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.
5
Everyone who had a legal case to present would also go to Joakim's house, where two judges held court. These two leaders of the Jewish community had recently been appointed to office. They were the ones about whom the Lord said, "There is wickedness in Babylon; judges are failing to give guidance to the people."