For the Cuyahoga Connection, see final epilogue. (Not while eating.)
THE BOOK OF SUSANNA
From the Hidden Books of the Old
Testament (The Apochrypha,) Lake Erie Edition.
Telling of how Daniel's knowledge of trees saves Susanna's life after two judges falsely accuse her
of a capital offense.
Scene 1 - The Two Judges
In the Jewish community exiled to Babylon about 2,500 years ago, Joakim, a good man , lived with his wife, Susanna, (whose smile, they say, was like sunshine after a month of rain.) And she was principled and courageous, too, for her parents had taught her the better part of the Code of Moses, teachings on which they'd been raised.
The exile community thought highly of them and often gathered in their courtyard garden; it doubled as a place to settle disputes, seeing as how they were probably not so well-received in the Babylonian courts. And in their court, two men, (to
use the term very loosely,) got themselves appointed to the bench - they are the ones of whom it is written, “There is wickedness in Babylon - the judges are failing to give guidance to the people.”
(Same could be said about former Cuyahoga County Judge, Lance Mason: he murdered his wife -- after being prosecuted for domestic violence. Same could be said about the Cuyahoga judges who supervised Genevieve Gallagher-Rowan's guardians.* For starters.)
So, Susanna, every day at noon, when the others had left for lunch, would take her siesta in the courtyard. (It is why self-defense trainers say to vary one's routine.) And those two judges were so ill-attracted to her that they would hide in the courtyard garden and watch her. They grew so obsessed, they lost interest in food and even in sports.
At noon each would say to the other, all cheerio, “Time for lunch, see you in an hour!” - but they would stay in the garden; hiding; stalking Susanna. One day though, they crossed paths. And their excuses were so lame each had to admit what was up. And then they made a plan.
Scene 2 - The Judges Try to Coerce Susanna
During the lunch recess one day, Susanna did her usual, went to the garden with her two attendants, (servants, oy.) And as the day was very hot, she decided
to take a bath, and said to them, “Lock the gate, please, so I won’t be disturbed; then bring the perfumed bath oil and water.” They proceeded to do so and went on their way, unaware of the robed malefactors crouched together behind a tree. (Apparently Joakim was elsewhere.)
As soon as the servants left on their errand, the two judges rushed Susanna, accosting her: “We're
going to have our way with you. The gates are locked. No one will see us."
She regarded them with scorn and told them to be gone.
"You resist," one said, "and we'll swear in open court you're having an affair – that we saw you send your
servants away so you could be alone with a young man.”
“Your wigs are full of lice and lies!”
Susanna said. “If I do as you say, I can be put to death for adultery. If I
refuse, you will bear false witness against me, and I will suffer the same punishment.” She started screaming, for all the world to hear, upon which the two began shouting accusations, while one grabbed the key from her and unlocked the gate.
The
servants in the house heard and ran back into the garden. The judges spouted their story, with great indignation, of course. The servants were shocked - never had such a thing been even whispered about Susanna.
Scene 3 - The Judges Persist with Their Wickedness
Next day, after the
regulars had gathered in the courtyard, the two judges arrive, intent on having Susanna put to death. One begins the session, bellowing, “Send for Joakim’s wife, daughter of Hilkiah!”
In she walked, head up, spine straight, Joakim, their parents, children, aunts, uncles, and cousins at her side. And those two black-robed criminals were so foul, they ordered Susanna's veil removed so they could gawk at her one last time.
Then they placed their hands on her head and began with their accusations. “We were walking in the gardens when we saw this woman with her two servant women. She had them lock the main gate and leave. Then a young man, who had been hiding in the garden, joined her, and
they lay down together.
"We were in that corner of the garden over there, and when we saw what
was happening, we ran over and stopped them! We tried to hold on to
the man, but he was too strong; he ran and opened the gate and got
away, but we were able to hold this woman, the accused now before you. We asked her who the man was, but she
refused to say. We swear our testimony is true.”
They had connections so no one dared question their
story - [they were those of whom James Baldwin wrote in The Fire Next Time: “One
can be, indeed one must strive to become tough and philosophical concerning
destruction and death, for this is what most of mankind has been best at since
we have heard of man. But a civilization is not
destroyed by wicked people – it is not
necessary that people be wicked, only that they be spineless. But remember:
most of mankind is not all of mankind.”
Susanna cried out
in a loud voice, “Eternal G_d, nothing can be kept secret from you: Here I am about to die, but you know that I am
innocent and that these wretches are lying. Why must I die?”
Enter Daniel, of Lions' Den Fame
A bailiff was about to lead her away when Daniel hurried into the courtyard and shouted, “I will not be party to Susanna's death!”
All turned to him and cried, "Yes! Go brother! Speak!”
“People of Israel, are you sleep-walking?" Daniel started. "Are you going to let a woman be condemned to death on this kind of evidence? You haven't
even tried to find out the truth! The testimony these disgraces have given is a lie. Will you allow me to question them?”
And the bailiffs said,
“You got moxie, man. Yes, please proceed with your cross-examination."
“Sequester them," Daniel suggested. "Separate them so I can question them one at a time."
And this was done.
Daniel called the first, and began: “Now, if you really did see Susanna with a young man, tell me, under what tree were they?”
“Under that small gum
tree,” the judge boomed, full of arrogance and privilege.
Daniel nodded to a bailiff who led the judge away and brought the other one in.
Daniel said to him, "Judge, under what tree did you see Susanna and the supposed paramour?”
“Under that oak tree," the judge said pompously, all puffed with pride.
“You are more Canaanite than Jew,” Daniel replied, stooping to the ethnic slur and forgetting himself in the heat of the moment. “You are used to having your way with the women of Israel because they have been afraid of you, but here is a woman who is brave. And now, God’s angel is ready to *cut* you in two.” (The words 'oak' and 'cut' sound alike in the ancient Greek.)
It was a pun, but, actually, under the Code of Moses, someone who dragged a person into court on a false accusation incurred the punishment their victim would have suffered.
Daniel called the first judge back. “Under a small gum tree, you say? You wicked man, you have condemned the innocent and released the guilty, and now your lie will cost you your life. God’s angel has already been given
orders to chop* you in two.” (Another pun: in Greek the word 'chop' sounds
like 'gum.')
The courtyard garden resounded with the exiles' joyous laughter, and a few choice words were hurled at the judges as the bailiffs bound their hands and hobbled their ankles and led them to a makeshift prison cell.
And so Daniel saved Susanna's life with his uncommon courage, and his knowledge of trees.
* * * * *
Now .... were a dose of New Testament redemption infused into this Old Testament eye-opener, those judges wouldn't be put to death, no, they’d be sent to prison.
OPERATION STUMBLESTONE (- that's an active link.)
