5-6. Everyone who had a legal case to present would also go to Joakim's house, where two judges held court. These two leaders of the Jewish community had recently been appointed to office. They were the ones about whom the Lord said, “There is wickedness in Babylon; judges are failing to give guidance to the people.”
36. The two men gave the following testimony: “We were walking in the garden when this woman came in with her two servant women. She locked the main gates and asked the servants to leave.
37. Then a young man who had been hiding in the garden came to her, and they lay down together.
38. We were in a corner of the garden, and when we saw what was happening, we ran over
39. and caught them in the act. We tried to hold on to the man, but he was too strong for us. He ran and opened the gates and got away,
40. but we were able to hold the woman. We asked her who the man was, but she refused to tell us. We swear that our testimony is true.”
41. Because the two men were not only leaders in the community but also judges, the people believed their story and condemned Susanna to death.
42. Then Susanna cried out in a loud voice, “Eternal God, nothing can be kept secret from you; you know everything before it happens.
43. Here I am about to die, but you know that I am innocent, that these men are lying. Why must I die?”
44. The Lord heard her prayer
45. and led a young man named Daniel to speak out, just as Susanna was being taken away to her death.
46. He shouted, “I refuse to be a party to her death!”
47. Everyone turned round to look at him and asked, “What are you talking about?”
48. Daniel stood up before them and said, “People of Israel, how foolish can you be? Are you going to condemn an Israelite woman to death on this kind of evidence? You haven't even tried to find out the truth.
49. Reopen the case. The testimony these men gave was a lie.”
50. So all the people hurried back to where the trial had taken place, and the officials said to Daniel, “God has given you wisdom beyond your years, so come and join us and explain to us what you mean.”