliciously invented against me.

44 And the Lord heard her voice.

45 s Therefore when (he was led to be put to death, the Lord raised up the holy spirit os a young youth, whose riame was Dantel: » Matth. 46 Who cried with a loud voice, * I am 1?" ,4' clear from the blood of this woman.

47 Then all the people turned them toward him, and said, What mean these words that thou 'hast spoken ?

48 So he standing in the midst of them said, Are ye such fools, ye sons of Israel, that wi thou ^examination or'knowledge of the truth ye have condemned a daughter of Israel?

49 Return again to the place os judg ment : for they have borne false witness against her.

50 Wherefore all the people turned again in haste* and the elders laid unto him, Gome, sit down among us, and shew it us, seeing God hath given thee the honour of. an elder.

£t Then said Daniel unto them, Put these two aside one far from another, and I will examine them.

52 So when they were put asunder one from another, he called one of them, and said unto him, O thou that art waxen old in wickedness, now thy sins which thou hast committed aforetime are come/o light?

53 For thou hast pronounced false judg ment, and hast condemned the innocent, and hast let the guilty go free j albeit the Lord faith, " The innocent and righteous b Ex^d. shalt thou not flay.

54 Now then, if thou hast seen her, tell me, Under what tree sawest thou them companying together ? Who answered, Under a + mastick tree. . 55 And Daniel said, Very well ; thou hast tnt* lied against thine own head ; for even now the angel of God hath received the sen tence of God to cut thee in two,

56 So he put him aside, and commanded to bring the other, and said unto him, O thou seed of Chanaan, and not of Juda* beauty hath deceived thee, and lust hath' perverted thine heart.

57 Thus have ye dealt with the daugh ters of Israel, and they for fear companied with you : but the daughter of Juda would not abide your wickedness.

58 Now therefore tell me, Under what . tree didst thou take them companying together ? Who answered, Under an II holm tree. . B.or,

59 Then said Daniel unto him, Well; thou hast also lied against thine own head : for the angel of God waiteth with the sword to cut thee in- two, that he may destroy you.

60 With that all the assembly cried out with a loud voice, and praised God, who saveth them that trust in him.

61 And they arose against the two elders,, . for Daniel had convicted them of false witness by their own mouth :

62 And according to the law of Moses c they did unto them in such sort as they 'Deuti^. maliciously intended to do to their neigh- $10V1 bbur: and they put them to deaths Thus ' 9,i* the innocerirblood was saved the same day.

63 Therefore Chelcias and his wife prais ed God for their daughter Susanna, with • Joacim her husband,, and all the kindred, because there was no dishonesty found in her. '

64 Prom that day forth was Daniel had in great reputation in the sight of the people