2. who was married to Susanna, daughter of Hilkiah. Susanna was a beautiful woman and deeply religious.
3. Her parents were devout Jews who had brought up their daughter to live according to the Law of Moses.
4. Her husband Joakim was very wealthy. Lovely gardens surrounded his house, and the other Jews often gathered there for meetings, because they all thought so highly of him.
7. Every day at noon, when all the people left for lunch, Susanna used to take a walk in the gardens.
8. The two judges were so attracted to her that they would wait about and watch for her.
9. They became so obsessed with their desire for her that they lost interest both in prayer and in their responsibility as judges.
15-17. So they kept waiting for the right opportunity.One day Susanna went into the garden as usual with her two servant women. No one else was there, except the two judges, who had hidden and were watching Susanna. It was very hot and she decided to take a bath. So she said to her servants, “Bring me some bath oil and some perfume, and lock the gates, so that I won't be disturbed.”
18. The servants locked the main gates and went out by the side door to get what Susanna had asked for. They did not notice the two men.
19. As soon as the servants had left, the two judges jumped out from their hiding-place, ran to Susanna,
20. and said to her, “The gates are locked and no one will see us. We are burning to have sex with you, so give us what we want.
21. If you don't, we will go to court and swear that we saw you send your servants away, so that you could be alone with a young man.”
22. “There is no way out,” Susanna moaned. “If I give in to you, I could be put to death for adultery. If I refuse, you will still have me trapped.
23. But I would rather be your innocent victim than sin against the Lord.”
24. So she started screaming as loud as she could, and the two judges began shouting accusations,
25. while one of them ran and unlocked the gates.
26. As soon as the servants in the house heard all the noise, they ran into the gardens through the side door to find out what had happened to Susanna.
27. The judges told their story, and the servants were shocked and ashamed. Such a thing had never been said about Susanna before.
28. The next day, when the people assembled at Joakim's house, the two judges arrived, fully determined to carry out their wicked plan to have Susanna put to death.