The Book of Judith

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- Chapter 8 -

The character of Judith: her discourse to the ancients.

And it happened that these words were heard by Judith, a widow who was the daughter of Merari, the son of Idox, the son of Joseph, the son of Oziel, the son of Elai, the son of Jamnor, the son of Gideon, the son of Raphaim, the son of Ahitub, the son of Melchiel, the son of Enan, the son of Nathaniel, the son of Salathiel, the son of Simeon, the son of Ruben.(a)

And her husband was Manasseh, who died in the days of the barley harvest.

For he was standing over those who bound sheaves in the field, and the heat overcame his head, and he died in Bethulia, his own city, and he was buried there with his fathers.

But Judith, his bereaved, was a widow now for three years and six months.(b)

And she made herself a private chamber in the upper part of her house, in which she stayed enclosed with her handmaids.

And she had haircloth around her waist, and she fasted all the days of her life, except Sabbaths, and new moons, and the feasts of the house of Israel.(c)

Moreover, she was exceedingly elegant in appearance, and her husband left her many riches, and an abundant household, as well as the ownership of plentiful herds of oxen and flocks of sheep.

And she was greatly renowned among all, because she feared the Lord very much, nor was there anyone who spoke an ill word about her.(d)

And so, when she heard that Uzziah had promised that he would hand over the city with the passing of five days, she sent to the elders Chabris and Charmis.

And they came to her, and she said to them: “What is this word, by which Uzziah has consented to hand over the city to the Assyrians, if within five days no help arrives for us?

And who are you to test the Lord?

This is not a word that will provoke mercy, but rather one that may excite wrath and enkindle fury.

You have set a time limit for the mercy of the Lord, and you have established a day for him, according to your choice.

But, since the Lord is patient, let us be repentant about this same matter, and let us beg his indulgence with many tears.

For God will not threaten like man, nor will he be inflamed to anger like a son of man.

And, for this reason, let us humble our souls before him, and, continuing to serve him in a spirit of humility,

let us speak to the Lord with tears, so that he may act according to his will in his mercy toward us. So then, just as our heart is disturbed by their arrogance, so also may we glory in our humility.

For we have not followed the sins of our fathers, who abandoned their God in order to worship strange gods.

Because of this crime, they were given over to their enemies: to the sword, and to pillaging, and to confusion. But we know no other God except him.

Let us wait with humility for his consolation, and the Lord our God will requite our blood by the afflictions of our enemies, and he will humble all the nations that will rise up against us, and he will cause them to be without honor.

And now, brothers, because you are the elders among the people of God, and their very soul hangs upon you, rescue their hearts by your eloquence, so that they may remember that our fathers were tested in order to prove whether or not they truly worshiped their God.

They are obliged to remember how our father Abraham was tested, and being proved by many tribulations, he was made the friend of God.

So Isaac, so Jacob, so Moses, and all that have pleased God, passed through many tribulations, remaining faithful.

But those who did not accept the trials with the fear of the Lord, and who brought forward their impatience and the disgrace of their murmuring against the Lord,

were exterminated by the exterminator, and they perished by serpents.

And as for us, therefore, let us not revenge ourselves for these things that we suffer.

But, in considering these same sufferings to be less than our sins deserve, let us believe that the scourges of the Lord, by which we are corrected like servants, have occurred for our improvement and not for our destruction.”

And Uzziah and the elders said to her: “All the things that you have spoken are true, and there is nothing reprehensible in your words.

Now, therefore, pray for us, because you are a holy woman, and one fearing God.”

And Judith said to them: “You know that what I have been able to say is of God.

So, concerning that which I propose to do, examine whether or not it is from God, and pray that God may act to strengthen my plan.

You will stand at the gate this night, and I will go forth with my handmaid. And pray that, just as you have said, within five days the Lord may look kindly on his people Israel.

But I am not willing to have you examine my actions, and, until I report to you, let nothing else be done, except to pray for me to the Lord our God.”

And Uzziah, the leader of Judah, said to her, “Go in peace, and may the Lord be with you to take revenge among our enemies.” So, turning back, they departed.

Footnotes

(a)8:1 Simeon the son of Ruben:In the Greek, it is the son of Israel. For Simeon the patriarch, from whom Judith descended, was not the son, but the brother of Ruben. It seems more probable that the Simeon and the Ruben here mentioned are not the patriarchs: but two of the descendants of the patriarch Simeon: and that the genealogy of Judith, recorded in this place, is not carried up so high as the patriarchs. No more than that of Elcana the father of Samuel, 1 Kings. 1:1, and that of king Saul, 1 Kings. 9:1.(Challoner)

(b)8:4 This time of 3.5 years of widowhood is a foreshadowing of the last half of the Antichrist’s reign of nearly seven years, when the Church will experience its greatest sufferings.(Conte)

(c)8:6 The term ‘lumbos’ can refer to the lower back, or to the groin area, or to the waistline (which in past times was just above the level of the navel).(Conte)

(d)8:8 The text literally says ‘this one’ (haec) was greatly renowned....(Conte)

The character of Judith: her discourse to the ancients.

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.

Her husband was Manasses, of her tribe and of her family. He died in the days of barley harvest.

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.

Judith was a widow in her house three years and four months.

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.

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.

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.

No one said anything evil about her, for she feared God exceedingly.

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.

So she sent her maid, who was over all things that she had, to summon Ozias, Chabris, and Charmis, the elders of her city.

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.

Now who are you that you have tested God this day, and stand in the place of God among the children of men?

Now try the Lord Almighty, and you will never know anything.

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!

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.

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.

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.

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;

for which cause our fathers were given to the sword, and for plunder, and fell with a great destruction before our enemies.

But we know no other god beside him. Therefore we hope that he will not despise us, nor any of our race.

For if we are captured, all Judea will be captured and our sanctuary will be plundered; and he will require our blood for profaning it.

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.

For our bondage will not be ordered to favor; but the Lord our God will turn it to dishonor.

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.

Besides all this let’s give thanks to the Lord our God, who tries us, even as he did our fathers also.

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.

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.”

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.

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.

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.

And now pray for us, because you are a godly woman, and the Lord will send us rain to fill our cisterns, and we will faint no more.”

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.

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.

But you shall not inquire of my act; for I will not tell you until the things are finished that I will do.”

Then Ozias and the rulers said to her, “Go in peace. May the Lord God be before you, to take vengeance on our enemies.”

So they returned from the tent, and went to their stations.