They called together all the elders of the city, and all their young men and their women ran to the assembly; and they set Ach′ior in the midst of all their people, and Uzzi′ah asked him what had happened.

And Uzzi′ah took him from the assembly to his own house and gave a banquet for the elders; and all that night they called on the God of Israel for help.

Then all the people, the young men, the women, and the children, gathered about Uzzi′ah and the rulers of the city and cried out with a loud voice, and said before all the elders,

Judith and the Elders

When Judith heard the wicked words spoken by the people against the ruler, because they were faint for lack of water, and when she heard all that Uzzi′ah said to them, and how he promised them under oath to surrender the city to the Assyrians after five days,

she sent her maid, who was in charge of all she possessed, to summon Chabris and Charmis, the elders of her city.

Then they went out to the city gate of Bethu′lia, and found Uzzi′ah standing there with the elders of the city, Chabris and Charmis.

When the men of her city heard her voice, they hurried down to the city gate and called together the elders of the city.

Because of her I shall have glory among the multitudes and honor in the presence of the elders, though I am young.

Stand in the assembly of the elders. Who is wise? Cleave to him.

Do not prattle in the assembly of the elders, nor repeat yourself in your prayer.

and in the hearing of the mighty men and the princes, and in the hearing of the elders, and in the hearing of all the people, small and great, all who dwelt in Babylon by the river Sud.

Susanna’s Beauty Attracts Two Elders

There was a man living in Babylon whose name was Jo′akim.

In that year two elders from the people were appointed as judges. Concerning them the Lord had said: “Iniquity came forth from Babylon, from elders who were judges, who were supposed to govern the people.”

The two elders used to see her every day, going in and walking about, and they began to desire her.

The Elders Attempt to Seduce Susanna

Once, while they were watching for an opportune day, she went in as before with only two maids, and wished to bathe in the garden, for it was very hot.

And no one was there except the two elders, who had hid themselves and were watching her.

They did as she said, shut the garden doors, and went out by the side doors to bring what they had been commanded; and they did not see the elders, because they were hidden.

When the maids had gone out, the two elders rose and ran to her, and said:

Then Susanna cried out with a loud voice, and the two elders shouted against her.

And when the elders told their tale, the servants were greatly ashamed, for nothing like this had ever been said about Susanna.

The Elders Testify against Susanna

The next day, when the people gathered at the house of her husband Jo′akim, the two elders came, full of their wicked plot to have Susanna put to death.

Then the two elders stood up in the midst of the people, and laid their hands upon her head.

The elders said, “As we were walking in the garden alone, this woman came in with two maids, shut the garden doors, and dismissed the maids.

The assembly believed them, because they were elders of the people and judges; and they condemned her to death.

Then all the people returned in haste. And the elders said to him, “Come, sit among us and inform us, for God has given you that right.”

And they rose against the two elders, for out of their own mouths Daniel had convicted them of bearing false witness;

rulers and elders groaned, maidens and young men became faint, the beauty of the women faded.

Nicanor Threatens the Temple

After these events Nica′nor went up to Mount Zion. Some of the priests came out of the sanctuary, and some of the elders of the people, to greet him peaceably and to show him the burnt offering that was being offered for the king.

When Jonathan heard this, he gave orders to continue the siege; and he chose some of the elders of Israel and some of the priests, and put himself in danger,

When Jonathan returned he convened the elders of the people and planned with them to build strongholds in Judea,

“King Deme′trius to Simon, the high priest and friend of kings, and to the elders and nation of the Jews, greeting.

This is a copy of the letter which the Spartans sent: “The rulers and the city of the Spartans to Simon the high priest and to the elders and the priests and the rest of the Jewish people, our brethren, greeting.

in As′aramel, in the great assembly of the priests and the people and the rulers of the nation and the elders of the country, the following was proclaimed to us:

After consulting privately with the elders, he determined to march out and decide the matter by the help of God before the king’s army could enter Judea and get possession of the city.

Razis Dies for His Country

A certain Razis, one of the elders of Jerusalem, was denounced to Nica′nor as a man who loved his fellow citizens and was very well thought of and for his good will was called father of the Jews.

Yet the elders of the Jews were dealt with kindly, for the providence of the Lord was over the captives;

“To King Darius, greeting. Let it be fully known to our lord the king that, when we went to the country of Judea and entered the city of Jerusalem, we found the elders of the Jews, who had been in captivity,

Then we asked these elders, ‘At whose command are you building this house and laying the foundations of this structure?’

So Darius commanded Sisinnes the governor of Syria and Phoenic′ia, and Sathrabuzanes, and their associates, and those who were appointed as local rulers in Syria and Phoenic′ia, to keep away from the place, and to permit Zerub′babel, the servant of the Lord and governor of Judea, and the elders of the Jews to build this house of the Lord on its site.

supervised the holy work with very great care, assisting the elders of the Jews and the chief officers of the temple.

and that if any did not meet there within two or three days, in accordance with the decision of the ruling elders, their cattle should be seized for sacrifice and the men themselves expelled from the multitude of those who had returned from the captivity.

with the elders and judges of each place, until we are freed from the wrath of the Lord over this matter.”

Philopator Attempts to Enter the Temple

Since the Jews had sent some of their council and elders to greet him, to bring him gifts of welcome, and to congratulate him on what had happened, he was all the more eager to visit them as soon as possible.

They shouted to their fellows to take arms and die courageously for the ancestral law, and created a considerable disturbance in the holy place; and being barely restrained by the old men and the elders, they resorted to the same posture of supplication as the others.

while the elders near the king tried in various ways to change his arrogant mind from the plan that he had conceived.

The Prayer of Eleazar

Then a certain Elea′zar, famous among the priests of the country, who had attained a ripe old age and throughout his life had been adorned with every virtue, directed the elders around him to cease calling upon the holy God and prayed as follows: