,this e,book was produced by ,david     
,widger  from etext #aeha prepared by   
,dennis ,mc,carthy1 ,atlanta1 ,georgia  
and ,tad ,book1 student1 ,pontifical    
,north ,american ,college1 ,rome4       
,,the ,,holy ,,bible                    
,translated from the ,latin ,vulgate    
,diligently ,compared with the ,hebrew1 
,greek1  and ,other ,editions in ,divers
 ,languages      ,,the ,,old ,,testament
  ,first ,published by the ,english     
,college at ,douay  ,a4,d4 #afji  #afaj 
and    ,,the ,,new ,,testament  ,first  
,published by the ,english ,college at  
,rheims  ,a4,d4 #aehb      ,with        
,annotations      ,the ,whole ,revised  
and ,diligently ,compared with  the     
,latin ,vulgate by ,bishop ,richard     
,challoner  ,a4,d4 #agdi-ageb           
,,the ,,book ,,of ,,judith    ,the      
sacred writer of this ,book is generally
 believed to be the high  priest        
,eliachim 7called also ,joachim74 ,the  
transactions herein related1  most      
probably happened in his days1 and in   

the reign of ,manasses1 after  his      
repentance and return from captivity4   
,it takes its name from that            
illustrious woman1 by whose virtue and  
fortitude1 and armed with prayer1  the  
children of ,israel were preserved from 
the destruction threatened  them by     
,holofernes and his great army4 ,it     
finishes with her canticle of           
thanksgiving to ,god4      ,judith      
,chapter #a    ,nabuchodonosor king of  
the ,assyrians overcometh ,arphaxad king
 of the  ,medes4    #a3a4 ,now ,arphaxad
 king of the ,medes had brought many    
nations under his  dominions1 and he    
built a very strong city1 which he      
called ,ecbatana1    ,arphaxad444 ,he   
was probably the same as is called      
,dejoces by ,herodotus2  to whom he     
attributes the building of ,ecbatana1   
the capital city of  ,media4    #a3b4   
,of stones squared and hewed3 he made   
the walls thereof seventy  cubits broad1
 and thirty cubits high1 and the towers 
thereof he made a  hundred cubits high4 

,but on the square of them1 each side   
was extended  the space of twenty feet4 
#a3c4 ,and he made the gates thereof    
according to the height of the  towers3 
#a3d4 ,and he gloried as a mighty one in
 the force of his army and in the  glory
 of his chariots4    #a3e4 ,now in the  
twelfth year of his reign1              
,nabuchodonosor king of the  ,assyrians1
 who reigned in ,ninive the great city1 
fought against ,arphaxad  and overcame  
him1    ,nabuchodonosor444 ,not the king
 of ,babylon1 who took and destroyed    
,jerusalem1 but another of the same     
name1 who reigned in ,ninive3 and is    
called by profane historians            
,saosduchin4 ,he succeeded ,asarhaddan  
in the  kingdom of the ,assyrians1 and  
was contemporary with ,manasses king of 
,juda4    #a3f4 ,in the great plain     
which is called ,ragua1 about the       
,euphrates1 and  the ,tigris1 and the   
,jadason1 in the plain of ,erioch the   
king of the  ,elicians4    #a3g4 ,then  
was the kingdom of ,nabuchodonosor      

exalted1 and his heart was  elevated3   
and he sent to all that dwelt in        
,cilicia and ,damascus1 and  ,libanus1  
#a3h4 ,and to the nations that are in   
,carmelus1 and ,cedar1 and to the       
inhabitants of ,galilee in the great    
plain of ,asdrelon1    #a3i4 ,and to all
 that were in ,samaria1 and beyond the  
river ,jordan even  to ,jerusalem1 and  
all the land of ,jesse till you come to 
the borders of  ,ethiopia4    #a3aj4 ,to
 all these ,nabuchodonosor king of the  
,assyrians1 sent  messengers3    #a3aa4 
,but they all with one mind refused1 and
 sent them back empty1 and  rejected    
them without honour4    #a3ab4 ,then    
king ,nabuchodonosor being angry against
 all that land1 swore  by his throne and
 kingdom that he would revenge himself  
of all those  countries4    ,judith     
,chapter #b    ,nabuchodonosor sendeth  
,holofernes to waste the countries of   
the west4    #b3a4 ,in the thirteenth   
year of the reign of ,nabuchodonosor1   
the two and  twentieth day of the first 

month1 the word was given out in the    
house of  ,nabuchodonosor king of the   
,assyrians1 that he would revenge       
himself4    #b3b4 ,and he called all the
 ancients1 and all the governors1 and   
his  officers of war1 and communicated  
to them the secret of his counsel3      
#b3c4 ,and he said that his thoughts    
were to bring all the earth under his   
empire4    #b3d4 ,and when this saying  
pleased them all1 ,nabuchodonosor1 the  
king1  called ,holofernes the general of
 his armies1    #b3e4 ,and said to him3 
,go out against all the kingdoms of the 
west1 and  against them especially that 
despised my commandment4    #b3f4 ,thy  
eye shall not spare any kingdom1 and all
 the strong cities thou  shalt bring    
under my yoke4    #b3g4 ,then           
,holofernes called the captains1 and    
officers of the power of  the           
,assyrians3 and he mustered men for the 
expedition1 and the king  commanded him1
 a hundred and twenty thousand fighting 
men on foot1 and  twelve thousand       

archers1 horsemen4    #b3h4 ,and he made
 all his warlike preparations to go     
before with a  multitude of innumerable 
camels1 with all provisions sufficient  
for the  armies in abundance1 and herds 
of oxen1 and flocks of sheep1 without   
number4    #b3i4 ,he appointed corn to  
be prepared out of all ,syria in his    
passage4    #b3aj4 ,but gold and silver 
he took out of the king's house in great
  abundance4    #b3aa4 ,and he went     
forth he and all the army1 with the     
chariots1 and  horsemen1 and archers1   
who covered the face of the earth1 like 
locusts4    #b3ab4 ,and when he had     
passed through the borders of the       
,assyrians1 he  came to the great       
mountains of ,ange1 which are on the    
left of ,cilicia3  and he went up to all
 their castles1 and took all the strong 
places4    #b3ac4 ,and he took by       
assault the renowned city of ,melothus1 
and pillaged  all the children of       
,tharsis1 and the children of ,ismahel1 
who were over  against the face of the  

desert1 and on the south of the land of 
,cellon4    #b3ad4 ,and he passed over  
the ,euphrates and came into            
,mesopotamia3 and he  forced all the    
stately cities that were there1 from the
 torrent of  ,mambre1 till one comes to 
the sea3    #b3ae4 ,and he took the     
borders thereof1 from ,cilicia to the   
coasts of  ,japheth1 which are towards  
the south4    #b3af4 ,and he carried    
away all the children of ,madian1 and   
stripped them  of all their riches1 and 
all that resisted him he slew with the  
edge of  the sword4    #b3ag4 ,and after
 these things he went down into the     
plains of ,damascus in  the days of the 
harvest1 and he set all the corn on     
fire1 and he caused  all the trees and  
vineyards to be cut down4    #b3ah4 ,and
 the fear of them fell upon all the     
inhabitants of the land4    ,judith     
,chapter #c    ,many submit themselves  
to ,holofernes4 ,he destroyeth their    
cities1 and  their gods1 that           
,nabuchodonosor only might be called    

,god4    #c3a4 ,then the kings and the  
princes of all the cities and provinces1
 of  ,syria1 ,mesopotamia1 and ,syria   
,sobal1 and ,libya1 and ,cilicia sent   
their  ambassadors1 who coming to       
,holofernes1 said3    #c3b4 ,let thy    
indignation towards us cease1 for it is 
better for us to  live and serve        
,nabuchodonosor the great king1 and be  
subject to thee1  than to die and to    
perish1 or suffer the miseries of       
slavery4    #c3c4 ,all our cities and   
our possessions1 all mountains and      
hills1 and  fields1 and herds of oxen1  
and flocks of sheep1 and goats1 and     
horses1  and camels1 and all our goods1 
and families are in thy sight3    #c3d4 
,let all we have be subject to thy law1 
#c3e4 ,both we and our children are thy 
servants4    #c3f4 ,come to us a        
peaceable lord1 and use our service as  
it shall please  thee1    #c3g4 ,then he
 came down from the mountains with      
horsemen1 in great power1  and made     
himself master of every city1 and all   

the inhabitants of the  land4    #c3h4  
,and from all the cities he took        
auxiliaries valiant men1 and chosen  for
 war1    #c3i4 ,and so great a fear lay 
upon all those provinces1 that the      
inhabitants of all the cities1 both     
princes and nobles1 as well as the      
people1 went out to meet him at his     
coming4    #c3aj4 ,and received him with
 garlands1 and lights1 and dances1 and  
timbrels1 and flutes4    #c3aa4 ,and    
though they did these things1 they could
 not for all that  mitigate the         
fierceness of his heart3    #c3ab4 ,for 
he both destroyed their cities1 and cut 
down their groves4    #c3ac4 ,for       
,nabuchodonosor the king had commanded  
him to destroy all the  gods of the     
earth1 that he only might be called ,god
 by those nations  which could be       
brought under him by the power of       
,holofernes4    #c3ad4 ,and when he had 
passed through all ,syria ,sobal1 and   
all ,apamea1  and all ,mesopotamia1 he  
came to the ,idumeans into the land of  

,gabaa1    #c3ae4 ,and he took          
possession of their cities1 and stayed  
there for  thirty days1 in which days he
 commanded all the troops of his army to
 be  united4    ,judith ,chapter #d     
,the children of ,israel prepare        
themselves to resist ,holofernes4 ,they 
cry  to the ,lord for help4    #d3a4    
,then the children of ,israel1 who dwelt
 in the land of ,juda1 hearing  these   
things1 were exceedingly afraid of him4 
#d3b4 ,dread and horror seized upon     
their minds1 lest he should do the  same
 to ,jerusalem and to the temple of the 
,lord1 that he had done to  other cities
 and their temples4    #d3c4 ,and they  
sent into all ,samaria round about1 as  
far as ,jericho1 and  seized upon all   
the tops of the mountains3    #d3d4 ,and
 they compassed their towns with walls  
and gathered together  corn for         
provision for war4    #d3e4 ,and        
,eliachim the priest wrote to all that  
were over against  ,esdrelon1 which     
faceth the great plain near ,dothain1   

and to all by whom  there might be a    
passage of way1 that they should take   
possession of the  ascents of the       
mountains1 by which there might be any  
way to ,jerusalem1  and should keep     
watch where the way was narrow between  
the mountains4    #d3f4 ,and the        
children of ,israel did as the priests  
of the ,lord ,eliachim  had appointed   
them4    #d3g4 ,and all the people cried
 to the ,lord with great earnestness1   
and  they humbled their souls in        
fastings1 and prayers1 both they and    
their  wives4    #d3h4 ,and the priests 
put on haircloths1 and they caused the  
little  children to lie prostrate before
 the temple of the ,lord1 and the altar 
of the ,lord they covered with          
haircloth4    #d3i4 ,and they cried to  
the ,lord the ,god of ,israel with one  
accord1 that  their children might not  
be made a prey1 and their wives carried 
off1  and their cities destroyed1 and   
their holy things profaned1 and that    
they might not be made a reproach to the

 ,gentiles4    #d3aj4 ,then ,eliachim   
the high priest of the ,lord went about 
all ,israel  and spoke to them1         
#d3aa4 ,saying3 ,know ye that the ,lord 
will hear your prayers1 if you  continue
 with perseverance in fastings and      
prayers in the sight of the  ,lord4     
#d3ab4 ,remember ,moses the servant of  
the ,lord overcame ,amalec that  trusted
 in his own strength1 and in his power1 
and in his army1 and in  his shields1   
and in his chariots1 and in his         
horsemen1 not by fighting  with the     
sword1 but by holy prayers3    #d3ac4   
,so all the enemies of ,israel be1 if   
you persevere in this work  which you   
have begun4    #d3ad4 ,so they being    
moved by this exhortation of his1 prayed
 to the  ,lord1 and continued in the    
sight of the ,lord4    #d3ae4 ,so that  
even they who offered the holocausts to 
the ,lord1 offered  the sacrifices to   
the ,lord girded with haircloths1 and   
with ashes upon  their head4    #d3af4  
,and they all begged of ,god with all   

their heart1 that he would  visit his   
people ,israel4    ,judith ,chapter #e  
,achior gives ,holofernes an account of 
the people of ,israel4    #e3a4 ,and it 
was told ,holofernes the general of the 
army of the  ,assyrians1 that the       
children of ,israel prepared themselves 
to resist1  and had shut up the ways of 
the mountains4    #e3b4 ,and he was     
transported with exceeding great fury   
and indignation1  and he called all the 
princes of ,moab and the leaders of     
,ammon4    #e3c4 ,and he said to them3  
,tell me what is this people that       
besetteth the  mountains3 or what are   
their cities1 and of what sort1 and how 
great3  also what is their power1 or    
what is their multitude3 or who is the  
king  over their warfare3    #e3d4 ,and 
why they above all that dwell in the    
east1 have despised us1  and have not   
come out to meet us1 that they might    
receive us with peace8    #e3e4 ,then   
,achior captain of all the children of  
,ammon answering1 said2  ,if thou       

vouchsafe1 my lord1 to hear1 ,i will    
tell the truth in thy sight  concerning 
this people1 that dwelleth in the       
mountains1 and there shall  not a false 
word come out of my mouth4    #e3f4     
,this people is of the offspring of the 
,chaldeans4    #e3g4 ,they dwelt first  
in ,mesopotamia1 because they would not 
follow the  gods of their fathers1 who  
were in the land of the ,chaldeans4     
#e3h4 ,wherefore forsaking the          
ceremonies of their fathers1 which      
consisted in the worship of many gods1  
#e3i4 ,they worshipped one ,god of      
heaven1 who also commanded them to      
depart from thence1 and to dwell in     
,charan4 ,and when there was a famine   
over all the land1 they went down into  
,egypt1 and there for four hundred      
years were so multiplied1 that the army 
of them could not be numbered4    #e3aj4
 ,and when the king of ,egypt oppressed 
them1 and made slaves of them  to labour
 in clay and brick1 in the building of  
his cities1 they cried  to their ,lord1 

and he struck the whole land of ,egypt  
with divers  plagues4    #e3aa4 ,and    
when the ,egyptians had cast them out   
from them1 and the plague  had ceased   
from them1 and they had a mind to take  
them again1 and bring  them back to     
their service1    #e3ab4 ,the ,god of   
heaven opened the sea to them in their  
flight1 so that  the waters were made to
 stand firm as a wall on either side1   
and they  walked through the bottom of  
the sea and passed it dry foot4         
#e3ac4 ,and when an innumerable army of 
the ,egyptians pursued after them  in   
that place1 they were so overwhelmed    
with the waters1 that there was  not one
 left1 to tell what had happened to     
posterity4    #e3ad4 ,after they came   
out of the ,red ,sea1 they abode in the 
deserts of  mount ,sina1 in which never 
man could dwell1 or son of man rested4  
#e3ae4 ,there bitter fountains were made
 sweet for them to drink1 and for  forty
 years they received food from heaven4  
#e3af4 ,wheresoever they went in without

 bow and arrow1 and without shield  and 
sword1 their ,god fought for them and   
overcame4    #e3ag4 ,and there was no   
one that triumphed over this people1 but
 when  they departed from the worship of
 the ,lord their ,god4    #e3ah4 ,but as
 often as beside their own ,god1 they   
worshipped any other1  they were given  
to spoil and to the sword1 and to       
reproach4    #e3ai4 ,and as often as    
they were penitent for having revolted  
from the  worship of their ,god1 the    
,god of heaven gave them power to       
resist4    #e3bj4 ,so they overthrew the
 king of the ,chanaanites1 and of the   
,jebusites1 and of the ,pherezites1 and 
of the ,hethites1 and of the  ,hevites1 
and of the ,amorrhites1 and all the     
mighty ones in ,hesebon1 and  they      
possessed their lands1 and their cities3
    #e3ba4 ,and as long as they sinned  
not in the sight of their ,god1 it was  
well with them3 for their ,god hateth   
iniquity4    #e3bb4 ,and even some years
 ago when they had revolted from the way

 which  ,god had given them to walk     
therein1 they were destroyed in battles 
by  many nations and very many of them  
were led away captive into a strange    
land4    #e3bc4 ,but of late returning  
to the ,lord their ,god1 from the       
different  places wherein they were     
scattered1 they are come together and   
are gone  up into all these mountains1  
and possess ,jerusalem again1 where     
their  holies are4    #e3bd4 ,now       
therefore1 my lord1 search if there be  
any iniquity of theirs  in the sight of 
their ,god3 let us go up to them1       
because their ,god will  surely deliver 
them to thee1 and they shall be brought 
under the yoke of  thy power3    #e3be4 
,but if there be no offence of this     
people in the sight of their  ,god1 we  
cannot resist them because their ,god   
will defend them3 and we  shall be a    
reproach to the whole earth4    #e3bf4  
,and it came to pass1 when ,achior had  
ceased to speak these words1  all the   
great men of ,holofernes were angry1 and

 they had a mind to kill  him1 saying to
 each other3    #e3bg4 ,who is this1    
that saith the children of ,israel can  
resist king  ,nabuchodonosor1 and his   
armies1 men unarmed1 and without force1 
and  without skill in the art of war8   
#e3bh4 ,that ,achior therefore may know 
that he deceiveth us1 let us go up  into
 the mountains3 and when the bravest of 
them shall be taken1 then  shall he with
 them be stabbed with the sword1        
#e3bi4 ,that every nation may know that 
,nabuchodonosor is god of the  earth1   
and besides him there is no other4      
,judith ,chapter #f    ,holofernes in   
great rage sendeth ,achior to ,bethulia1
 there to be slain  with the            
,israelites4    #f3a4 ,and it came to   
pass when they had left off speaking1   
that  ,holofernes being in a violent    
passion1 said to ,achior3    #f3b4      
,because thou hast prophesied unto us1  
saying3 ,that the nation of  ,israel is 
defended by their ,god1 to shew thee    
that there is no ,god1 but              

,nabuchodonosor3    #f3c4 ,when we shall
 slay them all as one man1 then thou    
also shalt die  with them by the sword  
of the ,assyrians1 and all ,israel shall
 perish  with thee3    #f3d4 ,and thou  
shalt find that ,nabuchodonosor is lord 
of the whole earth3  and then the sword 
of my soldiers shall pass through thy   
sides1 and thou  shalt be stabbed and   
fall among the wounded of ,israel1 and  
thou shalt  breathe no more till thou be
 destroyed with them4    #f3e4 ,but if  
thou think thy prophecy true1 let not   
thy countenance sink1  and let the      
paleness that is in thy face1 depart    
from thee1 if thou  imaginest these my  
words cannot be accomplished4    #f3f4  
,and that thou mayst know that thou     
shalt experience these things  together 
with them1 behold from this hour thou   
shalt be associated to  their people1   
that when they shall receive the        
punishment they deserve  from my sword1 
thou mayst fall under the same          
vengeance4    #f3g4 ,then ,holofernes   

commanded his servants to take ,achior1 
and to lead  him to ,bethulia1 and to   
deliver him into the hands of the       
children of  ,israel4    #f3h4 ,and the 
servants of ,holofernes taking him1 went
 through the plains3  but when they came
 near the mountains1 the slingers came  
out against  them4    #f3i4 ,then       
turning out of the way by the side of   
the mountain1 they tied  ,achior to a   
tree hand and foot1 and so left him     
bound with ropes1 and  returned to their
 master4    #f3aj4 ,and the children of 
,israel coming down from ,bethulia1 came
 to him1  and loosing him they brought  
him to ,bethulia1 and setting him in the
  midst of the people1 asked him what   
was the matter that the ,assyrians  had 
left him bound4    #f3aa4 ,in those days
 the rulers there1 were ,ozias the son  
of ,micha of the  tribe of ,simeon1 and 
,charmi1 called also ,gothoniel4        
#f3ab4 ,and ,achior related in the midst
 of the ancients1 and in the  presence  
of all the people1 all that he had said 

being asked by  ,holofernes3 and how the
 people of ,holofernes would have killed
 him for  this word1    #f3ac4 ,and how 
,holofernes himself being angry had     
commanded him to be  delivered for this 
cause to the ,israelites3 that when he  
should overcome  the children of        
,israel1 then he might command ,achior  
also himself to be  put to death by     
diverse torments1 for having said3 ,the 
,god of heaven is  their defender4      
#f3ad4 ,and when ,achior had declared   
all these things1 all the people fell   
upon their faces1 adoring the ,lord1 and
 all of them together mourning  and     
weeping poured out their prayers with   
one accord to the ,lord1    #f3ae4      
,saying3 ,o ,lord ,god of heaven and    
earth1 behold their pride1 and  look on 
our low condition1 and have regard to   
the face of thy saints1  and shew that  
thou forsakest not them that trust on   
thee1 and that thou  humblest them that 
presume of themselves1 and glory in     
their own  strength4    #f3af4 ,so when 

their weeping was ended1 and the        
people's prayer1 in which  they         
continued all the day1 was concluded1   
they comforted ,achior1    #f3ag4       
,saying3 ,the ,god of our fathers1 whose
 power thou hast set forth1  will make  
this return to thee1 that thou rather   
shalt see their  destruction4    #f3ah4 
,and when the ,lord our ,god shall give 
this liberty to his servants1  let ,god 
be with thee also in the midst of us3   
that as it shall please  thee1 so thou  
with all thine mayst converse with us4  
#f3ai4 ,then ,ozias1 after the assembly 
was broken up1 received him into  his   
house1 and made him a great supper4     
#f3bj4 ,and all the ancients were       
invited1 and they refreshed themselves  
together after their fast was over4     
#f3ba4 ,and afterwards all the people   
were called together1 and they  prayed  
all the night long within the church1   
desiring help of the ,god of  ,israel4  
,the church444 ,that is1 the synagogue  
or place where they met for prayer4     

,judith ,chapter #g    ,holofernes      
besiegeth ,bethulia4 ,the distress of   
the besieged4    #g3a4 ,but ,holofernes 
on the next day gave orders to his army1
 to go up  against ,bethulia4    #g3b4  
,now there were in his troops a hundred 
and twenty thousand footmen1  and two   
and twenty thousand horsemen1 besides   
the preparations of those  men who had  
been taken1 and who had been brought    
away out of the  provinces and cities of
 all the youth4    #g3c4 ,all these     
prepared themselves together to fight   
against the  children of ,israel1 and   
they came by the hillside to the top1   
which  looketh toward ,dothain1 from the
 place which is called ,belma1 unto     
,chelmon1 which is over against         
,esdrelon4    #g3d4 ,but the children of
 ,israel1 when they saw the multitude of
 them1  prostrated themselves upon the  
ground1 putting ashes upon their heads1 
praying with one accord1 that the ,god  
of ,israel would shew his mercy  upon   
his people4    #g3e4 ,and taking their  

arms of war1 they posted themselves at  
the places1  which by a narrow pathway  
lead directly between the mountains1 and
 they  guarded them all day and night4  
#g3f4 ,now ,holofernes1 in going round  
about1 found that the fountain which    
supplied them with water1 ran through an
 aqueduct without the city on  the south
 side3 and he commanded their aqueduct  
to be cut off4    #g3g4 ,nevertheless   
there were springs not far from the     
walls1 out of  which they were seen     
secretly to draw water1 to refresh      
themselves a  little rather than to     
drink their fill4    #g3h4 ,but the     
children of ,ammon and ,moab came to    
,holofernes1 saying3 ,the  children of  
,israel trust not in their spears1 nor  
in their arrows1 but  the mountains are 
their defence1 and the steep hills and  
precipices  guard them4    #g3i4        
,wherefore that thou mayst overcome them
 without joining battle1 set  guards at 
the springs that they may not draw water
 out of them1 and thou  shalt destroy   

them without sword1 or at least being   
wearied out they  will yield up their   
city1 which they suppose1 because it is 
situate in  the mountains1 to be        
impregnable4    #g3aj4 ,and these words 
pleased ,holofernes1 and his officers1  
and he  placed all round about a hundred
 men at every spring4    #g3aa4 ,and    
when they had kept this watch for full  
twenty days1 the  cisterns1 and the     
reserve of waters failed among all the  
inhabitants of  ,bethulia1 so that there
 was not within the city1 enough to     
satisfy them1  no not for one day1 for  
water was daily given out to the people 
by  measure4    #g3ab4 ,then all the men
 and women1 young men1 and children1    
gathering  themselves together to       
,ozias1 all together with one voice1    
#g3ac4 ,said3 ,god be judge between us  
and thee1 for thou hast done evil       
against us1 in that thou wouldst not    
speak peaceably with the ,assyrians1    
and for this cause ,god hath sold us    
into their hands4    #g3ad4 ,and        

therefore there is no one to help us1   
while we are cast down  before their    
eyes in thirst1 and sad destruction4    
#g3ae4 ,and now assemble ye all that are
 in the city1 that we may of our  own   
accord yield ourselves all up to the    
people of ,holofernes4    #g3af4 ,for it
 is better1 that being captives we      
should live and bless the  ,lord1 than  
that we should die1 and be a reproach to
 all flesh1 after we  have seen our     
wives and our infants die before our    
eyes4    #g3ag4 ,we call to witness this
 day heaven and earth1 and the ,god of  
our  fathers1 who taketh vengeance upon 
us according to our sins1 conjuring  you
 to deliver now the city into the hand  
of the army of ,holofernes1  that our   
end may be short by the edge of the     
sword1 which is made longer  by the     
drought of thirst4    #g3ah4 ,and when  
they had said these things1 there was   
great weeping and  lamentation of all in
 the assembly1 and for many hours with  
one voice  they cried to ,god1 saying3  

#g3ai4 ,we have sinned with our fathers1
 we have done unjustly1 we have         
committed iniquity3    #g3bj4 ,have thou
 mercy on us1 because thou art good1 or 
punish our  iniquities by chastising us 
thyself1 and deliver not them that trust
 in  thee to a people that knoweth not  
thee1    #g3ba4 ,that they may not say  
among the ,gentiles3 ,where is their    
,god8    #g3bb4 ,and when being wearied 
with these cries1 and tired with these  
weepings1 they held their peace1        
#g3bc4 ,ozias rising up all in tears1   
said3 ,be of good courage1 my  brethren1
 and let us wait these five days for    
mercy from the ,lord4    #g3bd4 ,for    
perhaps he will put a stop to his       
indignation1 and will give  glory to his
 own name4    #g3be4 ,but if after five 
days be past there come no aid1 we will 
do the  things which you have spoken4   
,judith ,chapter #h    ,the character of
 ,judith3 her discourse to the ancients4
    #h3a4 ,now it came to pass1 when    
,judith a widow had heard these words1  

who  was the daughter of ,merari1 the   
son of ,idox1 the son of ,joseph1 the   
son  of ,ozias1 the son of ,elai1 the   
son of ,jamnor1 the son of ,gedeon1 the 
son  of ,raphaim1 the son of ,achitob1  
the son of ,melchias1 the son of ,enan1 
the son of ,nathanias1 the son of       
,salathiel1 the son of ,simeon1 the son 
of ,ruben3    ,simeon the son of        
,ruben444 ,in the ,greek1 it is the son 
of ,israel4 ,for  ,simeon the patriarch1
 from whom ,judith descended1 was not   
the son1 but  the brother of ,ruben4 ,it
 seems more probable that the ,simeon   
and the  ,ruben here mentioned are not  
the patriarchs3 but two of the          
descendants  of the patriarch ,simeon3  
and that the genealogy of ,judith1      
recorded in  this place1 is not carried 
up so high as the patriarchs4 ,no more  
than  that of ,elcana the father of     
,samuel1 #a ,kings #a4a1 and that of    
king ,saul1  #a ,kings #i4a4    #h3b4   
,and her husband was ,manasses1 who died
 in the time of the barley  harvest3    

#h3c4 ,for he was standing over them    
that bound sheaves in the field2 and    
the heat came upon his head1 and he died
 in ,bethulia his own city1 and  was    
buried there with his fathers4    #h3d4 
,and ,judith his relict was a widow now 
three years and six months4    #h3e4    
,and she made herself a private chamber 
in the upper part of her  house1 in     
which she abode shut up with her maids4 
#h3f4 ,and she wore haircloth upon her  
loins1 and fasted all the days of  her  
life1 except the sabbaths1 and new      
moons1 and the feasts of the  house of  
,israel4    #h3g4 ,and she was          
exceedingly beautiful1 and her husband  
left her great  riches1 and very many   
servants1 and large possessions of herds
 of oxen1  and flocks of sheep4    #h3h4
 ,and she was greatly renowned among    
all1 because she feared the ,lord  very 
much1 neither was there any one that    
spoke an ill word of her4    #h3i4 ,when
 therefore she had heard that ,ozias had
 promised that he would  deliver up the 

city after the fifth day1 she sent to   
the ancients ,chabri  and ,charmi4      
#h3aj4 ,and they came to her1 and she   
said to them3 ,what is this word1 by    
which ,ozias hath consented to give up  
the city to the ,assyrians1 if  within  
five days there come no aid to us8      
#h3aa4 ,and who are you that tempt the  
,lord8    #h3ab4 ,this is not a word    
that may draw down mercy1 but rather    
that may  stir up wrath1 and enkindle   
indignation4    #h3ac4 ,you have set a  
time for the mercy of the ,lord1 and you
 have  appointed him a day1 according to
 your pleasure4    #h3ad4 ,but forasmuch
 as the ,lord is patient1 let us be     
penitent for this  same thing1 and with 
many tears let us beg his pardon3       
#h3ae4 ,for ,god will not threaten like 
man1 nor be inflamed to anger like  the 
son of man4    #h3af4 ,and therefore let
 us humble our souls before him1 and    
continuing  in an humble spirit1 in his 
service3    #h3ag4 ,let us ask the ,lord
 with tears1 that according to his will 

so he  would shew his mercy to us3 that 
as our heart is troubled by their       
pride1 so also we may glorify in our    
humility4    #h3ah4 ,for we have not    
followed the sins of our fathers1 who   
forsook  their ,god1 and worshipped     
strange gods4    #h3ai4 ,for which crime
 they were given up to their enemies1 to
 the sword1  and to pillage1 and to     
confusion3 but we know no other ,god but
 him4    #h3bj4 ,let us humbly wait for 
his consolation1 and the ,lord our ,god 
will  require our blood of the          
afflictions of our enemies1 and he will 
humble  all the nations that shall rise 
up against us1 and bring them to        
disgrace4    #h3ba4 ,and now1 brethren1 
as you are the ancients among the people
 of  ,god1 and their very soul resteth  
upon you3 comfort their hearts by your  
speech1 that they may be mindful how our
 fathers were tempted that they  might  
be proved1 whether they worshipped their
 ,god truly4    #h3bb4 ,they must       
remember how our father ,abraham was    

tempted1 and being  proved by many      
tribulations1 was made the friend of    
,god4    #h3bc4 ,so ,isaac1 so ,jacob1  
so ,moses1 and all that have pleased    
,god1  passed through many tribulations1
 remaining faithful4    #h3bd4 ,but they
 that did not receive the trials with   
the fear of the  ,lord1 but uttered     
their impatience and the reproach of    
their murmuring  against the ,lord1     
#h3be4 ,were destroyed by the destroyer1
 and perished by serpents4    #h3bf4 ,as
 for us therefore let us not revenge    
ourselves for these things  which we    
suffer4    #h3bg4 ,but esteeming these  
very punishments to be less than our    
sins  deserve1 let us believe that these
 scourges of the ,lord1 with which like 
servants we are chastised1 have happened
 for our amendment1 and not for  our    
destruction4    #h3bh4 ,and ,ozias and  
the ancients said to her3 ,all things   
which thou hast  spoken are true1 and   
there is nothing to be reprehended in   
thy words4    #h3bi4 ,now therefore pray

 for us1 for thou art a holy woman1 and 
one  fearing ,god4    #h3cj4 ,and       
,judith said to them3 ,as you know that 
what ,i have been able to  say is of    
,god3    #h3ca4 ,so that which ,i intend
 to do prove ye if it be of ,god1 and   
pray  that ,god may strengthen my       
design4    #h3cb4 ,you shall stand at   
the gate this night1 and ,i will go out 
with my  maidservant3 and pray ye1 that 
as you have said1 in five days the ,lord
  may look down upon his people ,israel4
    #h3cc4 ,but ,i desire that you      
search not into what ,i am doing1 and   
till ,i  bring you word let nothing else
 be done but to pray for me to the ,lord
  our ,god4    #h3cd4 ,and ,ozias the   
prince of ,juda said to her3 ,go in     
peace1 and the  ,lord be with thee to   
take revenge of our enemies4 ,so        
returning they  departed4    ,judith    
,chapter #i    ,judith's prayer1 to beg 
of ,god to fortify her in her           
undertaking4    #i3a4 ,and when they    
were gone1 ,judith went into her        

oratory3 and putting  on haircloth1 laid
 ashes on her head3 and falling down    
prostrate before  the ,lord1 she cried  
to the ,lord1 saying3    #i3b4 ,lord    
,god of my father ,simeon1 who gavest   
him a sword to execute  vengeance       
against strangers1 who had defiled by   
their uncleanness1 and  uncovered the   
virgin unto confusion3    ,gavest him a 
sword1 etc444 ,the justice of ,god is   
here praised1 in  punishing by the sword
 of ,simeon the crime of the            
,sichemites3 and not  the act of        
,simeon1 which was justly condemned by  
his father1 ,gen4 #di4e4  ,though even  
with regard to this act1 we may         
distinguish between his zeal  against   
the crime committed by the ravishers of 
his sister1 which zeal  may be          
considered just3 and the manner of his  
punishing that crime1  which was        
irregular and excessive4    #i3c4 ,and  
who gavest their wives to be made a     
prey1 and their daughters  into         
captivity3 and all their spoils to be   

divided to the servants1 who  were      
zealous with thy zeal3 assist1 ,i       
beseech thee1 ,o ,lord ,god1 me a       
widow4    #i3d4 ,for thou hast done the 
things of old1 and hast devised one     
thing  after another3 and what thou hast
 designed hath been done4    #i3e4 ,for 
all thy ways are prepared1 and in thy   
providence thou hast  placed thy        
judgments4    #i3f4 ,look upon the camp 
of the ,assyrians now1 as thou wast     
pleased to  look upon the camp of the   
,egyptians1 when they pursued armed     
after thy  servants1 trusting in their  
chariots1 and in their horsemen1 and in 
a  multitude of warriors4    #i3g4 ,but 
thou lookedst over their camp1 and      
darkness wearied them4    #i3h4 ,the    
deep held their feet1 and the waters    
overwhelmed them4    #i3i4 ,so may it be
 with these also1 ,o ,lord1 who trust in
 their multitude1  and in their         
chariots1 and in their pikes1 and in    
their shields1 and in  their arrows1 and
 glory in their spears1    #i3aj4 ,and  

know not that thou art our ,god1 who    
destroyest wars from the  beginning1 and
 the ,lord is thy name4    #i3aa4 ,lift 
up thy arm as from the beginning1 and   
crush their power with  thy power3 let  
their power fall in their wrath1 who    
promise themselves  to violate thy      
sanctuary1 and defile the dwelling place
 of thy name1 and  to beat down with    
their sword the horn of thy altar4      
#i3ab4 ,bring to pass1 ,o ,lord1 that   
his pride may be cut off with his own   
sword4    #i3ac4 ,let him be caught in  
the net of his own eyes in my regard1   
and do  thou strike him by the graces of
 the words of my lips4    #i3ad4 ,give  
me constancy in my mind1 that ,i may    
despise him3 and  fortitude that ,i may 
overthrow him4    #i3ae4 ,for this will 
be a glorious monument for thy name1    
when he shall  fall by the hand of a    
woman4    #i3af4 ,for thy power1 ,o     
,lord1 is not in a multitude1 nor is thy
 pleasure  in the strength of horses1   
nor from the beginning have the proud   

been  acceptable to thee3 but the prayer
 of the humble and the meek hath  always
 pleased thee4    #i3ag4 ,o ,god of the 
heavens1 creator of the waters1 and     
,lord of the whole  creation1 hear me a 
poor wretch1 making supplication to     
thee1 and  presuming of thy mercy4      
#i3ah4 ,remember1 ,o ,lord1 thy         
covenant1 and put thou words in my      
mouth1  and strengthen the resolution in
 my heart1 that thy house may continue  
in thy holiness3    #i3ai4 ,and all     
nations may acknowledge that thou art   
,god1 and there is no  other besides    
thee4    ,judith ,chapter #aj    ,judith
 goeth out towards the camp1 and is     
taken1 and brought to  ,holofernes4     
#aj3a4 ,and it came to pass1 when she   
had ceased to cry to the ,lord1 that    
she rose from the place wherein she lay 
prostrate before the ,lord4    #aj3b4   
,and she called her maid1 and going down
 into her house she took  off her       
haircloth1 and put away the garments of 
her widowhood1    #aj3c4 ,and she washed

 her body1 and anointed herself with the
 best  ointment1 and plaited the hair of
 her head1 and put a bonnet upon her    
head1 and clothed herself with the      
garments of her gladness1 and put       
sandals on her feet1 and took her       
bracelets1 and lilies1 and earlets1  and
 rings1 and adorned herself with all her
 ornaments4    #aj3d4 ,and the ,lord    
also gave her more beauty3 because all  
this dressing  up did not proceed from  
sensuality1 but from virtue3 and        
therefore the  ,lord increased this her 
beauty1 so that she appeared to all     
men's eyes  incomparably lovely4        
#aj3e4 ,and she gave to her maid a      
bottle of wine to carry1 and a vessel   
of oil1 and parched corn1 and dry figs1 
and bread and cheese1 and went  out4    
#aj3f4 ,and when they came to the gate  
of the city1 they found ,ozias1 and  the
 ancients of the city waiting4    #aj3g4
 ,and when they saw her they were       
astonished1 and admired her beauty      
exceedingly4    #aj3h4 ,but they asked  

her no question1 only they let her pass1
 saying3  ,the ,god of our fathers give 
thee grace1 and may he strengthen all   
the  counsel of thy heart with his      
power1 that ,jerusalem may glory in     
thee1  and thy name may be in the number
 of the holy and just4    #aj3i4 ,and   
they that were there said1 all with one 
voice3 ,so be it1 so be  it4    #aj3aj4 
,but ,judith praying to the ,lord1      
passed through the gates1 she and  her  
maid4    #aj3aa4 ,and it came to pass1  
when she went down the hill1 about break
 of  day1 that the watchmen of the      
,assyrians met her1 and stopped her1    
saying3 ,whence comest thou or whither  
goest thou8    #aj3ab4 ,and she         
answered3 ,i am a daughter of the       
,hebrews1 and ,i am fled  from them1    
because ,i knew they would be made a    
prey to you1 because they  despised you1
 and would not of their own accord yield
 themselves1 that  they might find mercy
 in your sight4    ,because ,i knew1    
etc444 ,in this and the following       

chapter1 some things  are related to    
have been said by ,judith1 which seem   
hard to reconcile  with truth4 ,but all 
that is related in scripture of the     
servants of ,god  is not approved by the
 scripture2 and even the saints in their
 good  enterprises may sometimes slip   
into venial sins4    #aj3ac4 ,for this  
reason ,i thought with myself1 saying3  
,i will go to the  presence of the      
prince ,holofernes1 that ,i may tell him
 their secrets1  and shew him by what   
way he may take them1 without the loss  
of one man  of his army4    #aj3ad4 ,and
 when the men had heard her words1 they 
beheld her face1 and  their eyes were   
amazed1 for they wondered exceedingly at
 her beauty4    #aj3ae4 ,and they said  
to her3 ,thou hast saved thy life by    
taking this  resolution1 to come down to
 our lord4    #aj3af4 ,and be assured of
 this1 that when thou shalt stand before
 him1 he  will treat thee well1 and thou
 wilt be most acceptable to his heart4  
,and  they brought her to the tent of   

,holofernes1 telling him of her4        
#aj3ag4 ,and when she was come into his 
presence1 forthwith ,holofernes was     
caught by his eyes4    #aj3ah4 ,and his 
officers said to him3 ,who can despise  
the people of the  ,hebrews1 who have   
such beautiful women1 that we should not
 think it  worth our while for their    
sakes to fight against them8    #aj3ai4 
,and ,judith seeing ,holofernes sitting 
under a canopy1 which was  woven of     
purple and gold1 with emeralds and      
precious stones3    #aj3bj4 ,after she  
had looked on his face1 bowed down to   
him1 prostrating  herself to the ground4
 ,and the servants of ,holofernes lifted
 her up1 by  the command of their       
master4    ,judith ,chapter #aa         
,judith's speech to ,holofernes4        
#aa3a4 ,then ,holofernes said to her3   
,be of good comfort1 and fear not in    
thy heart3 for ,i have never hurt a man 
that was willing to serve               
,nabuchodonosor the king4    #aa3b4 ,and
 if thy people had not despised me1 ,i  

would never have lifted  up my spear    
against them4    #aa3c4 ,but now tell   
me1 for what cause hast thou left them1 
and why it  hath pleased thee to come to
 us8    #aa3d4 ,and ,judith said to him3
 ,receive the words of thy handmaid1 for
 if  thou wilt follow the words of thy  
handmaid1 the ,lord will do with thee a 
perfect thing4    #aa3e4 ,for as        
,nabuchodonosor the king of the earth   
liveth1 and his power  liveth which is  
in thee for chastising of all straying  
souls3 not only  men serve him through  
thee1 but also the beasts of the field  
obey him4    #aa3f4 ,for the industry of
 thy mind is spoken of among all        
nations1 and  it is told through the    
whole world1 that thou only art         
excellent1 and  mighty in all his       
kingdom1 and thy discipline is cried up 
in all  provinces4    #aa3g4 ,it is     
known also what ,achior said1 nor are we
 ignorant of what  thou hast commanded  
to be done to him4    #aa3h4 ,for it is 
certain that our ,god is so offended    

with sins1 that he  hath sent word by   
his prophets to the people1 that he will
 deliver them  up for their sins4       
#aa3i4 ,and because the children of     
,israel know they have offended their   
,god1 thy dread is upon them4    #aa3aj4
 ,moreover also a famine hath come upon 
them1 and for drought of  water they are
 already to be counted among the dead4  
#aa3aa4 ,and they have a design even to 
kill their cattle1 and to drink  the    
blood of them4    #aa3ab4 ,and the      
consecrated things of the ,lord their   
,god which ,god  forbade them to touch1 
in corn1 wine1 and oil1 these have they 
purposed  to make use of1 and they      
design to consume the things which they 
ought  not to touch with their hands3   
therefore because they do these things1 
it is certain they will be given up to  
destruction4    #aa3ac4 ,and ,i thy     
handmaid knowing this1 am fled from     
them1 and the ,lord  hath sent me to    
tell thee these very things4    #aa3ad4 
,for ,i thy handmaid worship ,god even  

now that ,i am with thee1 and  thy      
handmaid will go out1 and ,i will pray  
to ,god1    #aa3ae4 ,and he will tell me
 when he will repay them for their sins1
 and ,i  will come and tell thee1 so    
that ,i may bring thee through the midst
 of  ,jerusalem1 and thou shalt have all
 the people of ,israel1 as sheep that   
have no shepherd1 and there shall not so
 much as one dog bark against  thee3    
#aa3af4 ,because these things are told  
me by the providence of ,god4    #aa3ag4
 ,and because ,god is angry with them1  
,i am sent to tell these very  things to
 thee4    #aa3ah4 ,and all these words  
pleased ,holofernes1 and his servants1  
and  they admired her wisdom1 and they  
said one to another3    #aa3ai4 ,there  
is not such another woman upon earth in 
look1 in beauty1  and in sense of words4
    #aa3bj4 ,and ,holofernes said to    
her3 ,god hath done well who sent thee  
before the people1 that thou mightest   
give them into our hands3    #aa3ba4    
,and because thy promise is good1 if thy

 ,god shall do this for me1  he shall   
also be my ,god1 and thou shalt be great
 in the house of  ,nabuchodonosor1 and  
thy name shall be renowned through all  
the earth4    ,judith ,chapter #ab      
,judith goeth out in the night to pray3 
she is invited to a banquet with        
,holofernes4    #ab3a4 ,then he ordered 
that she should go in where his         
treasures were  laid up1 and bade her   
tarry there1 and he appointed what      
should be given  her from his own table4
    #ab3b4 ,and ,judith answered him and
 said3 ,now ,i cannot eat of these      
things  which thou commandest to be     
given me1 lest sin come upon me3 but ,i 
will  eat of the things which ,i have   
brought4    #ab3c4 ,and ,holofernes said
 to her3 ,if these things which thou    
hast  brought with thee fail thee1 what 
shall we do for thee8    #ab3d4 ,and    
,judith said3 ,as thy soul liveth1 my   
lord1 thy handmaid shall  not spend all 
these things till ,god do by my hand    
that which ,i have  purposed4 ,and his  

servants brought her into the tent which
 he had  commanded4    #ab3e4 ,and when 
she was going in1 she desired that she  
might have liberty  to go out at night  
and before day to prayer1 and to beseech
 the ,lord4    #ab3f4 ,and he commanded 
his chamberlains1 that she might go out 
and in1  to adore her ,god as she       
pleased1 for three days4    #ab3g4 ,and 
she went out in the nights into the     
valley of ,bethulia1 and  washed herself
 in a fountain of water4    #ab3h4 ,and 
as she came up1 she prayed to the ,lord 
the ,god of ,israel1 that  he would     
direct her way to the deliverance of his
 people4    #ab3i4 ,and going in1 she   
remained pure in the tent1 until she    
took her  own meat in the evening4      
#ab3aj4 ,and it came to pass on the     
fourth day1 that ,holofernes made a     
supper for his servants1 and said to    
,vagao his eunuch3 ,go1 and persuade    
that ,hebrew woman1 to consent of her   
own accord to dwell with me4    #ab3aa4 
,for it is looked upon as shameful among

 the ,assyrians1 if a woman  mock a man1
 by doing so as to pass free from him4  
#ab3ab4 ,then ,vagao went in to ,judith1
 and said3 ,let not my good maid be     
afraid to go in to my lord1 that she may
 be honoured before his face1  that she 
may eat with him and drink wine and be  
merry4    #ab3ac4 ,and ,judith answered 
him3 ,who am ,i1 that ,i should gainsay 
my lord8    #ab3ad4 ,all that shall be  
good and best before his eyes1 ,i will  
do4 ,and  whatsoever shall please him1  
that shall be best to me all the days of
 my  life4    #ab3ae4 ,and she arose and
 dressed herself out with her garments1 
and  going in she stood before his face4
    #ab3af4 ,and the heart of           
,holofernes was smitten1 for he was     
burning with  the desire of her4        
#ab3ag4 ,and ,holofernes said to her3   
,drink now1 and sit down and be merry2  
for thou hast found favour before me4   
#ab3ah4 ,and ,judith said3 ,i will drink
 my lord1 because my life is  magnified 
this day above all my days4    #ab3ai4  

,and she took and ate and drank before  
him what her maid had  prepared for her4
    #ab3bj4 ,and ,holofernes was made   
merry on her occasion1 and drank        
exceeding much wine1 so much as he had  
never drunk in his life4    ,judith     
,chapter #ac    ,judith cutteth off the 
head of ,holofernes1 and returneth to   
,bethulia4    #ac3a4 ,and when it was   
grown late1 his servants made haste to  
their  lodgings1 and ,vagao shut the    
chamber doors1 and went his way4        
#ac3b4 ,and they were all overcharged   
with wine4    #ac3c4 ,and ,judith was   
alone in the chamber4    #ac3d4 ,but    
,holofernes lay on his bed1 fast asleep1
 being exceedingly  drunk4    #ac3e4    
,and ,judith spoke to her maid to stand 
without before the chamber1  and to     
watch3    #ac3f4 ,and ,judith stood     
before the bed praying with tears1 and  
the motion  of her lips in silence1     
#ac3g4 ,saying3 ,strengthen me1 ,o ,lord
 ,god of ,israel1 and in this hour look 
on the works of my hands1 that as thou  

hast promised1 thou mayst raise  up     
,jerusalem thy city3 and that ,i may    
bring to pass that which ,i have        
purposed1 having a belief that it might 
be done by thee4    #ac3h4 ,and when she
 had said this1 she went to the pillar  
that was at his  bed's head1 and loosed 
his sword that hung tied upon it4       
#ac3i4 ,and when she had drawn it out1  
she took him by the hair of his  head1  
and said3 ,strengthen me1 ,o ,lord ,god1
 at this hour4    #ac3aj4 ,and she      
struck twice upon his neck1 and cut off 
his head1 and  took off his canopy from 
the pillars1 and rolled away his        
headless body4    #ac3aa4 ,and after a  
while she went out1 and delivered the   
head of  ,holofernes to her maid1 and   
bade her put it into her wallet4        
#ac3ab4 ,and they two went out according
 to their custom1 as it were to  prayer1
 and they passed the camp1 and having   
compassed the valley1 they  came to the 
gate of the city4    #ac3ac4 ,and       
,judith from afar off cried to the      

watchmen upon the walls3  ,open the     
gates for ,god is with us1 who hath     
shewn his power in ,israel4    #ac3ad4  
,and it came to pass1 when the men had  
heard her voice1 that they  called the  
ancients of the city4    #ac3ae4 ,and   
all ran to meet her from the least to   
the greatest3 for they  now had no hopes
 that she would come4    #ac3af4 ,and   
lighting up lights they all gathered    
round about her3 and she  went up to a  
higher place1 and commanded silence to  
be made4 ,and when  all had held their  
peace1    #ac3ag4 ,judith said3 ,praise 
ye the ,lord our ,god1 who hath not     
forsaken  them that hope in him4        
#ac3ah4 ,and by me his handmaid he hath 
fulfilled his mercy1 which he  promised 
to the house of ,israel3 and he hath    
killed the enemy of his  people by my   
hand this night4    #ac3ai4 ,then she   
brought forth the head of ,holofernes   
out of the wallet1  and shewed it them1 
saying3 ,behold the head of ,holofernes 
the general of  the army of the         

,assyrians1 and behold his canopy1      
wherein he lay in his  drunkenness1     
where the ,lord our ,god slew him by the
 hand of a woman4    #ac3bj4 ,but as the
 same ,lord liveth1 his angel hath been 
my keeper both  going hence1 and abiding
 there1 and returning from thence       
hither3 and  the ,lord hath not suffered
 me his handmaid to be defiled1 but hath
  brought me back to you without        
pollution of sin1 rejoicing for his     
victory1 for my escape1 and for your    
deliverance4    #ac3ba4 ,give all of you
 glory to him1 because he is good1      
because his  mercy endureth for ever4   
#ac3bb4 ,and they all adored the ,lord1 
and said to her3 ,the ,lord hath        
blessed thee by his power1 because by   
thee he hath brought our enemies  to    
nought4    #ac3bc4 ,and ,ozias the      
prince of the people of ,israel1 said to
 her3  ,blessed art thou1 ,o daughter1  
by the ,lord the most high ,god1 above  
all  women upon the earth4    #ac3bd4   
,blessed be the ,lord who made heaven   

and earth1 who hath directed  thee to   
the cutting off the head of the prince  
of our enemies4    #ac3be4 ,because he  
hath so magnified thy name this day1    
that thy praise  shall not depart out of
 the mouth of men who shall be mindful  
of the  power of the ,lord for ever1 for
 that thou hast not spared thy life1 by 
reason of the distress and tribulation  
of thy people1 but hast prevented  our  
ruin in the presence of our ,god4       
#ac3bf4 ,and all the people said3 ,so be
 it1 so be it4    #ac3bg4 ,and ,achior  
being called for came1 and ,judith said 
to him3 ,the ,god  of ,israel1 to whom  
thou gavest testimony1 that he revengeth
 himself of  his enemies1 he hath cut   
off the head of all the unbelievers this
 night  by my hand4    #ac3bh4 ,and that
 thou mayst find that it is so1 behold  
the head of  ,holofernes1 who in the    
contempt of his pride despised the ,god 
of ,israel3  and threatened them with   
death1 saying3 ,when the people of      
,israel shall  be taken1 ,i will command

 thy sides to be pierced with a sword4  
#ac3bi4 ,then ,achior seeing the head of
 ,holofernes1 being seized with a  great
 fear he fell on his face upon the      
earth1 and his soul swooned  away4      
#ac3cj4 ,but after he had recovered his 
spirits he fell down at her feet1  and  
reverenced her1 and said3    #ac3ca4    
,blessed art thou by thy ,god in every  
tabernacle of ,jacob1 for in  every     
nation which shall hear thy name1 the   
,god of ,israel shall be  magnified on  
occasion of thee4    ,judith ,chapter   
#ad    ,the ,israelites assault the     
,assyrians1 who finding their general   
slain1  are seized with a panic fear4   
#ad3a4 ,and ,judith said to all the     
people3 ,hear me1 my brethren1 hang ye  
up this head upon our walls4    #ad3b4  
,and as soon as the sun shall rise1 let 
every man take his arms1  and rush ye   
out1 not as going down beneath1 but as  
making an assault4    #ad3c4 ,then the  
watchmen must needs run to awake their  
prince for the  battle4    #ad3d4 ,and  

when the captains of them shall run to  
the tent of ,holofernes1  and shall find
 him without his head wallowing in his  
blood1 fear shall  fall upon them4      
#ad3e4 ,and when you shall know that    
they are fleeing1 go after them         
securely1 for the ,lord will destroy    
them under your feet4    #ad3f4 ,then   
,achior seeing the power that the ,god  
of ,israel had wrought1  leaving the    
religion of the ,gentiles1 he believed  
,god1 and circumcised  the flesh of his 
foreskin1 and was joined to the people  
of ,israel1 with  all the succession of 
his kindred until this present day4     
#ad3g4 ,and immediately at break of day1
 they hung up the head of  ,holofernes  
upon the walls1 and every man took his  
arms1 and they went  out with a great   
noise and shouting4    #ad3h4 ,and the  
watchmen seeing this1 ran to the tent of
 ,holofernes4    #ad3i4 ,and they that  
were in the tent came1 and made a noise1
 before the  door of the chamber to     
awake him1 endeavouring by art to break 

his rest1  that ,holofernes might awake1
 not by their calling him1 but by their 
noise4    #ad3aj4 ,for no man durst     
knock1 or open and go into the chamber  
of the  general of the ,assyrians4      
#ad3aa4 ,but when his captains and      
tribunes were come1 and all the chiefs  
of the army of the king of the          
,assyrians1 they said to the            
chamberlains3    #ad3ab4 ,go in1 and    
awake him1 for the mice1 coming out of  
their holes1  have presumed to challenge
 us to fight4    #ad3ac4 ,then ,vagao   
going into his chamber1 stood before the
 curtain1 and  made a clapping with his 
hands3 for he thought that he was       
sleeping with  ,judith4    #ad3ad4 ,but 
when with hearkening1 he perceived no   
motion of one lying1 he  came near to   
the curtain1 and lifting it up1 and     
seeing the body of  ,holofernes1 lying  
upon the ground1 without the head1      
weltering in his  blood1 he cried out   
with a loud voice1 with weeping1 and    
rent his  garments4    #ad3ae4 ,and he  

went into the tent of ,judith1 and not  
finding her1 he ran  out to the people1 
#ad3af4 ,and said3 ,one ,hebrew woman   
hath made confusion in the house of     
king ,nabuchodonosor3 for behold        
,holofernes lieth upon the ground1 and  
his head is not upon him4    #ad3ag4    
,now when the chiefs of the army of the 
,assyrians had heard this1  they all    
rent their garments1 and an intolerable 
fear and dread fell  upon them1 and     
their minds were troubled exceedingly4  
#ad3ah4 ,and there was a very great cry 
in the midst of their camp4    ,judith  
,chapter #ae    ,the ,assyrians flee3   
the ,hebrews pursue after them1 and are 
enriched by  their spoils4    #ae3a4    
,and when all the army heard that       
,holofernes was beheaded1 courage  and  
counsel fled from them1 and being seized
 with trembling and fear  they thought  
only to save themselves by flight4      
#ae3b4 ,so that no one spoke to his     
neighbour1 but hanging down the head1   
leaving all things behind1 they made    

haste to escape from the ,hebrews1  who1
 as they heard1 were coming armed upon  
them1 and fled by the ways of  the      
fields1 and the paths of the hills4     
#ae3c4 ,so the children of ,israel      
seeing them fleeing1 followed after     
them4 ,and they went down sounding with 
trumpets and shouting after them4       
#ae3d4 ,and because the ,assyrians were 
not united together1 they went  without 
order in their flight2 but the children 
of ,israel pursuing in  one body1       
defeated all that they could find4      
#ae3e4 ,and ,ozias sent messengers      
through all the cities and countries of 
,israel4    #ae3f4 ,and every country1  
and every city1 sent their chosen young 
men  armed after them1 and they pursued 
them with the edge of the sword until   
they came to the extremities of their   
confines4    #ae3g4 ,and the rest that  
were in ,bethulia went into the camp of 
the  ,assyrians1 and took away the      
spoils which the ,assyrians in their    
flight  had left behind them1 and they  

were laden exceedingly1    #ae3h4 ,but  
they that returned conquerors to        
,bethulia1 brought with them  all things
 that were theirs1 so that there was no 
numbering of their  cattle1 and beasts1 
and all their moveables1 insomuch that  
from the  least to the greatest all were
 made rich by their spoils4    #ae3i4   
,and ,joachim the high priest came from 
,jerusalem to ,bethulia with  all his   
ancients to see ,judith4    #ae3aj4 ,and
 when she was come out to him1 they all 
blessed her with one  voice1 saying3    
,thou art the glory of ,jerusalem1 thou 
art the joy of  ,israel1 thou art the   
honour of our people3    #ae3aa4 ,for   
thou hast done manfully1 and thy heart  
has been strengthened1  because thou    
hast loved chastity1 and after thy      
husband hast not known  any other3      
therefore also the hand of the ,lord    
hath strengthened thee1  and therefore  
thou shalt be blessed for ever4         
#ae3ab4 ,and all the people said3 ,so be
 it1 so be it4    #ae3ac4 ,and thirty   

days were scarce sufficient for the     
people of ,israel  to gather up the     
spoils of the ,assyrians4    #ae3ad4    
,but all those things that were proved  
to be the peculiar goods of             
,holofernes1 they gave to ,judith in    
gold1 and silver1 and garments and      
precious stones1 and all household      
stuff1 and they all were delivered to   
her by the people4    #ae3ae4 ,and all  
the people rejoiced1 with the women1 and
 virgins1 and  young men1 playing on    
instruments and harps4    ,judith       
,chapter #af    ,the canticle of        
,judith3 her virtuous life and death4   
#af3a4 ,then ,judith sung this canticle 
to the ,lord1 saying3    #af3b4 ,begin  
ye to the ,lord with timbrels1 sing ye  
to the ,lord with  cymbals1 tune unto   
him a new psalm1 extol and call upon his
 name4    #af3c4 ,the ,lord putteth an  
end to wars1 the ,lord is his name4     
#af3d4 ,he hath set his camp in the     
midst of his people1 to deliver us  from
 the hand of all our enemies4    #af3e4 

,the ,assyrian came out of the mountains
 from the north in the  multitude of his
 strength3 his multitude stopped up the 
torrents1 and  their horses covered the 
valleys4    #af3f4 ,he bragged that he  
would set my borders on fire1 and kill  
my young  men with the sword1 to make my
 infants a prey1 and my virgins         
captives4    #af3g4 ,but the almighty   
,lord hath struck him1 and hath         
delivered him into  the hands of a      
woman1 and hath slain him4    #af3h4    
,for their mighty one did not fall by   
young men1 neither did the  sons of     
,titan strike him1 nor tall giants      
oppose themselves to him1 but  ,judith  
the daughter of ,merari weakened him    
with the beauty of her face4    #af3i4  
,for she put off her the garments of    
widowhood1 and put on her the  garments 
of joy1 to give joy to the children of  
,israel4    #af3aj4 ,she anointed her   
face with ointment1 and bound up her    
locks with  a crown1 she took a new robe
 to deceive him4    #af3aa4 ,her sandals

 ravished his eyes1 her beauty made his 
soul her  captive1 with a sword she cut 
off his head4    #af3ab4 ,the ,persians 
quaked at her constancy1 and the ,medes 
at her  boldness4    #af3ac4 ,then the  
camp of the ,assyrians howled1 when my  
lowly ones  appeared1 parched with      
thirst4    #af3ad4 ,the sons of the     
damsels have pierced them through1 and  
they have  killed them like children    
fleeing away3 they perished in battle   
before  the face of the ,lord my ,god4  
#af3ae4 ,let us sing a hymn to the      
,lord1 let us sing a new hymn to our    
,god4    #af3af4 ,o ,adonai1 ,lord1     
great art thou1 and glorious in thy     
power1 and no  one can overcome thee4   
#af3ag4 ,let all thy creatures serve    
thee3 because thou hast spoken1 and     
they were made3 thou didst send forth   
thy spirit1 and they were created1  and 
there is no one that can resist thy     
voice4    #af3ah4 ,the mountains shall  
be moved from the foundations with the  
waters3 the rocks shall melt as wax     

before thy face4    #af3ai4 ,but they   
that fear thee1 shall be great with thee
 in all things4    #af3bj4 ,woe be to   
the nation that riseth up against my    
people3 for the  ,lord almighty will    
take revenge on them1 in the day of     
judgment he will  visit them4    #af3ba4
 ,for he will give fire1 and worms into 
their flesh1 that they may  burn1 and   
may feel for ever4    #af3bb4 ,and it   
came to pass after these things1 that   
all the people1  after the victory1 came
 to ,jerusalem to adore the ,lord3 and  
as soon as  they were purified1 they all
 offered holocausts1 and vows1 and their
  promises4    #af3bc4 ,and ,judith     
offered for an anathema of oblivion all 
the arms of  ,holofernes1 which the     
people gave her1 and the canopy that she
 had taken  away out of his chamber4    
,an anathema of oblivion444 ,that is1 a 
gift or offering made to ,god1 by  way  
of an everlasting monument1 to prevent  
the oblivion or forgetting so  great a  
benefit4    #af3bd4 ,and the people were

 joyful in the sight of the sanctuary1  
and for  three months the joy of this   
victory was celebrated with ,judith4    
#af3be4 ,and after those days every man 
returned to his house1 and ,judith  was 
made great in ,bethulia1 and she was    
most renowned in all the land of        
,israel4    #af3bf4 ,and chastity was   
joined to her virtue1 so that she knew  
no man  all the days of her life1 after 
the death of ,manasses her husband4     
#af3bg4 ,and on festival days she came  
forth with great glory4    #af3bh4 ,and 
she abode in her husband's house a      
hundred and five years1  and made her   
handmaid free1 and she died1 and was    
buried with her  husband in ,bethulia4  
#af3bi4 ,and all the people mourned for 
seven days4    #af3cj4 ,and all the time
 of her life there was none that        
troubled ,israel1  nor many years after 
her death4    #af3ca4 ,but the day of   
the festivity of this victory is        
received by the  ,hebrews in the number 
of holy days1 and is religiously        

observed by the  ,jews from that time   
until this day4