The In-Dept Study of the Bible
Judith 04
1 The children of Israel who lived in
Judea heard all that Holofernes the chief
captain of Nebuchadnezzar king of the
Assyrians had done to the nations, and how
he had plundered all their temples and
destroyed them utterly.
2 They were exceedingly afraid at his approach,
and were troubled for Jerusalem
and for the temple of the Lord their God;
3 because they had newly come up from
the captivity, and all the people of Judea
were recently gathered together; and the
vessels, the altar, and the house were
sanctified after being profaned.
4 And they sent into every coast of
Samaria, to Konae, to Beth-horon, Belmaim,
Jericho, to Choba, Aesora, and to the
valley of Salem;
5 and they occupied beforehand all the
tops of the high mountains, fortified the
villages that were in them, and stored
supplies for the provision of war, for their
fields were newly reaped.
6 Joakim the high priest, who was in
those days at Jerusalem, wrote to those
who lived in Bethulia and Betomesthaim,
which is opposite Esdraelon toward the
plain that is near to Dothaim,
7 charging themto seizeuponthe ascents
of the hill country; because by them was
the entrance into Judea, and it was easy to
stop them from approaching, inasmuch as
the approach was narrow, with space for
two men at the most.
8 And the children ofIsrael did as Joakim
the high priest had commanded them, as
did the senate of all the people of Israel,
which was in session at Jerusalem.
9 And every man of Israel cried to God
with great earnestness, and with great
earnestness they humbled their souls.
10 They, their wives, their children, their
cattle, and every sojourner, hireling, and
servant bought with their money put
sackcloth on their loins.
11 Every man and woman of Israel, including
the little children and the inhabitants of
Jerusalem,fell prostrate before the
temple, cast ashes upon their heads, and
spread out their sackcloth before the Lord.
They put sackcloth around the altar.
12 They cried to the God of Israel
earnestly with one consent, that he would
not give their children as prey, their wives
as plunder, the cities of their inheritance
to destruction, and the sanctuary to
being profaned and being made a reproach, for
the nations to rejoice at.
13 The Lordheard their voice, and looked
at their affliction. The people continued
fasting many days in all Judea and
Jerusalem before the sanctuary ofthe
Lord Almighty.
14 And Joakim the high priest, and all
the priests who stood before the Lord,
and those who ministered to the Lord,
had their loins dressed in sackcloth and
offered the continual burnt offering, the
vows, and the free gifts of the people.
15 They had ashes on their turbans. They
cried to the Lord with all their power, that
he would look upon all the house of Israel
for good.