Book 1
Concerning Susannah and Daniel
Chapter 11
1. And so Scripture says, “And Daniel set in his heart not to be defiled with what was on the table of the king and with the wine which he drank2 and he asked the chief eunuch to give them vegetables”,3 so that it may be shown that a man does not live by bread alone.4
2. “And God gave Daniel mercy and favor before the chief eunuch. But the chief eunuch was saying to them, ‘I myself fear my lord the king who has marked out your bread and your drink, lest he see
that your face is sullen5 compared to the other youths at your assembly and you condemn my head to the king.’”6
3. And so what was spoken by Melgad7 was true8. For he did not understand them because of their purposes9, and was concerned that their appearance would seem sullen compared to the youths who were eating from the table the king and that by this he, having been found culpable, would be put to death.
4. But they wished to prove to him that beauty and strength does not come by10 earthly food which was supplied to the humans, but that the grace of God which was6. given through the Word supplies beauty and strength,1 and so they said to him, “Then test your slaves for ten days and give us vegetables2 and we shall eat them and drink water and our appearances shall be seen and you shall see the appearances of the boys who eat from the table of the king and, just as you see, in this way do to us.”3
5. Do you see the unalterable faith of the youths and the immutable fear of God? They asked for intervals of time, ten days, so that in this they may prove that they are not able to procure grace from God differently from other men, but only4 by believing the preaching of the word through Jesus, or he died, and received not honour from all as king.
1 Or: the word which is begotten by the saints may be shown at all
times begetting the saints, and it again may be shown by what is
begotten of the saints. ὁ λόγος ὑφ’ ἁγίων γεννώµενος δειχθῇ, πάντοτε
τοὺς ἁγίους γεννῶν καὶ αὐτὸς πάλιν ὑφ’ ἁγίων γεννώµενος
2 Lit: wine of his drink
3 Lit: what is from seeds Daniel 1:8
4 Matthew 4:4; Deuteronomy 8:3
5 Or: dark and dreary
6 Daniel 1:9-10
7 The name of the chief eunuch is given as “Amelsad” in the
Septuagint.
8 Lit: was having a word of truth
9 Lit: management
10 Lit: strength should be by7.
1 Or: that the grace of God which gives beauty and strength through the word
2 Lit: From the seed
3 Daniel 1:12-13
4 Lit: except
Chapter 12
1. And so Scripture says, “And the chief eunuch heard them and tested them for ten days and after the end of the ten days their appearances appeared better and stronger5 in body6 compared to the boys who ate at the table of the king.”7
2. And so these boys, though nourished with bread and water alone, were equipped with heavenly wisdom, and they had grace beyond all the boys their same age.
3. “For God gave them understanding and prudence in all learning and wisdom and Daniel understood all visions and dreams. And after the end of the days the chief eunuch brought them before the king and the king spoke with them and none were found from all of them like Daniel and Hanniah and Mishael and Azariah.”8
4. And so the Word brought them forth in all wisdom, displaying them as faithful witnesses in Babylon, so that through them the worship of the Babylonians might be disgraced and Nebuchadnezzar might be defeated by the three boys and through their faith the fire in the furnace might be banished and the blessed Susannah might be rescued from death and the profane lust of the lawless Elders might be convicted.
5. These four boys, heeding1 God and having the fear of God in their hearts, carried out these victories in the city of Babylon. Therefore, come blessed Daniel, the avenger2 of Susannah,3 so that you may also show us the things that are destined to occur!4
5 Lit: good and strong
6 Lit: flesh
7 Daniel 1:14-15
8 Daniel 1:17-19
1 Lit: caring for
2 Or: advocate
3 Lit: who has become the avenger of Susannah
4 Or: about to be
Chapter 13
1. For Scripture says, “And there was a man living in Babylon and the name for him was Jehoiakim and he took a wife, whose name was Susannah, daughter of Hilkiah, who was exceedingly beautiful and who feared the Lord.”5 Concerning whom we have written in the beginning of this book,6 who, being a stranger in Babylon, took Susannah to wife.
2. But she was a daughter of Hilkiah the priest, who found the book of the law in the house of the Lord, when Josiah the king ordered him to cleanse the Holy of Holies.
3. Her brother was Jeremiah the prophet, who together with the remaining people,7 after the captivity of the people in Babylon occurred, was led away into Egypt and dwelt in Tahpanhes,8 and there, while prophesying, was stoned by them them and was killed.
4. And so these people were from the priestly lineage of the tribe of Levi and they mixed with the tribe of Judah, so that through the two righteous tribes and through1 their united seed2, the righteousness of Christ may be shown according to the fleshly seed, and he who was born3 from them in Bethlehem may be proclaimed King and Priest of God.
5. For also Matthew, wishing to trace4 the pure and faultless lineage of Christ, according to the flesh, until Joseph, coming to Josiah he omits5 his five sons and names Jeconiah, who while in Babylon was begotten from Susannah, skipping6 from righteous seed to righteous seed. For he says, “Josiah begot Jeconiah and his brothers during the deportation to Babylon.”7
6. And so how is this declared? For Josiah, having reigned in the land of Judah thirty-one years, died
there. And so how is it possible that having died there he begot Jeconiah in Babylon?
7. From this it is necessary to observe that Matthew traced the genealogy of him who was begotten from Jehoiakim and from Susanna, as Jeconiah was the son of Eliakim who was called Jehoiakim the son of Josiah.8 For Matthew was not able to trace the genealogy of him who was banished by the Holy Spirit, as being in the line of this Jeconiah,9 as some deceivers maintain. For this cripple, having been brought into Babylon, and having been shut-up there at the mill as a prisoner1, died childless. So that Scripture does not idly teach us saying, “And there was a man living in Babylon and the name for him was Jehoiakim and he took a wife, whose name was Susannah, daughter of Hilkiah, who was exceedingly beautiful and who feared the Lord.”2
8. And so Jeconiah was begotten from her, and Jeconiah begot Shealtiel, and Shealtiel begot Zerubbabel. He, together with Ezra the scribe and Jesus3 the son of Jehozadak, came up to Jerusalem according to the command of Cyrus the Persian.4 And in this way continued the pure lineage of the fathers until the birth of Jesus Christ.
5 Susannah 1-2
6 Lit: whom we have made an account before
7 Or: remnant
8 Τάφναις
1 Lit: in
2 Lit: it
3 Or: begotten
4 Lit: draw down
5 Lit: excepts, rejects
6 Lit: leaping
7 Matthew 1:11
8 ὅτι ἐκ τοῦ Ἰωακεὶµ καὶ ἐκ τῆς Σουσάννης γεννηθέντα τοῦτον
ἐγενεαλόγησε Ματθαῖος ὡς υἱὸν ὄντα Ἐλιακεὶµ τοῦ καὶ Ἰωακεὶµ υἱοῦ
Ἰωσίου
9 Οὐδὲ γὰρ τὸν ἐκκήρυκτον ὑπὸ τοῦ πνεύµατος Ἰεχωνίαν τοῦτον
ἠδύνατο γενεαλογεῖν Ματθαῖος
1 Or: shackled
2 Susannah 1-2
3 Or: Joshua
4 Or: Cyrus of Persia
Susannah is accused by the wicked elders
Chapter 14
1. Scripture says, “And her parents were righteous and taught their daughter according to the Law of Moses.”5
2.For the tree is known from the fruit which it readily brings forth from itself.6 For reverent men who are also zealous for the law bring into the world children worthy of God, who on the one hand is the prophet and witness of Christ, and on the other is found chaste and faithful in Babylon, whom is
proclaimed as the devout and chaste blessed Daniel the prophet.
3. Scripture says, “And Jehoiakim was exceedingly wealthy and there was for him a garden adjoining his house, and the Jews gathered to him because he was more honorable than all the others.
4. And in that year two elders were appointed from the people as judges, concerning whom the Master spoke, that lawlessness came from Babylon, from ancient judges1, who appeared to govern the people. These remained at the house of Jehoiakim, and all those who had lawsuits came to them.”2 And so it is necessary to seek the reason why this is so. For how are these who are captives and slaves of the Babylonians able to come together at the house3 like those who are autonomous?4
5. In this it is necessary to understand that after Nebuchadnezzar deported them he humanely proclaimed privileges for them and allowed them to come together to practice all things according to the law.
6. Some, taking this authority, appointed two chiefs of the people who appeared to govern the people. These remained at the house of Jehoiakim, because he was more honorable and wealthier than all the others, as he was from the royal lineage.
5 Susannah 3
6 Lit: from them
1 Or: from the elders, the judges
2 Susannah 4-6
3 Lit: it
4 Lit: as those having choice
Chapter 15
1. To this Scripture says, “There was a garden adjoining his house and it happened as the people departed in the middle of the day, that Susannah entered and walked around in the garden of her husband, and the two elders watched her everyday and became lustful for her.”5
2. Therefore the chiefs of the Jews now want to mutilate these things of the book of Daniel, claiming that these things did not happen in Babylon, because they are ashamed at what happened under the elders at that time,6 and thus they fail to recognize the administration of the Spirit. 3. As the divine writings are not respecters of persons and with openness display all things, not only the righteous works of men, which after they did them they were justified, but also the terrible things which occurred under them, upon which they…1were disfigured2, they died, so that those who have the fear of God imitate the righteous and in this way partake in righteousness, but those who do the opposite have
before their eyes what is destined for them, vengeance before the presence of God.
4. For that which issued from the elders concerning what befell Susannah, these things are now also likewise accomplished by the chiefs of the people in Babylon now.3
5. For Susannah foreshadows the church, Jehoiakim her husband foreshadows Christ. The garden is the calling of the saints just like how fruit bearing trees produce fruit in the church. Babylon is the world.
6. But the two elders represent the example of two peoples who scheme against the church, one who is of the circumcision and one who is of the gentiles. For it is said, “They were appointed as chiefs of the
people and judges,”4 It indicates that in this age they have authority and rule, unrighteously judging the righteous.
5 Susannah 7-8
6 Hippolytus is likely referring to how the canonicity of the book of
Susannah was disputed in his day.
1 Lacuna
2 Or: associated with
3 Babylon represents the world see next line 1.15.5
4 Susannah 5
Chapter 16
1. But that they zealously watched Susannah walking in the garden every day, this indicates that until now they, who are both from the Gentiles and the Jews of the circumcision, watch5 and interfere in the business of the church, both of whom wish to bring false testimonies against us, just as the apostle says, “On account of the secretly introduced false brethren, who were brought in to spy out the liberty which we have in Christ Jesus.”1
2. And so in this way Scripture says, “And so these zealously watched every day to see her and they turned away their minds and perverted their eyes that they might not see heaven nor remember the righteous judgments.”2
3. For these become plotters and seducers of the church, how then are they able to judge righteous matters or look up to heaven with a pure heart, they who have been enslaved from the beginning of this era3?
4. “And they were both sorely pricked concerning her and they did not report their grief to one another because they were ashamed to report their lust and because they wanted to have intercourse with her.”4For even what is spoken has truly overtaken them5, for the two peoples are sorely pricked by the working6 of Satan in the two elders7, they wish to work persecutions and oppressions against the
church, zealously seeking8 in such a manner as to utterly destroy her, yet these themselves are not in agreement with each other.
5. “And one said to the other ‘Let us now go home because it is the hour of the noon time meal.’ And having gone out they departed9 from one another. And after turning back they came to the previous place10.”11 And so to have separated themselves from one another at the hour of the noon time meal and to have turned back to the previous place,1this indicates that with terrestrial foods the Jews are not in harmony with the gentiles2, but in opinions3 and in every other worldly matter, meeting at these things, they agree.4
6. And so Scripture says, “And they asked one another the reason why they returned, and they acknowledged5 their lust.”6 They prophesied that they themselves are destined to be examined by angels in order to give an account to God because of every sin which they committed, as Solomon says,
“Affliction shall destroy the impious.”7 For they are caught by the trial of the wicked.8
5 Or: lie in wait
1 Galatians 2:4
2 Susannah 9
3 Or: age
4 Susannah 10-11
5 Or: come upon them
6 Or: operation
7 Lit: them
8 Lit: zealing
9 Lit: separated
10 Lit: it or the same
11 Susannah 13-14
1 Lit: it or the same
2 Lit: nations
3 Lit: theories
4 τοῦτο σηµαίνει ὅτι ἐν µὲν τοῖς βρώµασι τοῖς ἐπιγείοις οἱ Ἰουδαῖοι
µετὰ τῶν ἐθνῶν οὐ συµφωνοῦσιν, ἐν δὲ ταῖς θεωρίαις καὶ παντὶ
πράγµατι, κοσµικῷ τούτοις συνερχόµενοι κοινωνοῦσιν.
5 Or: confessed
6 Susannah 14
7 Proverbs 1:32
8 Or: wicked affliction
Chapter 17
1.“And it happened, while they watched for a fitting day when she would go into the garden just as the day before and on the third day, with only two maidens, she desired to wash in the garden because it was during the heat of the day9.”10
2. “And it happened, while they watched for a fitting day.”11 What does Scripture say is fitting, but the day of the Passover in which the washing in the garden prepares those who burn in refining fire and the Church, like Susannah, who is washed, is offered as a pure bride for God?.
3. And so Scripture says, “She would go into the garden just as the day before and on the third day, with only two maidens, she desired to wash in the garden.”1 It is clear that whenever the Church, according to custom, longs to receive the spiritual washing, it is necessary in this to follow two handmaidens. For the confessing Church receives the washing through faith unto Christ and through love unto God....
4.…2 and the two handmaidens, as they follow it; faith and love, prepare the oil and the ointments for the washings.
5. But what then were the ointments, but the commandments of the Word? What was the oil, but the
power of the Holy Spirit, in which after washing believers are anointed as with myrrh?
6. Scripture, through the blessed Susannah, long ago foreshadows these things for us, so that now we who believe in God, may now, not as strangers, understand the things which happen in the Church. But let us believe these things which were foreshadowed long ago through the patriarchs, just as also the apostle says, “These things came upon them as examples, and he wrote for your understanding, upon whom the ends of the ages have come.”3
9 Lit: because it was hot
10 Susannah 15
11 Susannah 15
1 Susannah 15
2 Lacuna
3 1 Corinthians 10:11
Chapter 18
1. Because the garden, which was planted in Eden by God, was intended to become a model and image of the church, the lovers of learning must recognize this.4
2. For it is necessary for the earthly things to reflect the heavenly and for the earthly figures5 to witness6
to the spiritual and for the transitory to expect the eternal, as God also commanded Moses to make a tabernacle according to the model which was shown to him on the mountain.
3. What was that which has been seen, but the images of heavenly glories and heavenly forms1, from which Moses fashioned a tabernacle from incorruptible wood2 corresponding to the fleshly representation3, so that for those who regard fleshly things, these same people may be revealed as
terrestrial, but for those who regard spiritual things, these same people may become celestial?
4. And so Eden is called a place of delight, this is the Garden4. It was planted in the east, being adorned with seasonable trees and all kinds of fruits, so that the community of the righteous must understand that the place is holy, in which the Church was planted.
5. For neither is a mere place able to be a called the Church, nor a house which is built with stone and clay, nor a man himself able to call himself the Church. For a house is destroyed and a man dies.
6. And so, what is the Church? The community of Saints participating5 in truth.
7. Therefore unanimity6 and way of the saints7, this becomes8 the Church, the spiritual House of God, which was planted in Christ as it was planted in the east, in which diverse and blossoming trees were introduced and appeared, and the generation of the fathers from the beginning were distinguished and the works of the prophets, which were fulfilled after9 the Law, the chorus of both the apostles, who make men become wise through the Word, and of all the martyrs, who will be saved through the blood of Christ, and the calling of the virgins, who are sanctified through water, the chorus of disciples and the order of bishops, both priests and Levites, these are the Church.
8. And having been adorned in every manner and diversity, all these things flourish1 in the Church, being unable to be destroyed2, and by partaking of their fruit we rejoice because3 by eating of them we enter into spiritual and heavenly delight.
9. For the blessed patriarchs themselves minister the oracles of God to us, just like the blossoming trees which were planted in the garden also bear fruit among themselves at all times, so that the sweet4
Christ may be presented; that is the fruit of life which was given to us, so that we may know these things until now.
10. In this Eden a river of everlasting water flows and four rivers, which stream from it, pour over all the land of men, as also is shown to happen in the Church. For the river, being Christ, though the fourfold saving Gospel, watches carefully over all and is present in all. But also Christ irrigates and waters all who believe in him, as the prophet says, “Rivers gush from his heart.”5
11. And so in the Garden there was exhibited a tree of knowledge and a tree of life, as now in the Church are the Law and the Word like two trees which were planted. For through the knowledge of the Law came sin, but through the Word, life and forgiveness of trespasses is given.
12. For even then Adam, having disobeyed God and, after tasting from the tree of knowledge, became an outcast of the garden, being cast out from the land into a land where he again1wanders.
13. Similarly again2 he who has believed and, after not keeping the commandments, strips naked3
the Holy Spirit, becomes an outcast of the Church, but the earth no longer receives him, and becoming like the man of old4, he is bound to wander.
4 σαφέστατά ἐστιν ἐπιγνῶναι τοὺς φιλοµαθεῖς
5 Lit: types
6 Lit: recognize, look upon, observe
1 Lit: images, icons
2 Or: not rotted
3 Lit: according to the representation according to the flesh
4 Or: Paradise
5 Or: convening, partaking, being citizens, caucusing πολιτευοµένων
6 Or: being of one mind
7 ἡ οὖν ὁµόνοια καὶ ἡ ἐπὶ τὸ αὐτὸ τῶν ἁγίων ὁδὸς
8 Or: is
9 Or: according to
1 Or: blossom, bloom
2 to perish
3 Or: while
4 Or: dear
5 Get reference
1 Or: in turn
2 Or: in turn
3 Or: exposes
4 Lit: becoming like his old man
Chapter 19
1. For therefore when Scripture says, “Susannah entered and walked around in the garden of her husband,”5 it indicates that all the kings and those in preeminence plant gardens for themselves in cities and lands in order to delight in them, as Jehoiakim did in Babylon.
2. For there was a garden adjacent to his house in which Susannah entered and was walking around in, having been devoted to prayer and having sung6 hymns and songs to God, who sent forth the two handmaidens to carry the prescribed things in order to wash.
3. “But they shut the doors of the garden7, and exited through the narrow8 doors,”9 in this proclaiming beforehand the future things, because he who wishes to partake of the water of the garden ought to renounce the wide doors, and enter through the strait and narrow door10.
4. “And they did not see the elders, because they were hidden.”11 For just as then in the garden the devil was hidden in the serpent, in this way even now, after hiding himself in the elders he craves lust, so that again a second time he may destroy Eve.
5 Susannah 7
6 Lit: psalmed
7 Lit: paradise
8 Lit: side
9 Susannah 17-18
10 Matthew 7:13-14; Luke 13:24
11 Susannah 18
Chapter 20
1. “And it happened as the maidens went out, the elders also rose and ran to Susannah1 and said, ‘Behold, the doors of the garden are locked and no one sees us and we lust for you2 Therefore consent to use and lie3 with us. But if not, we will testify against you that a young man was with you and on account of this you sent the maidens away from you.’”4
2. O lawless rulers and leaders who are filled with diabolical activity!
3. Did Moses hand down these things to you? In this way, acknowledging5 the law do you teach other things? He who says to not commit adultery does he himself commit adultery? He who preaches not to murder, does he himself murder? He who says not to lust, do you wish to destroy your neighbor’s wife?
4. You say to me, rulers of Israel, “God, who has made all things, he does not see,” do you not? The day and the sun, do they not see your work? And the earth, which is defiled by you, does it not cry out?
5. Why do you, lawless ones, mislead a chaste and pure soul with lying words so that you might stir up your lust?
6. You are characteristic of the story of6 Naboth the Israelite, who did not consent to give his vineyard to Ahab, so that he could have7 a vegetable garden, and on account of this the righteous man, after being accused, was unrighteously killed.8
7. These things of yours from the beginning were shameless terrors1 on account of the deceiver who from the beginning was in you.
8. For with her there really was a youth from heaven2, who did not have intercourse with her, but came to her assistance.
1 Lit: her
2 Lit: we are in a lust of you
3 Lit: know
4 Susannah 19-21
5 Or: reading
6 Lit: You agree with the things of
7 Lit: there could be
8 1 Kings 21:1-14
1 Or: sufferings
2 Daniel
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