If integrated into the book of Daniel: 13.4.

Joakim was very rich: The phrase “Her husband” (Good News Translation) is not in the Greek, but identifying Joakim here keeps the shift of subject from being too abrupt, and also keeps the focus on Susanna, who after all, is the heroine. Joakim is an offstage character. We hear of him, but he never appears. Was very rich may also be rendered “had many possessions.”

A spacious garden translates a single Greek noun. “Lovely gardens” (Good News Translation) renders this word well for American readers. They could misinterpret the word garden since it is used in the singular. In America this word in the singular is primarily used to refer to a plot of ground, usually rather small, where vegetables are raised for the family. The text is referring to a park-like area, with trees, bushes, flowers, and apparently a pool large enough for bathing.

Adjoining his house: The gardens “adjoin” the house; the Greek does not say they “surround” it (so Good News Translation). New Jerusalem Bible says “by his house,” and Contemporary English Version has “next to his house.” The problem here is that for verses 13-14 to make sense, it has to be possible for someone leaving Joakim’s house to pass through the gardens. It would be assumed from verses 7-8 and 13-14 that this would be the expected way out. The “garden doors” locked by the servants in verse 18 are presumably the doors giving the public access to the grounds of the house; the “side doors” in verse 18 appear to be the doors to the house (see the comments on verse 18).

The Jews used to come to him: Instead of the Jews, Contemporary English Version has “all the other Jews,” but this is obviously not true. “Other Jews” would be better than “the other Jews” (Good News Translation). New Jerusalem Bible is good with “a considerable number of the Jews.” This establishes that a lot of people came to see Joakim, but certainly not the whole Jewish community.

The Greek verb rendered used to come indicates that this is something that occurred often or habitually. New English Bible accomplishes this by describing the garden as “a regular meeting-place for the Jews.” “Meeting-place” may be a bit better than Good News Translation “gathered there for meetings,” since the latter expression suggests meetings of clubs, committees, and such. Contemporary English Version is even clearer with “would come and talk with him.”

Because he was the most honored of them all: This is the reason why many Jews came to visit Joakim. Good News Translation has “because they all thought so highly of him,” but this lacks the idea that Joakim was the most highly respected man in the Jewish community of Babylon. Contemporary English Version includes this idea with “He was the most highly honored Jewish man in Babylon,” or we may use the active voice and say “The Jews in Babylon honored him more [or, gave him more face] than anyone else among them.”

Quoted with permission from Bullard, Roger A. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on The Shorter Books of the Deuterocanon. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2006. For this and other handbooks for translators see here.