Wednesday, February 23, 2011

The Importance of Shopping Around

   The American consumer has numerous options regarding where to shop for the product they are looking for, whether they choose to go to an actual store and see the product for themselves or shop via the internet, the choices we have can be almost mind blowing at times.   How are we to know which product is better than another?  Some people rely upon prior purchases in order to make future ones.  If they were happy with a given company's product and need to buy something else which that company would likely sell, they would probably be willing to go back to that same company to buy the other product as well.  The contrary is also true, if they were completely dissatisfied with a company’s product they would not only be unwilling to go back to that same company in the future, but would likely tell their friends and family about their negative experience and encourage them not to buy that company’s products as well.

   In the case of my own family, we had a great deal of success with General Electric appliances.  We had numerous GE appliances all over our home.  When one of those appliances finally got to the point that it was irreparable or we simply needed a new appliance, my parents would go out and purchase a new GE product based upon the company’s prior performance.

   Up until now, I have been writing about normal household items such as appliances, electronics, and so forth.  However, where does one go if they wish to purchase a portable expandable hole or a Batman suit which would allow them to fly or rocket propelled roller skates?  In that case, the market is much smaller.

    This became quite evident to the plaintiff in the case mentioned below.  While it is true that we never saw him send anyone any money or write a check for his purchases (actually he would simply place a letter in his mailbox and the item would appear in about 30 seconds or so), the fact is that this plaintiff had been injured numerous times using this particular company’s products.

    In most cases the product would work well initially, but when the time came that he actually put the product to use it would fail.  We have evidence of him following the instructions to the letter and then seeing the product backfire on him.

    The plaintiff was simply doing what came naturally to him and was attempting to catch his latest meal.   While this might not be the way that you and I would go about obtaining food, that should have no bearing on the case in question.

    Please take a few minutes to read the case of Coyote v.  Acme and see for yourself if the plaintiff is entitled to damages.

Coyote V. Acme
IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT,
SOUTHWESTERN DISTRICT, TEMPE, ARIZONA
CASE NO. B19294, JUDGE JOAN KUJAVA, PRESIDING
Wile E. Coyote, Plaintiff
-v.-
Acme Company, Defendant
Opening Statement of Mr. Harold Schoff, attorney for Mr. Coyote:
My client, Mr. Wile E. Coyote, a resident of Arizona and contiguous states, does hereby bring suit for damages against the Acme Company, manufacturer and retail distributor of assorted merchandise, incorporated in Delaware and doing business in every state, district, and territory. Mr. Coyote seeks compensation for personal injuries, loss of business income, and mental suffering caused as a direct result of the actions and/or gross negligence of said company, under Title 15 of the United States Code, Chapter 47, section 2072, subsection (a), relating to product liability.
Mr. Coyote states that on eighty-five separate occasions he has purchased from the Acme Company (hereinafter, "Defendant"), through that company's mail-order department, certain products which did cause him bodily injury due to defects in manufacture or improper cautionary labeling. Sales slips made out to Mr. Coyote as proof of purchase are at present in the possession of the Court, marked Exhibit A. Such injuries sustained by Mr. Coyote have temporarily restricted his ability to make a living in his profession of a predator. Mr. Coyote is self-employed and thus not eligible for Workmen's Compensation.
Mr. Coyote states that on December 13th he received from the Defendant via parcel post one Acme Rocket Sled. The intention of Mr. Coyote was to use the Rocket Sled to aid him in the pursuit of his prey. Upon receipt of the Rocket Sled Mr. Coyote removed it from its wooden shipping crate and, sighting his prey in the distance, activated the ignition. As Mr. Coyote gripped the handlebars, the Rocket Sled accelerated with such sudden and precipitate force as to stretch Mr. Coyote's forelimbs to a length of fifty feet. Subsequently, the rest of Mr. Coyote's body shot forward with a violent jolt, causing severe strain to his back and neck and placing him unexpectedly astride the Rocket Sled. Disappearing over the horizon at such speed as to leave a diminishing jet trail along its path, the Rocket Sled soon brought Mr. Coyote abreast of his prey. At that moment the animal he was pursuing veered sharply to the right. Mr. Coyote vigorously attempted to follow this maneuver but was unable to, due to poorly designed steering on the Rocket Sled and a faulty or nonexistent braking system. Shortly thereafter, the unchecked progress of the Rocket Sled brought it and Mr. Coyote into collision with the side of a mesa.
Paragraph One of the Report of Attending Physician (Exhibit B), prepared by Dr. Ernest Grosscup, M.D., D.O., details the multiple fractures, contusions, and tissue damage suffered by Mr. Coyote as a result of this collision. Repair of the injuries required a full bandage around the head (excluding the ears), a neck brace, and full or partial casts of all four legs.
Hampered by these injuries, Mr. Coyote was nevertheless obliged to support himself. With this in mind, he purchased from the Defendant, as an aid to mobility, one pair of Acme Rocket Skates. When he attempted to use this product; however, he became involved in an accident remarkably similar to that which occurred with the Rocket Sled. Again, Defendant sold over the counter, without caveat, a product which attached powerful jet engines (in this case, two) to inadequate vehicles, with little or no provision for passenger safety. Encumbered by his heavy casts, Mr. Coyote lost control of the Rocket Skates soon after strapping them on, and collided with a roadside billboard to violently as to leave a hole in the shape of his full silhouette.
Mr. Coyote states that on occasions too numerous to list in this document he has suffered mishaps with explosives purchased from Defendant: the Acme "Little Giant" Firecracker, the Acme Self-Guided Aerial Bomb, etc. (For a full listing, see the Acme Mail Order Explosives Catalogue and attached deposition, entered in evidence as Exhibit C.) Indeed, it is safe to say that not once has an explosive purchased from the Defendant by Mr. Coyote performed in an expected manner. To cite just one example: At the expense of much time and personal effort, Mr. Coyote constructed around the outer rim of a butte a wooden trough beginning at the top of the butte and spiraling downward around it to some few feet above a black X painted on the desert floor. The trough was designed in such a way that a spherical explosive of the type sold by Defendant would roll easily and swiftly down to the point of detonation indicated by the X. Mr. Coyote placed a generous pile of birdseed directly on the X, and then, carrying the spherical Acme Bomb (Catalog #78-832), climbed to the top of the butte. Mr. Coyote's prey, seeing the birdseed, approached, and Mr. Coyote proceeded to light the fuse. In an instant, the fuse burned down to the stem, causing the bomb to detonate.
In addition to reducing all Mr. Coyote's careful preparations to naught, the premature detonation of Defendant's product resulted in the following disfigurements to Mr. Coyote:
1
Severe singeing of the hair on the head, neck, and muzzle.
2
Sooty discoloration.
3
Fracture of the left ear at the stem, causing the ear to dangle in the aftershock with a creaking noise.
4
Full or partial combustion of whiskers, producing kinking, frazzling, and ashy disintegration.
5
Radical widening of the eyes, due to brow and lid charring.
We now come to the Acme Spring-Powered Shoes. The remains of a pair of these purchased by Mr. Coyote on June 23rd are Plaintiff's Exhibit D. Selected fragments have been shipped to the metallurgical laboratories of the University of California at Santa Barbara for analysis, but to date no explanation has been found for this product's sudden and extreme malfunction. As advertised by Defendant, this product is simplicity itself: two wood-and-metal sandals, each attached to milled-steel springs of high tensile strength and compressed in a tightly coiled position by a cocking device with a lanyard release. Mr. Coyote believed that this product would enable him to pounce upon his prey in the initial moments of his chase, when swift reflexes are at a premium.
To increase the shoes' thrusting power still further, Mr. Coyote affixed them by their bottoms to the side of a large boulder. Adjacent to the boulder was a path which Mr. Coyote's prey was known to frequent. Mr. Coyote put his hind feet in the wood-and-metal sandals and crouched in readiness, his right forepaw holding firmly to the lanyard release. Within a short time Mr. Coyote's prey did indeed appear on the path coming toward him. Unsuspecting, the prey stopped near Mr. Coyote, well within range of the springs at full extension. Mr. Coyote gauged the distance with care and proceeded to pull the lanyard release.
At this point, Defendant's product should have thrust Mr. Coyote forward and away from the boulder. Instead, for reasons yet unknown, the Acme Spring-Powered Shoes thrust the boulder away from Mr. Coyote. As the intended prey looked on unharmed, Mr. Coyote hung suspended in air. Then the twin springs recoiled, bringing Mr. Coyote to a violent feet-first collision with the boulder, the full weight of his head of forequarters falling upon his lower extremities.
The force of this impact then caused the springs to rebound, whereupon Mr. Coyote was thrust skyward. A second recoil and collision followed. The boulder, meanwhile, which was roughly ovoid in shape, had begun to bounce down a hillside, the coiling and recoiling of the springs adding to its velocity. At each bounce, Mr. Coyote came into contact with the boulder, or the boulder came into contact with Mr. Coyote, or both came into contact with the ground. As the grade was a long one, this process continued for some time.
The sequence of collisions resulted in systemic physical damage to Mr. Coyote, viz., flattening of the cranium, sideways displacement of the tongue, reduction of length of legs and upper body, and compression of vertebrae from base of tail to head. Repetition of blows along a vertical axis produced a series of regular horizontal folds in Mr. Coyote's body tissues---a rare and painful condition which caused Mr. Coyote to expand upward and contract downward alternately as he walked, and to emit an off-key, accordion like wheezing with every step. The distracting and embarrassing nature of this symptom has been a major impediment to Mr. Coyote's pursuit of a normal social life.
As the Court is no doubt aware, Defendant has a virtual monopoly of manufacture and sale of goods required by Mr. Coyote's work. It is our contention that Defendant has used its market advantage to the detriment of the consumer of such specialized products as itching powder, giant kites, Burmese tiger traps, anvils, and two-hundred-foot-long rubber bands. Much as he has come to mistrust Defendant's products, Mr. Coyote has no other domestic source of supply to which to turn. One can only wonder what our trading partners in Western Europe and Japan would make of such a situation, where a giant company is allowed to victimize the consumer in the most reckless and wrongful manner over and over again.
Mr. Coyote respectfully requests that the Court regard these larger economic implications and assess punitive damages in the amount of seventeen million dollars. In addition, Mr. Coyote seeks actual damages (missed meals, medical expenses, days lost from professional occupation) of one million dollars; general damages (mental suffering, injury to reputation) of twenty million dollars; and attorney's fees of seven hundred and fifty thousand dollars. Total damages: thirty-eight million seven hundred and fifty thousand dollars. By awarding Mr. Coyote the full amount, this Court will censure Defendant, its directory, officers, shareholders, successors, and assigns, in the only language they understand, and reaffirm the right of the individual predator to equal protection under the law.

Ian Frazier, The New Yorker, February 26, 1990, p. 42--43.

   It seems to me that seventeen million dollars might be reasonable compensation for Mr. Coyote given all of his pain and suffering.   Does the Acme Company really want all the bad publicity that goes along with injuring a television star such as Mr. Coyote?  I think not!

   What’s your opinion?  Should Mr. Coyote receive financial damages or not?  Remember, while it is important to shop around before purchasing a product, he does not have any other options since no one else offers the products he is looking for besides Acme.












Hagar: Mother of Abraham’s Eldest Son

   Hagar is someone about whom very little is known, but she is someone who had a major impact on an entire group of people, namely those who follow the Prophet Muhammad.  We know more about Sarah since she is a rather central character in the Book of Genesis.  Even though very little is known about Hagar, she is an interesting figure because of her relationship to Abraham.
    We first encounter her in Genesis 16.  Sarah was barren and an old woman. She knew how important it was that she provided Abraham with an heir to carry on the covenant, so she gave her servant Hagar to Abraham as a concubine (second wife) knowing that any child born to Hagar would be her child according to Ancient Near East custom.  
   Hagar conceived and in no time at all there was tension between these two women.  Sarah goes to Abraham and says, “May the wrong done to me be on you!  I gave my slave girl to your embrace and when she saw that she had conceived, she looked on me with contempt.  May the Lord judge between you and me!”  It must have been extremely painful for Sarah to come to the realization that it was not Abraham who was incapable of producing a child, but it was because of some personal issue of her own.  The shame of being childless must have been overwhelming for her.  The slightest glance from this slave girl could easily have been taken as a sign of contempt by Sarah. 
   The challenge is that she does not immediately confront Hagar, but rather she confronts Abraham.  He did not do anything wrong.  Sarah encouraged him to have relations with Hagar and he agreed, but now that Sarah feels slighted she attacks Abraham.  He responds by telling her that Hagar is in her power and she should do as she pleases.  Sarah dealt harshly with Hagar, so Hagar decided to run away.
    Here we have this pregnant Egyptian slave girl roaming through the desert, perhaps on her way back to Egypt when she is found by an angel of God by a spring of water in the wilderness.  The angel asks her where she is coming from and where she is going.  She said, “I am running away from my mistress Sarah.”  The angel said to her, “Return to your mistress and submit to her.” The angel also said, “I will so greatly multiply your offspring that they cannot be counted.”  This is the very same promise that God made to Abraham earlier. The angel continued,
“Now you have conceived and shall bear a son; you shall call him Ishmael 1, for the Lord has given heed to your afflictions.  He shall be a wild ass of a man, with his hand against everyone and everyone’s hand against him; and he shall live at odds with all his kin.”
   If I were about to become a father and the mother of my child ran away into the desert with no provisions, I would be beside myself with worry.  However, there is no emotion shown by Abraham when she returns.  I realize that she is a slave girl; however, she is also the mother of his child and his second wife. The only details we receive from the text are that Hagar bore Abraham a son, and named him Ishmael.  Abraham was eighty-six years old when Ishmael was born.
   In the intervening chapters we read about Abraham being visited by three men/angels who tell him that when they return the same time the following year his wife Sarah would have a child of her own.  Sarah laughed at the idea of becoming a mother at such an advanced age, but the man/angel told her that “nothing is impossible for God”.  Then we read of the birth of Isaac in the beginning of Chapter 21.
   After Isaac had grown, Abraham made a great feast on the occasion of his son being weaned.  Sarah saw Ishmael playing with Isaac, so she said to Abraham, “Cast out this slave woman with her son; for the son of this slave woman shall not inherit along with my son Isaac.”  Abraham was greatly distressed over this, but God said to him, “Do not be distressed because of the boy and your slave woman; whatever Sarah says to you, do as she tells you, for it is through Isaac that offspring shall be named for you. As for the son of the slave woman, I will make a great nation of him also, because he is your offspring.” (Gen. 21:12-13)  Abraham rose early in the morning, and took bread and a skin of water, and putting Ishmael on Hagar’s shoulder, he sent them both away.  Hagar departed and they wandered in the wilderness of Beer-sheba.  
   What was Abraham feeling at this moment? Sure, God told him to follow Sarah’s directive and send the boy and his mother away, but this is his son and she is his wife.  There is no mention of any emotions on the part of Abraham. Did he kiss them goodbye, promise to pray for them, and wish them well?  We do not know.  There is no mention that Abraham even watched them leave the camp and head off into the wilderness.  Surely a loaf of bread and a skin of water will not last all that long in the harsh desert surroundings!
   When the water in the skin was gone, she cast the child under one of the brushes. Then she went and sat down opposite him, a good way off, about the distance of a bowshot; for she said, “Do not let me look on the death of the child.”  As she sat near him, she lifted up her voice and wept. God heard the boy, and the angel of God called to Hagar from heaven saying, “What troubles you, Hagar?  Do not be afraid; for God has heard the voice of the boy where he is. Come, lift up the boy and hold him fast with your hand, for I will make a great nation of him.”  Then God opened her eyes and she saw a well of water. She went and filled the skin with water, and gave the boy a drink.  
  God was with the boy, and he grew up and lived in the wilderness, and became an expert with the bow. He lived in the wilderness of Paran, and his mother got a wife for him from the land of Egypt. This is the last mention of Hagar in the Book of Genesis.  What became of her after her son grew up?   We have no idea.
   It was probably during this period that Hebrew women enjoyed greatest freedom and prestige. The stories in Genesis and Exodus show them as independent, strong, and smart, displaying leadership and initiative. The women in these stories almost always got their way when they wanted something.
This was because women were necessary for the survival of the tribe, and they knew it. They performed a wide range of tasks without which the clan or family simply could not have managed. They moved freely in society, were not confined within the home, and seem to have spoken and acted confidently.
  Their contribution to the culture of the time was significant. The stories as we have them in the Bible were edited much later by male priests, but there are hints that women had a thriving cultural tradition of their own. These stories dealt with families, children, food, security/safety and home-places, all things related to women’s lives, and scholars suggest that many of the stories of Genesis were originally women’s stories, preserved by women down the centuries. 2
   Even though Hagar is not mentioned all that often in the Bible, she did give birth to Abraham’s eldest son and he too received the same blessing from God that his father received.  There is a midrashic (Jewish folklore) tale that Keturah, the woman Abraham marries following the death of Sarah (Gen. 25:1-6) was actually Hagar who had returned to him and perhaps had been given a new name wherever she had settled.
    Hagar may not have been one whose grandson had become the father of the twelve tribes of Israel; however, she certainly was faithful to God.  When the angel told her to return and submit to Sarah she did so and she was rewarded by God with a son who became the father of a great nation.

                                                  End Notes

1) The name, Ishmael, in Hebrew means “God heard”.
2) “Hagar”





Tuesday, February 22, 2011

She Trusted in God and Prevailed

   For modern readers, if the details of a story do not fit within a particular time-line or the content seems so unbelievable as to be impossible, it is believed that this story is fiction.  Fiction generally lends itself to the belief that the story is not true, so the content should be understood as simply a story.  This was not necessarily true for those who were alive at the time that the Bible stories were written. 
    The Book of Judith tells the story of a woman who trusted in God so completely that she was able to overcome her enemies and save her town from the wrath of the Assyrian army.  The historical facts are actually more of a compilation than an actual time-line.  Some of the events may have been taken out of order and others would not have occurred at this point in history; however, that is not important to the story. 
    Also, Judith is not contained in the canon of the Hebrew Scriptures, which is an interesting point given her role in helping to overcome the Assyrians.  The reason for this is that there is no original Hebrew manuscript of this story, since it was written in Greek.  The unknown author was writing to the Jews in the diaspora (those who had been brought to Babylon by King Nebuchadnezzar in 586 BC). 
   The story begins with King Arphaxad having built a wall fifty cubits high, fifty cubits wide, three cubits thick, and six cubits long built around the Median city of Ecbatana. Then the king waged war against King Nebuchadnezzar of Assyria.  Nebuchadnezzar sent an order to all the areas around Ecbatana asking for assistance, but the whole region disregarded the order. They sent back his messengers empty-handed and in disgrace.
   Without any outside assistance the Assyrians fought against Arphaxad and defeated him in battle.  He took control of Ecbatana, captured its towers, and plundered its markets.  He captured Arphaxad in the mountains of Ragau and struck him down with a spear.  Then Nebuchadnezzar returned to Nineveh, capital city of Babylon, and there he and his troops rested and feasted for one hundred and twenty days.
   After the feast was over, Nebuchadnezzar decided that he would teach the nations of the west a lesson for not supporting him in battle.  He told his general, Holofernes, to take one hundred twenty thousand soldiers and twelve thousand cavalrymen and march against all the nations of the west which refused to help the Assyrians.  If the nation yields itself to Holofernes, he is to hold them captive until the king arrives, otherwise he is to destroy and plunder the city. 
   Holofernes takes one hundred twenty thousand soldiers, twelve thousand archers on horseback, an enormous quantity of camels, donkeys, and mules for transport, and countless numbers of sheep, oxen, and goat for food as well as ample rations for everyone and a large amount of silver and gold. Holofernes and his army attacked one city after another as they headed west from Nineveh.  Tyre and Sidon were so afraid that they offered their entire city and all its people and contents to Holofernes rather than face his wrath.
  The city of Judea received word that Holofernes and his army were on their way and the people were extremely scared.  They immediately went out and secured all the hilltops as a defense against the Assyrians.  The high priest, Joakim, told them to seize the mountain passes since that would cut off access to the city.  They were deeply concerned that not only the city, but the Temple in Jerusalem, would be lost if Holofernes succeeded.  Everyone in the city put on sackcloth and prayed to God that the city might be spared.  They even draped the altar in sackcloth and prayed to God that the city would not be plundered and the people taken away as slaves. 
   Holofernes received word that the Israelites were preparing for war.  They had closed down the mountain passes and secured the hilltops.  The general called together all the princes of Moab, the commanders of Ammon, and the governors of the coastland and asked, “What people is this that live in the hill country?  What towns do they inhabit?  How large is their army and in what does their power and strength consist?  Why have they alone, of all the people living in the region, refused to come out and meet me?” (Judith 5:3-4) 
   Then Achior, leader of the Ammonites, explained to Holofernes the history of how these people had left the area of Chaldea and went to Mesopotamia.  How they left there and went to Egypt and how their God heard their cry while they were being exploited in Egypt and they were finally released and that after crossing the Jordan they took control of all of the hill country. 
   He told the general that as long as these people remained faithful to their God He would support them and if the Assyrians go up against them while they have their God’s support the Assyrians would be the laughingstock of the world.
   Needless to say, Holofernes was not happy hearing this.  He was angry that Achior had suggested that he not make war against the Israelites because their God would defend them.  For Holofernes, there was no other god but King Nebuchadnezzar.  He ordered that Achior be taken from his sight, bound, and turned over to the Israelites. 
   The Israelites came down from their city, found Achior, and took him back with them.  Achior sat down in the midst of all the people and told them what had taken place in Holofernes’ war council.  When the people heard this, they cried out to God for deliverance from their enemies.  They reassured Achior, and praised him highly.  King Uzziah 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.
   The next day Holofernes ordered all of his men to move against Bethulia, the city of King Uzziah.  The people went out, stripped the land clear, seized their weapons, kindled fires in the towers, and remained on guard all night. 
   On the second day, the leader of the Moabites came to Holofernes and offered him a plan so that none of the Assyrians would be lost and the city of Bethulia would fall quickly.  He suggested that they send some of their men north into the hill country to make sure that the Israelites could not escape and that they cut off their water supply.  This would force the Israelites to surrender once their people began dying of thirst and hunger in the streets.  Holofernes liked this suggestion and he did as the Moabites had recommended.
   The Israelites once again called out to God, because their courage had failed.  Their cisterns were dry, water was being rationed, their children were becoming listless and the young men and woman were fainting in the streets from a lack of water.  The people began to turn against Uzziah saying, “You have done us a great injury by not making peace with the Assyrians.”  Even though the people were losing hope, King Uzziah said, “Courage, my brothers and sisters!  Let us hold out for five more days; by that time the Lord our God will turn his mercy to us again, for He will not forsake us utterly.  However, if these days pass by and no help comes for us, I will do as you say.” 
   In the town of Bethulia there was a young widow named Judith whose husband, Manasseh, had died earlier during the barley harvest of heat stroke.  Manasseh had left her well provided for.  She was not only financially well off, but beautiful in appearance.  No one spoke ill of her, for she feared God with great devotion.
   When Judith heard what had been said by the elders of Bethulia she asked to meet with them.  She said, “Men of Bethulia, what you have said is not right! You have sworn an oath and promised to surrender the town if God does not help us within so many days.  If you cannot understand the workings of the human mind, how can you possibly understand the mind of God? You cannot put God to the test.” 
   Judith then suggested that she and the leaders should serve as an example to the people.  She suggested that in spite of everything which they had said they should thank God and keep in mind what God had done to their ancestors, like Abraham and Jacob. How He had put them to the test and then delivered them.
   King Uzziah said that everything Judith said was true and that she had shown her wisdom many times before.  He explained why he made the oath and said, “Since you are a God fearing woman, pray for us, so that the Lord may send us rain to fill our cisterns.” 
   Judith said, “Stand at the city gates tonight so that I may go out with my maid; and in the days after which you have promised to surrender the town to our enemies, the Lord will deliver Israel by my hand.  Only, do not try to find out what I am doing; for I will not tell you until I have finished what I am about to do.” She then returned home and prayed to God that He might give the Assyrians into her hands.
    After praying to God, Judith bathed herself, anointed herself with precious oils, put on the festive garments she wore for her husband, put sandals on her feet, and made herself look very beautiful.  When King Uzziah and the elders saw her at the town gate dressed as she was they were astonished by her appearance and said, “May the God of our ancestors grant you favor and fulfill your plans, so that the people of Israel may glory and Jerusalem be exalted.”
  They opened the town gates and kept watch over Judith and her maid until they could no longer see them.  As the women were going along through the valley, an Assyrian patrol met up with them and took them into custody.  They asked her to what people did she belong?  Where was she coming from and where was she going?  Judith told them that she was a Hebrew from Bethulia, but that she was fleeing because they were planning to hand the town over to the Assyrians.  
   When the men heard what she had said and saw how beautiful she was they said that she had done the right thing by coming down to see their lord.  They took her to the tent of Holofernes.  They told her not to go in fear because he would not hurt her once she told him what she had said to them.
   They sent one hundred men to escort Judith and her maid to Holofernes.  The men came out from their tents to see her.  They admired her beauty and judged the people of Bethulia based upon her appearance.  They wondered how anyone could despise such a place which has women such as these.
   The men brought Judith to the tent of Holofernes.  When she came into his presence, he marveled at her appearance.  She prostrated herself before him, but his slaves raised her up.  He said, “Take courage, woman, for I have never hurt anyone who chose to serve Nebuchadnezzar, king of all the earth.”  He told her that no one would hurt her.  Judith praised him for his wisdom and skill and his leadership as a warrior. 
   She then recounted what Achior had told the city elders. She confirmed what Achior had said to him regarding the fact that her people could not be defeated if they have not turned away from God.  She then said that since their food supply had run out they were prepared to kill their livestock and eat what was not permitted in the sight of the Lord so they are planning on sinning before Him.  Holofernes was pleased to hear this and marveled at her wisdom.  He told her that God was right for bringing her to him and that she would now live in the palace of King Nebuchadnezzar and be renowned throughout the world.
   Holofernes ordered that silverware be brought to his tent and a table be set for them so they could share his finest delicacies. She said that she could not eat what was set before her because it would be an offense against God; however, she had brought enough food to supply both herself and her maid.
   On the fourth day, Holofernes held a banquet for his personal assistants, but none of his officers were invited. He ordered his eunuch to ask Judith to attend the banquet.  The eunuch invited her and she said, “Who am I to refuse my lord?  Whatever pleases him I will do at once, and it will be a joy to me until the day of my death.” (Judith 12:14)  So she got dressed for the banquet. Her maid set out the lambskin which was given to Judith for reclining and Judith entered Holofernes’ tent.  Holofernes was greatly pleased that she had come to the banquet and he drank so much wine that he got drunk. 
   When evening came his slaves withdrew from the tent.  The slaves went to bed since they were tired after taking care of the banquet which had lasted a long time.  Judith was left alone with Holofernes in his tent; however, he was completely drunk.
   She told her maid to stand outside the bedchamber and wait for her to come out, for she was going to pray.  Then Judith, standing by his bed, said in her heart, “O Lord God of all might, look in this hour on the work of my hands for the exaltation of Jerusalem.  Now indeed is the time to help your heritage and to carry out my design to destroy the enemies who have risen up against us.” 
   She went up to the bedpost near his head, and took down his sword that hung there.  She came close to the bed, took hold of his hair, and said, “Give me strength today, O Lord God of Israel.”  Then she struck his neck twice with all her might, and cut off his head.  Next she rolled his body off the bed and pulled down the canopy from the posts.  Soon afterward she went out and gave Holofernes’ head to her maid, who placed it in her food bag. 
   The two of them left the camp, circled around the valley and returned to Bethulia.  The entire town came out to meet them.  They lit a fire and offered praise to God for destroying their enemies.  Then she pulled Holofernes’ head out of the food bag and showed it to them.  She said, “Here is the head of Holofernes, the commander of the Assyrian army, and here is the canopy beneath which he lay in his drunken stupor. The Lord has struck him down by the hand of a woman.  As the Lord lives, who has protected me in the way I went, I swear that it was my face that seduced him to his destruction, and that he committed no sin with me to defile or shame me.” 
   The people were both amazed and delighted.  Uzziah told her that because of what she had done she was blessed among all women on earth and that she would always be remembered by the people of Bethulia. 
  Judith then told them to get their weapons ready because once morning comes the Assyrian army will be in a panic after finding their general’s body. At that point the Israelites can attack the Assyrians and defeat their enemy.  She then asked that they bring Achior before her so that he could see Holofernes’ head and know that he had been killed.
   Achior fell at Judith’s feet.  She then told him all that she had done from the moment she left the town gates until her return with the general’s head.  When Achior saw all that the God of Israel had done, he believed firmly in God.  He was circumcised and became a member of the house of Israel.
    The Israelites then moved against the Assyrians after dawn.  The men said to the eunuch, “Wake up our lord, for the slaves are so bold as to come down to make war with us.”  The eunuch went in and knocked at the tent entrance.  When no one answered he entered the bedchamber and found Holofernes lying on the floor dead.  Then they went to Judith’s tent and when they did not find her they said, “The slaves have tricked us! One Hebrew woman has brought disgrace on the house of Nebuchadnezzar.  Look, Holofernes is lying on the ground, and his head is missing!”
   When the Assyrian army heard what had happened, the men fled in fear. The Israelite army rushed toward them and defeated the fleeing Assyrians.  The rest of the people entered the camp and plundered it.  
   After their victory, the high priest, Joakim, came from Jerusalem to honor Judith for all that she had done.  He said, “You are the glory of Jerusalem, you are the great boast of Israel, you are the great pride of one nation.  You have done all this with your own hand, you have done great good in Israel and God is well pleased with it.  May the Almighty Lord bless you forever!”  All the people responded, “Amen!”
   All the women came to see Judith. She took ivy wands in her hands and distributed them among the women as they danced for her.  There was much rejoicing, for God had defeated a great army and given them into the hands of this woman.
   Judith is not a warrior, but she overcomes one of the great warriors of the ancient world. She does so by using the gifts she has: beauty, intelligence, and ruthless cunning.
   She is a symbol of the Jewish people, surrounded throughout its history by huge and fearsome kingdoms. Like the Jewish people, Judith's safety is threatened. Besieged by powerful enemies and apparently helpless, she nevertheless overcomes her enemy by relying on God's help and using her own wits and natural assets. 1
  The fact that Judith is financially well off makes her a rather unique character in terms of the women of the Bible.  In Ancient Near Eastern culture a widow would have been taken care of by the entire community, if she did not remarry; however, here is a woman who not only did not remarry but was able to provide for herself and her maid.  The fact that she was rather wealthy also gave her a certain amount of prominence in the community which also gave her access to King Uzziah and the town elders.
  While Judith may have used her feminine charm in order to beguile Holofernes and eventually end his life, the fact remains that she was a very devout woman who did nothing at all without praying about it first and relying upon God for a positive outcome.  Therefore, she is a role model for all of us regarding the importance of relying upon God for all that we need.

                                                             End Notes

1)    “Judith”


The Bible’s Most Famous Courtroom Drama

   In the Greek version of the Bible, the story of Susanna appears as chapter thirteen of the Book of Daniel.  This is an interesting thing since from chapters one to twelve we have read various stories introducing us to Daniel and now in chapter thirteen we are being introduced to a very young Daniel.  According to some sources, this story may actually have appeared as chapter one of the Book of Daniel at some point since it introduces us to this character when he was much younger.
   The writing style of the Book of Daniel is known as apocalyptic.  It deals with matters of the end-time and was written either just prior to or perhaps just after the birth of Jesus.  Chapter 12, for example, deals with a Jewish understanding of the resurrection of the dead. 
   The story of Susanna is certainly not unique to the Book of Daniel.  In very modern times this could easily have been made into an episode for the television shows, “Perry Mason” or “Matlock”.  The story has everything that a good courtroom drama should have, lying, power, sex, intrigue, and deceit.  This story, or one similar to it, may have been circulating around for quite a while before it was added into Daniel. 
    This story is designed to be read as fiction.  The lack of character development is an indication that this story may not have been based upon the life of a woman named, Susanna, but may have been a collection of several similar stories which were put together into one and the main character given a name.
   Our story begins with us being introduced to Joakim; a man living in Babylon, who married the daughter of Hilkiah, whose name was Susanna, a very beautiful and virtuous woman.  Her parents were righteous and had trained Susanna according to the laws of Moses.  Therefore, they were devout Jews.  Joakim was a very rich man who had a fine garden adjoining his house.  As a result of his status he was often visited by various other Jews on a regular basis.
   In the same year, two elders were appointed as judges.  Concerning them the Lord had said, “Wickedness came forth from Babylon, from elders who were judges, who were supposed to govern the people.” These men were frequently at Joakim’s house and everyone who had a case which they wished to be heard came to these two men.
   When the people left at noon, Susanna would go for a walk in the garden. Every day the two elders used to see her.  They suppressed their consciences and turned away their eyes from looking at Heaven remembering their duty to administer justice.  Both were overwhelmed with passion for her, but they did not tell each other of their distress, for they were ashamed to disclose their lustful desires to seduce her.  Day after day they watched eagerly to seduce her.
   One day they said to each other, “Let us go home, for it is time for lunch.” However, both turned back, independently of each other, and when they finally met up together again they told each other of their feelings for Susanna.  Then they both arranged for a time when they could find her alone.
   Then the day came when they had their opportunity.  Susanna was in the garden with her two maids.  She asked for some olive oil and ointments and told the maids to close the garden door so she could bathe.  The maids closed the door and returned to the house to get the olive oil and ointments, but they did not see the elders because they were hiding. 
    After the maids left the two elders ran to Susanna and said, “Look, the garden door is shut, and no one can see us.  We are burning with desire for you; so give your consent and be with us.  If you refuse, we will testify against you that a young man was with you, and that is why you sent your maids away.” 
   Rather than submit to these men, Susanna shouted out and when the people in the house heard the shouts they rushed to the garden to see what was going on.  The elders told them that Susanna had been there with a young man and the maids were very much ashamed because nothing like this had ever happened before with Susanna. 
   The next day, when the people gathered at Joakim’s house the two elders came with them, intent on having Susanna put to death.  In the presence of the people they said, “Send for Susanna, daughter of Hilkiah, the wife of Joakim.” So they sent for her.  She came with her parents and all her relatives.
   Susanna was a very beautiful, refined woman. She came to court veiled, but the judges demanded that her veil be removed, so that they might see her beautiful face.  Everyone who was there, aside from the judges, was weeping.
   The two judges stood up and laid their hands on her head.  Through her tears she looked up to Heaven, for she trusted in God.  The elders said, “While we were walking in the garden alone, this woman came in with her two maids, shut the garden door, and dismissed the maids. Then a young man, who was hiding there, came toward her to lie with her.  We were in the corner of the garden, and when we saw this wickedness we ran to them.  Although we saw them embracing, we could not hold the man, because he was stronger than both of us, so he opened the garden door and ran away.  We did; however, seize this woman and asked her who the young man was, but she would not tell us.  These things we testify.” (Daniel 13:34)
   Since these two men were both elders and judges the people believed him and condemned Susanna to death. Then Susanna cried out, “O Eternal God, you know what is secret and are aware of all things before they come to be; you know that these men have given false evidence against me.  Now I am to die; though I have done none of these things which they have charged against me.” 
   The Lord heard her cry.  Just as she was about to be led off to execution, God stirred up the holy spirit of a young man named Daniel, and he shouted with a loud voice, “I want no part in shedding this woman’s blood.” 
   All the people turned toward Daniel and asked, “What is this you are saying?” He said to them, “Are you such fools, O Israelites, as to condemn a daughter of Israel without examination and with learning the facts?  Return to court, for these men have given false testimony against her.”
   So everyone returned to court.  The rest of the elders said to him, “Come, sit among us and inform us, for god has given you the understanding of an elder.” Daniel said to them, “Separate them far from each other, and I will examine them.”
   After separating the two judges, Daniel summoned one of them and said, “You relic of wicked days, your sins have now come home, which you have committed in the past, pronouncing unjust judgments, condemning the innocent and acquitting the guilty, though the Lord said, ‘You shall not put an innocent and righteous person to death.’ Now, then, if you really saw this woman, tell me this: Under what kind of tree did you see them being intimate with each other?”  The judge said, “Under a Mastic tree.”  Daniel said, “Very well!  This lie has cost you your head, for the angel of God has received the sentence from God and will immediately cut you in two.”
   Then, after putting the first judge to one side, he asked that the other judge be brought in.  Daniel said to him, “You offspring of Canaan and not of Judah, beauty has beguiled you and lust has perverted your heart.  This is how you have been treating the daughters of Israel, and they were intimate with you through fear; but a daughter of Judah would not tolerate your wickedness.  Now then, tell me: Under what tree did you catch them being intimate with each other?”  He said, “Under an evergreen oak.”  Daniel said, “Very well!  This lie has cost you your head, for the angel of God is waiting with his sword to split you in two so as to destroy you both.” 
   Everyone there raised a loud cry and blessed God, who saves those who hope in Him.  They took action against the two elders, because out of their own mouths Daniel had convicted them of bearing false witness; they did to them as they had wicked planned to do to their neighbor.  Acting in accord with the Law of Moses, they put them to death. Thus innocent blood was spared that day. 
   Hilkiah and his wife praised God for their daughter and so did her husband Joakim and all her relatives because she was found innocent of a shameful deed.  From that day onward, Daniel had a great reputation among the people.
   After reading this account of the story, one can see why this may have been placed in chapter one of the Book of Daniel instead of chapter 13, since it gives us a great insight into Daniel’s character, so we would come to expect that many of the things discussed later in the book would have come to pass.
   One thing, among others, which was very disturbing, was the fact that the entire original court case violated Jewish law.  According to Jewish law, a person could only be condemned to death following the testimony of two or three witnesses.  The people bringing the charge against someone were not to be considered witnesses, for the obvious reason that they have a vested interest in proving their own case. 
   There was no attempt on the part of these two elders to bring in some young man and tell the people that this was the young man that Susanna was with.  Even though they claimed to have been walking around the garden, the maids were never called as witnesses to determine if they ever saw these two men there. 
   We are informed early on in the story that Susanna is a righteous woman and yet no one is brought forth to testify as to her character.  Had it not been for Daniel speaking out the way he did, she would have been condemned to death by a court which was convened in her own home. 
   We are told, concerning these elders, that the Lord had said, “Wickedness came forth from Babylon, from elders who were judges, who were supposed to govern the people.”  This was stated even before the account of the trial. How did these two men become judges in the first place based upon their character?  
   It is easy to see, however, why this story has maintained its appeal through the ages. It follows the genre of “an innocent woman falsely accused” that is saved by “the wisdom and intelligence of a young judge.” The name of this judge was Daniel, but it really could have been anyone. Daniel is not essential to the details of the story. It also gives a glimpse of Jewish life during the exile. Some scholars are surprised that a Jew could have risen to such wealth in so short a time, but admit that such a possibility exists. It is also noteworthy that the Jews were, to some extent, self-governing and adherents of the Law of Moses. The secular aspects of the story are compelling—judges gone bad, lusting after their neighbor’s wife, speaking lies, and being caught and punished for them.  
   Nonetheless, Susanna’s prayer of lament, decision to remain chaste, and prayer for deliverance also speak to the hope and holiness of the Jewish people who embodied the wisdom tradition of Israel. The story highlights the importance of remaining loyal to God even when falsely accused by those entrusted as elders of the tradition. God’s deliverance affirms that God will not allow injustice to have the last word against those who are faithful to Him. Indeed, God will intervene on their behalf. Needless to say, the story of Susanna hemmed in by her accusers and threatened with death has often been used as a fitting image for the struggles of the early church hemmed in by their accusers and threatened with death by pagans and Jews alike. 1

                                                      End Notes

1)    “Daniel and Susanna”

Deborah: The Prophetess Who Fought for God

   Prior to the establishment of the Kingdom of Israel, the people were led by a series of judges, including Gideon and Samson.  One of those judges was a young woman named Deborah who was a prophetess as well as a judge. The Israelites had once again done what was evil in God’s sight and He gave them into the hands of King Jabin of Canaan, who reigned in the city of Hazor.  Jabin’s chief army commander was Sisera.  Due to his large army, the people cried out to God for help, for Jabin had oppressed them for twenty years.
    At that time, Deborah, a prophetess and wife of Lappidoth, was a judge in Israel.  The people came to her for guidance, so she sent for Barak from Kedesh.  She said to him, “The Lord, the God of Israel, commands you. Go and take up a position at Mount Tabor, bringing ten thousand from the tribes of Naphtali and Zebulon.  I will draw out Sisera, the general of Jabin’s army, to meet you by the Wadi Kishon with his chariots and troops, and I will give him into your hands.”  Barak said, “If you go, I will go; however, if you do not go, I will not go!”  She assures him that she would go; however, the glory would not be his because the Lord would hand Sisera over to a woman. Then they got up and headed to Kedesh. Barak did as Deborah had commanded.  He brought ten thousand men from tribes of Naphtali and Zebulon and when up to Mount Tabor with Deborah.
   She also sent Heber the Kenite north of Kedesh to keep watch for Sisera’s troops.  The Kenites were descendants of Hobab, the father-in-law of Moses.
    When Sisera was told that Barak was heading to Mount Tabor, he took his nine hundred iron chariots and all of his troops and headed to the Wadi Kishon. Then Deborah said to Barak, “Up! For this is the day on which the Lord has given Sisera into your hands.  The Lord is indeed going out before you.”  Barak went down from Mount Tabor with his ten thousand troops following him.  The Lord threw Sisera and all his troops and chariots into a panic before Barak.  Sisera got off his chariot and fled away on foot while Barak pursued his army.  The entire army of Sisera was killed by the sword, not one man was left.
   Sisera ran from the battlefield and came to the tent of Jael, wife of Heber. There was no tension between Heber and King Jabin, so Sisera believed that he would be safe there.  Jael came out of the tent and said, “Turn aside, my lord, come into my tent, and have no fear.”  He entered the tent and she covered him with a rug.  Then he said to her, “Please give me some water, for I am thirsty. Also, stand by the tent entrance and if anyone comes by asking, ‘Is there anyone here?’ say no.”  However, Jael took a tent peg and a hammer in her hand.  While Sisera was resting, she went very softly to him and drove the peg into his temple until it went into the ground.  Barak came to the tent pursuing Sisera.  She said, “Come and I will show you the man whom you are seeking.” So he went inside the tent, and there was Sisera lying dead, with the tent peg in his temple. 
   On that day, God subdued King Jabin of Canaan before the Israelites.  The Israelites were now emboldened by this victory and pursued King Jabin until they finally destroyed him.
   The story does not tell us Jael’s motive for killing Sisera. Whatever her reasons, the Israelites celebrated her as a national heroine, who together with Deborah had saved them from their mortal enemies. They also relished the irony of the situation: Sisera the mighty general fell not into Barak's hands, but Jael's.
  There are extraordinary similarities between the stories of Jael and the young boy David, when he killed the giant Goliath. Both of them
·         were physically weak and smaller than their opponent
·         employed unusual weapons
·         used their wits rather than orthodox military methods
·         exacted bloody slaughter on their enemies, David hacking off the head of Goliath and Jael piercing Sisera’s skull.
   The story of Jael had a political motive. It ridiculed the Canaanite enemy and boosted the morale of the embattled Israelite tribes. Death at the hands of a lone woman was a particularly shameful way for a warrior general to die. 
   To drive the point home, no pun intended, there was an element of sexual derision in the story: male sexual symbols such as the hammer and nails were used, but by a woman against a man. This ridiculed the virility of Sisera. In the ancient world, open jubilation at the defeat and humiliation of an enemy was a way of releasing pent-up fear.
   The story showed that a seemingly invincible enemy could in fact be defeated, if the Israelites put their complete faith in Yahweh.
   Apart from Deborah, the Judges were hardly role models for the Israelites. Jephthah sacrificed his daughter, Samson murdered his first wife, Gideon promoted the worship of fertility gods, etc. Deborah stands out from them for her wisdom, courage and faith in God. She had authority rather than power, and people respected her for the qualities she had, rather than for her military might or physical strength. 1
  While Deborah and Barak are never mentioned, Psalm 83, verses 9 and 10, recounts the story of this battle.  The psalm is a prayer for judgment against the foes of Israel and recounts a number of battles where God defeated Israel’s enemies.  Verses 9 and 10 state:
          
Do to them as you did to Midian, as to Sisera and Jabin at the Wadi Kishon, who were destroyed at  Endor, who became dung for the ground.


                                                             End Notes

1)    “Deborah and Jael”