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Daniel - ch 13 v 1 - 20
- Now there was a man that dwelt in Babylon, and his name was Joakim:
- And he took a wife whose name was Susanna, the daughter of Helcias, a very beautiful woman, and one that feared God.
- For her parents being just, had instructed their daughter according to the law of Moses.
- Now Joakim was very rich, and had an orchard near his house: and the Jews resorted to him, because he was the most honourable of them all.
- And there were two of the ancients of the people appointed judges that year, of whom the Lord said: Iniquity came out from Babylon from the ancient judges, that seemed to govern the people.
- These men frequented the house of Joakim, and all that had any matters of judgment came to them.
- And when the people departed away at noon, Susanna went in, and walked in her husband's orchard.
- And the old men saw her going in every day, and walking: and they were inflamed with lust towards her:
- And they perverted their own mind and turned away their eyes that they might not look unto heaven, nor remember just judgments.
- So they were both wounded with the love of her, yet they did not make known their grief one to the other:
- For they were ashamed to declare to one another their lust, being desirous to have to do with her.
- And they watched carefully every day to see her. And one said to the other:
- Let us now go home, for it is dinner time. So going out they departed one from another.
- And turning back again, they came both to the same place: and asking one another the cause, they acknowledged their lust; and then they agreed upon a time, when they might find her alone.
- And it fell out, as they watched a fit day, she went in on a time, as yesterday and the day before, with two maids only, and was desirous to wash herself in the orchard: for it was hot weather.
- And there was nobody there, but the two old men that had hid themselves and were beholding her.
- So she said to the maids: Bring me oil, and washing balls, and shut the doors of the orchard, that I may wash me.
- And they did as she bade them: and they shut the doors of the orchard, and went out by a back door to fetch what she had commanded them, and they knew not that the elders were hid within.
- Now when the maids were gone forth, the two elders arose, and ran to her, and said:
- Behold the doors of the orchard are shut, and nobody seeth us, and we are in love with thee: wherefore consent to us, and lie with us.
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