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Susanna

Biblical
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

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The pronunciation guide uses the ARPABET phonetic system—the same system used in speech recognition and text-to-speech applications.

Vowel Examples:
AE1 = cat, bat
EH1 = bed, head
IY1 = see, me
OW1 = go, boat
UW1 = boot, do
Stress Numbers:
0 = no stress (unstressed)
1 = primary stress (loud)
2 = secondary stress (medium)
Example:
AH0 TH IY1 N AH0
= a-THEE-na (Athena)

The stressed syllable (marked with 1) is pronounced louder and clearer than others.

Quick Definition

Righteous woman falsely accused by elders and vindicated by Daniel’s wisdom

Detailed Definition
Susanna, in the Apocrypha (Daniel 13), resisted seduction, was slandered, but saved by Daniel’s cross-examination. She exemplifies virtue and divine justice. In poetry, Susanna symbolizes innocence under threat, the power of truth to expose corruption, and feminine integrity in a hostile world—often invoked as a martyr of purity whose story champions judicial wisdom and moral courage.
Example
Example in poetry:
In the apocryphal “Susanna and the Elders,” Susanna’s integrity inspires feminist poetry about truth and justice; 17th-century devotional verse depicts Susanna as chaste woman vindicated by Daniel’s wisdom; Contemporary poems reclaim Susanna’s story as resistance to patriarchal accusation and voyeurism; In poems about divine justice, Susanna’s cry—“O God, who know secrets”—resonates as prayer for the falsely accused; Some liturgical works include Susanna in litanies of women who trusted God amid slander; Educational poems cite Susanna to teach about apocryphal literature and legal ethics.
Additional Notes
Susanna appears in the apocryphal addition to Daniel (Daniel 13) as a virtuous woman falsely accused of adultery by elders; her story, resolved by Daniel’s wisdom, highlights themes of justice, female integrity, and divine vindication; though not canonical in all traditions, Susanna is a powerful figure for poetry on gendered injustice, truth-telling, and the courage to resist false accusation.
Also Known As
Susanna the Disciple Susanna supporter of Jesus
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