Judith goes out in the night to pray: she is invited to a banquet with Holofernes.
1
Then he ordered her to enter where his valuables were stored, and he ordered her to wait there, and he appointed what should be given to her from his own feast.
2
And Judith responded to him, and she said: “Now, I am not able to eat from these things which you instructed to be allotted to me, lest an offense come upon me. But I will eat from that which I have brought.”
3
And Holofernes said to her, “If these things that you have brought with you should fail you, what shall we do for you?”
4
And Judith said, “As your soul lives, my lord, your maidservant will not expend all these things, until God accomplishes by my hand what I have in mind.” And his servants led her into the tabernacle, as he instructed.(a)
5
And, as she was entering, she requested that it be permitted to her to go outside at night, before daylight, in order to pray and to petition the Lord.
6
And he instructed his chamberlains that she may exit and enter, just as it may please her, to adore her God, for three days.
7
And she went out in the nights into the valley of Bethulia, and she washed herself in a fountain of water.
8
And, as she climbed up, she prayed to the Lord God of Israel that he would direct her way, to the liberation of his people.
9
And entering, she remained pure in the tabernacle, until she received her own food in the evening.
10
And it happened on the fourth day that Holofernes made a supper for his servants, and he said to Vagao his eunuch: “Go, and persuade that Hebrew woman to willingly consent to live with me.
11
For it is disgraceful among the Assyrians, if a woman mocks a man, acting so as to pass through with immunity from him.”
12
Then Vagao entered toward Judith, and he said, “May she not dread, my good young woman, to enter to my lord, so that she may be honored before his face, so that she may eat with him and drink wine with cheerfulness.”
13
Judith answered him: “Who am I, that I should contradict my lord?
14
All that will be good and best before his eyes, I will do. Moreover, whatever will please him, to me, that will be what is best, all the days of my life.”
15
And she arose and dressed herself with her garments, and entering, she stood before his face.
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But the heart of Holofernes was struck. For he was burning with desire for her.
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And Holofernes said to her, “Drink now, and recline with cheerfulness, for you have found favor before me.”
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And Judith said, “I will drink, my lord, because my soul has been magnified this day, beyond all my days.”
19
And she accepted and ate and drank in his sight what her handmaid had prepared for her.
20
And Holofernes became pleased with her, and he drank very much wine, more than he had ever drunk in his life.
Footnotes