Susanna 1:61 - And they arose against the two elders, for Daniel had convicted them of false witness out of their own mouth:

Generated Verse: Susanna 1:61

What does "Susanna 1:61" mean?


This verse, Susanna 1:61, is taken from the Book of Susanna, which is considered part of the Deuterocanonical or Apocryphal books of the Old Testament. It describes a pivotal moment in the story. Let's break down what it means:

"And they arose against the two elders...": "They" refers to the community of Jews who were initially swayed by the false accusations of the two elders. The elders were respected figures who had accused Susanna, a virtuous woman, of adultery. "Arose against" means they turned against the elders, likely in anger and disbelief.

"...for Daniel had convicted them of false witness...": Daniel, a young man known for his wisdom, intervened in Susanna's trial. He cleverly questioned the two elders separately, asking them under what tree they saw Susanna committing adultery. Their conflicting answers revealed that they were lying. "Convicted them of false witness" means Daniel exposed their lies and proved their testimony was untrue.

"...out of their own mouth:": This emphasizes that the elders condemned themselves. It wasn't Daniel's opinion or external evidence, but their own contradictory statements, that revealed their deceit. Daniel's strategy was to trap them in their own words.

In summary, the verse describes the community's reaction to Daniel's exposure of the two elders as liars. They turned against the elders because Daniel's skillful questioning had proven, through their own conflicting testimonies, that they had falsely accused Susanna. It marks a significant turning point in the story, where justice begins to prevail and Susanna's innocence is established.