42. Susanna screamed out: "Eternal God, you know what is hidden; you see everything before it happens.
43. You know they’ve lied in this court about me! Look, I’m going to die, although I didn’t do any of the things these men accuse in their malice!"
44. The Lord heard her cry.
45. As she was being led away to die, God stirred up the holy spirit of a young man named Daniel.
46. He shouted out loud, "I’m innocent of this woman’s blood!"
47. All the people turned to him and asked, "What are you saying?!"
48. He stood among them and said, "Are you so stupid, Israelites, that you’ve sentenced an Israelite woman to death without cross-examining or finding the facts?
49. Go back to court: these men have given false testimony against her."
50. Everyone rushed back. The other elders said to Daniel, "Sit here with us and advise us, since God has given you the status of an elder."
51. Daniel told them, "Separate them from each other, and I’ll cross-examine them."
52. When they had been separated from each other, he called in one of the judges and said to him, "The sins you did earlier are catching up to you now at the end of a long evil life.
53. You judged unfairly, sentencing the innocent to death, and letting the guilty go, even though the Lord says, ‘You will not sentence innocent and good people to death.’
54. Now then, if you really saw this woman, tell me this. Under what tree did you see them having sex?" He said, "Under a clove tree."
55. Daniel said, "Right! You lied! It’s on your own head! Already God’s angel has orders to cleave you down the middle!"
56. Then setting that one aside, he ordered them to bring in the other judge. He said to him, "You’re a Canaanite and not from Judah. Beauty seduced you, and sexual desire twisted your mind.
57. You treated women from Israel this way, and they had sex with you because they were afraid of you. But this woman from Judah wouldn’t tolerate your lawless immorality.
58. So tell me now: Under what tree did you catch them having sex with each other?" He said, "Under a yew."
59. Daniel said to him, "Right! You lied too! It’s on your own head. God’s angel waits with his sword to hew you down the middle, to destroy both of you."