Apocrypha.

JUDITH.

Аростурка. there any now in these days, neither tribe nor sackcloth wherewith she was clothed; and about family, nor people, nor city, among us, which the time that the incense of that evening was worship gods made with hands, as hath been offered in Jerusalem, in the house of the Lord, Judith cried with a loud voice, and said, aforetime.

19 For the which cause our fathers were given to the sword, and for a spoil, and had a great fall before our enemies.

20 But we know none other God, therefore we trust that he will not despise us, nor any of our nation.

21 For if we be taken so, all Judea shall lie waste, and our sanctuary shall be spoiled; and he will require the profanation thereof at our

mouth.

22 And the slaughter of our brethren, and the captivity of the country, and the desolation of our inheritance, will he turn upon our heads among the Gentiles, wheresoever we shall be in bondage; and we shall be an offence and a reproach to all them that possess us.

23 For our servitude shall not be directed to favour but the Lord our God shall turn it to dishonour.

24 Now therefore, O brethren, let us shew an example to our brethren, because their hearts depend upon us, and the sanctuary, and the house, and the altar, rest upon us.

25 Moreover, let us give thanks to the Lord our God, which trieth us, even as he did our fathers.

26 Remember what things he did to Abraham, and how he tried Isaac, and what happened to Jacob in Mesopotamia of Syria, when he kept the sheep of Laban his mother's bro

ther.

27 For he hath not tried us in the fire, as he did them, for the examination of their hearts, neither hath he taken vengeance on us: but the Lord doth scourge them that come near unto him, to admonish them.

23 Then said Ozias to her, All that thou hast spoken, hast thou spoken with a good heart, and there is none that may gainsay thy words.

29 For this is not the first day wherein thy wisdom is manifested; but from the beginning of thy days all the people have known thy understanding, because the disposition of thine heart is good.

2 O Lord God of my father Simeon, to whom thou gavest a sword to take vengeance of the strangers, who loosened the girdle of a maid to defile her, and discovered the thigh to her shame, and polluted her virginity to her reproach; for thou saidst, It shall not be so; and yet they did so:

3 Wherefore thou gavest their rulers to be slain, so that they dyed their bed in blood, being deceived, and smotest the servants with their lords, and the lords upon their thrones;

4 And hast given their wives for a prey, and their daughters to be captives, and all their spoils to be divided among thy dear children; which were moved with thy zeal, and abhorred the pollution of their blood, and called upon thee for aid: O God, O my God, hear me also a widow.

5 For thou hast wrought not only those things, but also the things which fell out before and which ensued after; thou hast thought upon the things which are now, and which are to

come.

6 Yea, what things thou didst determine were ready at hand, and said, Lo, we are here: for all thy ways are prepared, and thy judgments are in thy foreknowledge.

7 For behold, the Assyrians are multiplied in their power; they are exalted with horse and man; they glory in the strength of their footmen; they trust in shield and spear, and bow and sling; and know not that thou art the Lord that breakest the battles: the Lord is thy name.

8 Throw down their strength in thy power, and bring down their force in thy wrath: for they have purposed to defile thy sanctuary, and to pollute the tabernacle where thy glorious name resteth, and to cast down with the sword the horn of thine altar.

9 Behold their pride, and send thy wrath upon their heads: give into mine hand, which am a widow, the power that I have conceived.

10 Smite by the deceit of my lips the ser 30 But the people were very thirsty, and vant with the prince, and the prince with the compelled us to do unto them as we have spoken, servant: break down their stateliness by the and to bring an oath upon ourselves, which we hand of a woman. will not break.

31 Therefore now pray thou for us, because thou art a godly woman, and the Lord will send us rain to fill our cisterns, and we shall faint no

more.

32 Then said Judith unto them, Hear me, and I will do a thing which shall go throughout all generations to the children of our nation.

33 Ye shall stand this night in the gate, and I will go forth with my waiting-woman: and within the days that ye have promised to deliver the city to our enemies, the Lord will visit Israel by mine hand.

34 But inquire not ye of mine act: for I will not declare it unto you, till the things be finished that I do.

35 Then said Ozias and the princes unto her, Go in peace, and the Lord God be before thee, to take vengeance on our enemies.

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

CHAP. IX.

NHEN Judith fell upon her face, and put

11 For thy power standeth not in multitude, nor thy might in strong men: for thou art a God of the afflicted, an helper of the oppressed, an upholder of the weak, a protector of the forlorn, a saviour of them that are without hope.

12 I pray thee, I pray thee, O God of my father, and God of the inheritance of Israel, Lord of the heavens and earth, Creator of the waters, King of every creature, hear thou my prayer:

13 And make my speech and deceit to be their wound and stripe, who have purposed cruel things against thy covenant, and thy hallowed house, and against the top of Sion, and against the house of the possession of thy children.

14 And make every nation and tribe to ac knowledge that thou art the God of all power and might, and that there is none other that protecteth the people of Israel but thou. CHAP. X.

Now after all, and had made an end of all ththe word of

TOW after that she had ceased to cry unto

CHAP. XI.

2 She rose where she had fallen down, and without the tent of Holofernes, till they told him called her maid, and went down into the house, of her. in the which she abode in the sabbath-days, and in her feast-days,

6 Thus they went forth to the gate of the city of Bethulia, and found standing there Ozias, and the ancients of the city, Chabris and of good comfort, fear not in thine heart: for

12 And took her, and asked her, Of what 7 As Nabuchodonosor king of all the earth people art thou? and whence comest thou? and liveth, and as his power liveth, who hath sent whither goest thou? And she said, I am a wo- thee for the upholding of every living thing: man of the Hebrews, and am fled from them: for not only men shall serve him by thee, but for they shall be given you to be consumed: also the beasts of the field, and the cattle, and 13 And I am coming before Holofernes the the fowls of the air, shail live by thy power unchief captain of your army, to declare words of der Nabuchodonosor and all his house. truth; and I will shew him a way whereby he shall go, and win all the hill-country, without losing the body or life of any one of his men.

9 Now as concerning the matter, which Achior 15 Thou hast saved thy life, in that thou hast did speak in thy council, we have heard his hasted to come down to the presence of our words; for the men of Bethulia saved him, and lord now therefore come to his tent, and some he declared unto them all that he had spoken of us shall conduct thee, until they have de- unto thee. livered thee to his hands.

16 And when thou standest before him, be his word; but lay it up in thine heart, for it is not afraid in thine heart, but shew unto him ac- true; for our nation shall not be punished, neicording to thy word; and he will entreat thee ther can the sword prevail against them, except well. they sin against their God.

17 Then they chose out of them an hundred 11 And now, that my lord be not defeated men to accompany her and her maid; and they and frustrate of his purpose, even death is now brought her to the tent of Holofernes. fallen upon them, and their sin hath overtaken

18 Then was there a concourse throughout them, wherewith they will provoke their God all the camp for her coming was noised among to anger, whensoever they shall do that which the tents, and they came about her, as she stood is not fit to be done :

Apocrypha.

JUDITH.

Аростурка. 12 For their victuals fail them, and all their 6 And sent to Holofernes, saying, Let my water is scant, and they have determined to lay lord now command that thy handmaid may go hands upon their cattle, and purposed to con- forth unto prayer. sume all those things, that God hath forbidden them to eat by his laws:

13 And are resolved to spend the first-fruits of the corn, and the tenths of wine and oil, which they had sanctified, and reserved for the priests that serve in Jerusalem before the face of our God; the which things it is not lawful for any of the people so much as to touch with their hands.

14 For they have sent some to Jerusalem, because they also that dwell there have done ne like, to bring them a license from the senate. 15 Now when they shall bring them word, they will forthwith do it, and they shall be given thee to be destroyed the same day.

16 Wherefore I thine handmaid, knowing all this, am fled from their presence; and God hath sent me to work things with thee, whereat all the earth shall be astonished, and whosoever shall hear it.

7 Then Holofernes commanded his guard that they should not stay her: thus she abode in the camp three days, and went out in the night into the valley of Bethulia, and washed herself in a fountain of water by the camp.

8 And when she came out, she besought the Lord God of Israel to direct her way to the raising up of the children of her people.

9 So she came in clean, and remained in the tent, until she did eat her meat at evening.

10 And in the fourth day Holofernes made a feast to his own servants only, and called none of the officers to the banquet.

11 Then said he to Bagoas the eunuch, who had charge over all that he had, Go now, and persuade this Hebrew woman which is with thee, that she come unto us, and eat and drink with us.

12 For lo, it will be a shame for our person, if we shall let such a woman go, not having had her company; for if we draw her not unto 17 For thy servant is religious, and serveth us, she will laugh us to scorn. the God of heaven day and night: now there

13 Then went Bagoas from the presence of fore, my lord, I will remain with thee, and thy Holofernes, and came to her, and he said, Let servant will go out by night into the valley, and not this fair damsel fear to come to my lord, and I will pray unto God, and he will tell me when to be honoured in his presence, and drink wine, they have committed their sins:

18 And I will come and shew it unto thee: then thou shalt go forth with all thine army, and there shall be none of them that shall resist thee.

19 And I will lead thee through the midst of Judea, until tho' come before Jerusalem; and I will set thy throne in the midst thereof; and thou shalt drive them as sheep that have no shepherd, and a dog shall not so much as open his mouth at thee; for these things were told me according to my foreknowledge, and they were declared unto me, and I am sent to tell thee.

20 Then her words pleased Holofernes and all his servants; and they marvelled at her wisdom, and said,

21 There is not such a woman from one end of the earth to the other, both for beauty of face, and wisdom of words.

22 Likewise Holofernes said unto her, God hath done well to send thee before the people, that strength might be in our hands, and destruction upon them that lightly regard my lord. 23 And now thou art both beautiful in thy countenance, and witty in thy words: surely if thou do as thou hast spoken, thy God shall be my God, and thou shalt dwell in the house of king Nabuchodonosor, and shalt be renowned through the whole earth.

HEN

CHAP. XII.

The commanded to bring her in wheld prepare for her of his own meats, and that she should drink of his own wine.

and be merry with us, and be made this day as one of the daughters of the Assyrians, which serve in the house of Nabuchodonosor.

14 Then said Judith unto him, Who am I now, that I should gainsay my lord? surely whatsoever pleaseth him I will do speedily, and it shall be my joy unto the day of my death.

15 So she arose, and decked herself with her apparel, and all her women's attire, and her maid went and laid soft skins on the ground for her over against Holofernes, which she had received of Bagoas for her daily use, that she might sit and eat upon them.

16 Now when Judith came in and sat down, Holofernes' heart was ravished with her, and his mind was moved, and he desired greatly her company; for he waited a time to deceive her, from the day that he had seen her.

17 Then said Holofernes unto her, Drink now, and be merry with us.

18 So Judith said, I will drink now, my lord, because my life is magnified in me this day more than all the days since I was born.

19 Then she took and ate and drank before him what her maid had prepared.

20 And Holofernes took great delight in her, and drank much more wine than he had drunk at any time in one day since he was born. CHẤP. XIII

[OW when the evening was come, his ser

Now eve to shut ante made haste to depart, and Bagoas from the presence of his lord; and they went to their beds: for they were all weary, because 2 And Judith said, I will not eat thereof, lest the feast had been long.

there be an offence: but provision shall be made 2 And Judith was left alone in the tent, and for me of the things that I have brought. Holofernes lying along upon his bed: for he

3 Then Holofernes said unto her, If thy pro-was filled with wine. vision should fail, how should we give thee the 3 Now Judith had commanded her maid to like? for there be none with us of thy nation. stand without her bed-chamber, and to wait for 4 Then said Judith unto him, Ås thy soul her coming forth, as she did daily: for she said liveth, my lord, thine handmaid shall not spend she would go forth to her prayers, and she spake those things that I have, before the Lord work to Bagoas according to the same purpose. by mine hand the things that he hath determined. 4 So all went forth, and none was left in the 5 Then the servants of Holofernes brought her bed-chamber, neither little nor great. Then into the tent, and she slept till midnight, and she Judith, standing by his bed, said in her heart, arose when it was toward the morning watch, O Lord God of all power, look at this present

upon the works of mine hands for the exaltation Jerusalem.

CHAP. XIV.

Apocrypha.

HEN said Judith unto them, Hear me now,

on of now is the time to help thine inherit-T my brethren, and take this head, and how

ance, and to execute mine enterprises to the it upon the highest place of your walls. destruction of the enemies which are risen 2 And so soon as the morning shall appear, against us. and the sun shall come forth upon the earth, 6 Then she came to the pillar of the bed take ye every one his weapons, and go forth which was at Holofernes' head, and took down his fauchion from thence,

7 And approached to his bed, and took hold of the hair of his head, and said, Strengthen me, O Lord God of Israel, this day.

8 And she smote twice upon his neck with all her might, and she took away his head from him,

9 And tumbled his body down from the bed, and pulled down the canopy from the pillars, and anon after she went forth, and gave Holofernes' head to her maid;

every valiant man out of the city, and set ye a
captain over them, as though ye would go down
into the field toward the watch of the Assyrians;
but
go not down.

3 Then they shall take their armour, and shall go into their camp, and raise up the captains of the army of Assur, and they shall run to the tent of Holofernes, but shall not find him : then fear shall fall upon them, and they shall flee before your face.

4 So ye, and all that inhabit the coast of Israel, shall pursue them, and overthrow them as they go.

10 And she put it in her bag of meat: so they twain went together according to their custom 5 But before ye do these things, call me unto prayer: and when they passed the camp, Achior the Ammonite, that he may see and they compassed the valley, and went up the moun- know him that despised the house of Israel, and tain of Bethulia, and came to the gates thereof. that sent him to us, as it were to his death.

11 Then said Judith afar off to the watchmen 6 Then they called Achior out of the house at the gate, Open, open now the gate: God, of Ozias; and when he was come, and saw the even our God, is with us, to shew his power head of Holofernes in a man's hand in the asyet in Jerusalem, and his forces against the ene-sembly of the people, he fell down on his face, my, as he hath even done this day. and his spirit failed.

12 Now when the men of her city heard her 7 But when they had recovered him, he fell voice, they made haste to go down to the gate at Judith's feet, and reverenced her, and said, of their city, and they called the elders of the Blessed art thou in all the tabernacle of Juda, city. and in all nations, which hearing thy name shall be astonished.

13 And then they ran all together, both small and great, for it was strange unto them that she was come: so they opened the gate, and received them, and made a fire for a light, and stood round about them.

14 Then she said to them with a loud voice, Praise, praise God, praise God, I say, for he hath not taken away his mercy from the house of Israel, but hath destroyed our enemies by mine hands this night.

15 So she took the head out of the bag, and shewed it, and said unto them, Behold the head of Holofernes, the chief captain of the army of Assur, and behold the canopy, wherein he did lie in his drunkenness; and the Lord hath smitten him by the hand of a woman.

16 As the Lord liveth, who hath kept me in my way that I went, my countenance hath deceived him to his destruction, and yet hath he not committed sin with me, to defile and shame

me.

17 Then all the people were wonderfully astonished, and bowed themselves, and worshipped God, and said with one accord, Blessed be thou, O our God, which hast this day brought to nought the enemies of thy people.

18 Then said Ozias unto her, O daughter, blessed art thou of the most high God above all the women upon the earth: and blessed be the Lord God, which hath created the heavens and the earth, which hath directed thee to the cutting off of the head of the chief of our enemies.

19 For this thy confidence shall not depart from the heart of men, which remember the power of God for ever.

20 And God turn these things to thee for a perpetual praise, to visit thee in good things, because thou hast not spared thy life for the affliction of our nation, but hast revenged our ruin, walking a straight way before our God. And all the people said, So be it, so be it.

8 Now therefore tell me all the things that thou hast done in these days. Then Judith declared unto him in the midst of the people all that she had done, from the day that she went forth until that hour she spake unto them.

9 And when she had left off speaking, the people shouted with a loud voice, and made a joyful noise in their city.

10 And when Achior had seen all that the God of Israel had done, he believed in God greatly, and circumcised the flesh of his foreskin, and was joined unto the house of Israel unto this day.

11 And as soon as the morning arose, they hanged the head of Holofernes upon the wall, and every man took his weapons, and they went forth by bands unto the straits of the mountain.

12 But when the Assyrians saw them, they sent to their leaders, which came to their captains and tribunes, and to every one of their rulers.

13 So they came to Holofernes' tent, and said to him that had the charge of all his things, Waken now our lord: for the slaves have been bold to come down against us to battle, that they may be utterly destroyed.

14 Then went in Bagoas, and knocked at the door of the tent; for he thought that he had slept with Judith.

15 But because none answered, he opened it, and went into the bed-chamber, and found him cast upon the floor dead, and his head was taken from him.

16 Therefore he cried with a loud voice, with weeping, and sighing, and a mighty cry, and rent his garments.

17 After, he went into the tent where Judith lodged: and when he found her not, he leaped out to the people, and cried,

18 These slaves have dealt treacherously; one woman of the Hebrews hath brought shame

JUDITH.

upon the house of king Nabuchodonosor: for behold, Holofernes lieth upon the ground with-in all Israel, and all the people sang after Judith began to sing this thanksgiving

19 When the captains of the Assyrians' ar- her this song of praise. my heard these words, they rent their coats, 2 And Judith said, Begin unto my God with and their minds were wonderfully troubled, and timbrels, sing unto my Lord with cymbals : tune there was a cry and a very great noise through- unto him a new psalm: exalt him, and call upon out the camp. his name.

3 For God breaketh the battles: for among ND when they that were in the tents heard, the camps in the midst of the people he hath A they were astonished at the thing that was delivered me out of the hands of them that per

4 Assur came out of the mountains from the north, he came with ten thousands of his army, the multitude whereof stopped the torrents, and their horsemen have covered the hills.

5 He bragged that he would burn up my borders, and kill my young men with the sword, Then the and dash the sucking children against the ground, and make mine infants as a prey, and my virgins as a spoil.

18 Now as soon as they entered into Jeraamong them for her and she took branches in salem, they worshipped the Lord; and as soon her hand, and gave also to the women that were as the people were purified, they offered their with her. burnt-offerings, and their free-offerings, and

13 And they put a garland of olive upon her their gifts. and her maid that was with her, and she went 19 Judith also dedicated all the stuff of Hobefore all the people in the dance, leading all the lofernes, which the people had given her, and women and all the men of Israel followed in gave the canopy, which she had taken out of their armour with garlands, and with songs in his bed-chamber, for a gift unto the Lord. their mouths. 20 So the people continued feasting in Jera