The In-Dept Study of the Bible
Judith 08
1 In those days Judith heard about this.
She was the daughter of Merari, the son of
Ox, the son of Joseph, the son of Oziel, the
son of Elkiah, the son of Ananias, the son
of Gideon, the son of Raphaim, the son of
Ahitub, the son of Elihu, the son of Eliab,
the son of Nathanael, the son of Salamiel,
the son of Salasadai, the son of Israel.
2 Her husband was Manasses, of her
tribe and of her family. He died in the days
of barley harvest.
3 For he stood over those who bound
sheaves in the field, and was overcome
by the burning heat, and he fell on his
bed, and died in his city Bethulia. So they
buried him with his fathers in the field
which is between Dothaim and Balamon.
4 Judith was a widow in her house three
years and four months.
5 She made herself a tent upon the roof
of her house, and put on sackcloth upon
her loins. The garments of her widowhood
were upon her.
6 And she fasted all the days of her widowhood,
except the eves of the Sabbaths,
the Sabbaths, the eves of the new moons,
the new moons, and the feasts and joyful
days of the house of Israel.
7 She was beautiful in appearance, and
lovely to behold. Her husband Manasses
had left her gold, silver, menservants,
maidservants, cattle, and lands. She
remained on those lands.
8 No one said anything evil about her, for
she feared God exceedingly.
9 She heard the evil words of the people
against the governor, because they fainted
for lack of water; and Judith heard all the
words that Ozias spoke to them, how he
swore to them that he would deliver the
city to the Assyrians after five days.
10 So she sent her maid, who was over
all things that she had, to summon Ozias,
Chabris, and Charmis, the elders of her
city.
11 They came to her, and she said to
them, “Hear me now, O you rulers of the
inhabitants of Bethulia! For your word
that you have spoken before the people
this day is not right. You have set the oath
which you have pronounced between God
and you, and have promised to deliver the
city to our enemies, unless within these
days the Lord turns to help you.
12 Now who are you that you have tested
God this day, and stand in the place of God
among the children of men?
13 Now try the Lord Almighty, and you
will never know anything.
14 For you will not find the depth of the
heart of man, and you will not perceive the
things that he thinks. How will you search
out God, who has made all these things,
and know his mind, and comprehend his
purpose? No, my kindred, don’t provoke
the Lord our God to anger!
15 For if he has not decided to help us
within these five days, he has power to
defend us in such time as he will, or to
destroy us before the face of our enemies.
16 But don’t you pledge the counsels of
the Lord our God! For God is not like a
human being, that he should be threatened,
neither is he like a son of man, that he
should be won over by pleading.
17 Therefore let’s wait for the salvation
that comes from him, and call upon him to
help us. He will hear our voice, if it pleases
him.
18 For there arose none in our age, neither is
there any of us today, tribe, or
kindred, or family, or city, which worship
gods made with hands, as it was in the
former days
19 for which cause our fathers were
given to the sword, and for plunder, and
fell with a great destruction before our
enemies.
20 But we know no other god beside him.
Therefore we hope that he will not despise
us, nor any of our race.
21 For if we are captured, allJudea will be
captured and our sanctuary will be plundered;
and he will require our blood for
profaning it.
22 The slaughter of our kindred, the captivity of
the land, and the desolation of
our inheritance, he will bring on our heads
among the Gentiles, wherever we will be
in bondage. We will be an offense and a
reproach to those who take us for a possession.
23 For our bondage will not be ordered to
favor; but the Lord our God will turn it to
dishonor.
24 And now, kindred, let’s show an example
to our kindred, because their soul depends
on us, and the sanctuary, the house,
and the altar depend on us.
25 Besides all this let’s give thanks to the
Lord our God, who tries us, even as he did
our fathers also.
26 Remember all the things which he
did to Abraham, and all the things in
which he tried Isaac, and all the things
which happened to Jacob in Mesopotamia
of Syria, when he kept the sheep of Laban
his mother’s brother.
27 For he has not tried us in the fire, as
he did them, to search out their hearts,
neither has he taken vengeance on us; but
the Lord scourges those who come near to
him, to admonish them.”
28 And Ozias said to her, “All that you
have spoken, you have spoken with a good
heart. There is no one who will deny your
words.
29 For this is not the first day wherein
your wisdom is manifested; but from the
beginning of your days all the people have
known your understanding, because the
disposition of your heart is good.
30 But the people were exceedingly
thirsty, and compelled us to do as we
spoke to them, and to bring an oath upon
ourselves, which we will not break.
31 And now pray for us, because you are
a godly woman, and the Lord will send us
rain to fill our cisterns, and we willfaint no
more.”
32 Then Judith said to them, “Hear me,
and I will do a thing, which will go down to
all generations among the children of our
race.
33 You shall all stand at the gate tonight.
I will go out with my maid. Within the
days after which you said that you would
deliver the city to our enemies, the Lord
will deliver Israel by my hand.
34 But you shall not inquire of my act;
for I will not tell you until the things are
finished that I will do.”
35 Then Ozias and the rulers said to her,
Go in peace. May the Lord God be before
you, to take vengeance on our enemies.
36 So they returned from the tent, and
went to their stations.