Daniel 13: 1 - 9, 15 - 17, 19 - 30, 33 - 62
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| 1
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In Babylon there lived a man named Joakim,
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| 2
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who married a very beautiful and God-fearing woman, Susanna, the daughter of Hilkiah;
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| 3
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her pious parents had trained their daughter according to the law of Moses.
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| 4
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Joakim was very rich; he had a garden near his house, and the Jews had recourse to him often because he was the most respected of them all.
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| 5
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That year, two elders of the people were appointed judges, of whom the Lord said, "Wickedness has come out of Babylon: from the elders who were to govern the people as judges."
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| 6
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These men, to whom all brought their cases, frequented the house of Joakim.
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| 7
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When the people left at noon, Susanna used to enter her husband's garden for a walk.
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| 8
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When the old men saw her enter every day for her walk, they began to lust for her.
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| 9
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They suppressed their consciences; they would not allow their eyes to look to heaven, and did not keep in mind just judgments.
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| 15
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One day, while they were waiting for the right moment, she entered the garden as usual, with two maids only. She decided to bathe, for the weather was warm.
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| 16
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Nobody else was there except the two elders, who had hidden themselves and were watching her.
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| 17
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"Bring me oil and soap," she said to the maids, "and shut the garden doors while I bathe."
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| 19
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As soon as the maids had left, the two old men got up and hurried to her.
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| 20
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"Look," they said, "the garden doors are shut, and no one can see us; give in to our desire, and lie with us.
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| 21
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If you refuse, we will testify against you that you dismissed your maids because a young man was here with you."
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| 22
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"I am completely trapped," Susanna groaned. "If I yield, it will be my death; if I refuse, I cannot escape your power.
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| 23
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Yet it is better for me to fall into your power without guilt than to sin before the Lord."
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| 24
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Then Susanna shrieked, and the old men also shouted at her,
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| 25
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as one of them ran to open the garden doors.
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| 26
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When the people in the house heard the cries from the garden, they rushed in by the side gate to see what had happened to her.
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| 27
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At the accusations by the old men, the servants felt very much ashamed, for never had any such thing been said about Susanna.
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| 28
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When the people came to her husband Joakim the next day, the two wicked elders also came, fully determined to put Susanna to death. Before all the people they ordered:
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| 29
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"Send for Susanna, the daughter of Hilkiah, the wife of Joakim." When she was sent for,
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| 30
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she came with her parents, children and all her relatives.
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| 33
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All her relatives and the onlookers were weeping.
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