Susanna 1:21 - If you will not, we will bear witness against you, that a young man was with you: and therefore you did send away your maids from you.

Generated Verse: Susanna 1:21

What does "Susanna 1:21" mean?


This verse comes from the story of Susanna, found in the Book of Daniel (or the addenda to Daniel, depending on the Bible translation). In this verse, two corrupt elders are threatening Susanna with false accusations of adultery. Let's break down what it means:

"If you will not, we will bear witness against you...": This is the core threat. The elders are pressuring Susanna to agree to their sexual advances. If she refuses, they will falsely testify against her in court.

"...that a young man was with you...": This is the core of their lie. They plan to falsely claim that they saw Susanna having an affair with a young man.

"...and therefore you did send away your maids from you.": This part is crucial to making their lie believable. They claim that Susanna dismissed her maids (female servants) deliberately to create an opportunity for a secret rendezvous with her lover. This implies premeditation and guilt on Susanna's part. This detail is intended to make it seem as though Susanna was trying to hide her affair, which would corroborate the elders' accusation.

In short, the verse means:

The two elders are threatening Susanna. If she doesn't sleep with them, they will accuse her of adultery. Their accusation is that she was caught with a young man and that she sent away her servants on purpose to have privacy for the illicit encounter. They believe this will be a convincing fabrication that will condemn her.

The verse highlights the elders' manipulation and abuse of power. They are using their respected position in the community to try to force Susanna into an unwanted sexual encounter, and they are willing to lie and ruin her reputation to achieve their goals.

What categories does "Susanna 1:21" have?