Susanna 1-14

Common English Bible

¹ A man named Joakim once lived in Babylon. ² His wife Susanna, Hilkiah’s daughter, was very beautiful and honored the Lord. ³ Her parents were good people, and they taught their daughter according to the Law from Moses.

⁴ Joakim was very rich, and he had a large private garden next to his home. The Jews came to him because he was the most honored among them. ⁵ Two elders among the people had been appointed as judges that year. It was about them that the Lord had spoken: “Lawless disorder^[a] has come out of Babylon, from elders, from judges who were supposed to guide the people.” ⁶ These men spent a lot of time at Joakim’s house, and all the people with lawsuits came to them.

⁷ When the people went away in the middle of the day, Susanna would walk around her husband’s private garden. ⁸ Every day the two elders would see her coming in and walking around, and they desired her sexually. ⁹ They ceased thinking clearly, neither looking to heaven nor caring about justice. ¹⁰ Both of them thought about her and nothing else, but they didn’t tell each other their craving, ¹¹ because they were ashamed to admit how they desired her and wanted to be with her. ¹² But they were on the lookout every day, eager to get a glimpse of her.

¹³ One said to the other, “It’s time for lunch. Let’s go home.” They split up and left, ¹⁴ but doubling back, they met again at the same place. They started asking each other for an explanation, and so each confessed his desire. Then they plotted together for a time when they would be able to find her alone.