Sefarim
Yehudit13
Judith · Chapter 13
Now when the evening was come, his servants made haste to depart, and Bagoas shut his tent without, and dismissed the waiters from the presence of his lord; and they went to their beds: for they were all weary, because the feast had been long.
And Judith was left alone in the tent, and Holofernes lying alone upon his bed: for he was filled with wine.
Now Judith had commanded her maid to stand without her bedchamber, and to wait for her. coming forth, as she did daily: for she said she would go forth to her prayers, and she spake to Bagoas according to the same purpose.
So all went forth and none was left in the bedchamber, neither little nor great. Then Judith, standing by his bed, said in her heart, O master Elohim of all power, look at this present upon the works of mine hands for the exaltation of Yerushalayim.
For now is the time to help thine inheritance, and to execute thine enterprizes to the destruction of the enemies which are risen against us.
Then she came to the pillar of the bed, which was at Holofernes’ head, and took down his fauchion from thence,
And approached to his bed, and took hold of the hair of his head, and said, Strengthen me, O master Elohim of Yisra'el, this day.
And she smote twice upon his neck with all her might, and she took away his head from him.
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 his head to her maid;
And she put it in her bag of meat: so they twain went together according to their custom unto prayer: and when they passed the camp, they compassed the valley, and went up the mountain of Bethulia, and came to the gates thereof.
Then said Judith afar off, to the watchmen at the gate, Open, open now the gate: Elohim, even our Elohim, is with us, to shew his power yet in Yerushalayim, and his forces against the enemy, as he hath even done this day.
Now when the men of her city heard her voice, they made haste to go down to the gate of their city, and they called the elders of the city.
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.
Then she said to them with a loud voice, Praise, praise Elohim, praise Elohim, I say, for he hath not taken away his mercy from the house of Yisra'el, but hath destroyed our enemies by mine hands this night.
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 master hath smitten him by the hand of a woman.
As the master 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.
Then all the people were wonderfully astonished, and bowed themselves and worshipped Elohim, and said with one accord, Blessed be thou, O our Elohim, which hast this day brought to nought the enemies of thy people.
Then said Ozias unto her, O daughter, blessed art thou of the most high Elohim above all the women upon the earth; and blessed be the master Elohim, which hath created the shamayim and the earth, which hath directed thee to the cutting off of the head of the chief of our enemies.
For this thy confidence shall not depart from the heart of men, which remember the power of Elohim for ever.
And Elohim 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 Elohim. And all the people said; So be it, so be it.
Sefarim
Yehudit14
Judith · Chapter 14
Then said Judith unto them, Hear me now, my brethren, and take this head, and hang it upon the highest place of your walls.
And so soon as the morning shall appear, and the sun shall come forth upon the earth, take ye every one his weapons, and go forth 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.
Then they shall take their armour, and shall go into their camp, and raise up the captains of the army of Assur, and 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.
So ye, and all that inhabit the coast of Yisra'el, shall pursue them, and overthrow them as they go.
But before ye do these things, call me Achior the Ammonite, that he may see and know him that despised the house of Yisra'el, and that sent him to us as it were to his death.
Then they called Achior out of the house of Ozias; and when he was come, and saw the head of Holofernes in a man’s hand in the assembly of the people, he fell down on his face, and his spirit failed.
But when they had recovered him, he fell at Judith’s feet, and reverenced her, and said, Blessed art thou in all the tabernacles of Juda, and in all nations, which hearing thy name shall be astonished.
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.
And when she had left off speaking, the people shouted with a loud voice, and made a joyful noise in their city.
And when Achior had seen all that the Elohim of Yisra'el had done, he believed in Elohim greatly, and circumcised the flesh of his foreskin, and was joined unto the house of Yisra'el unto this day.
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.
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.
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.
Then went in Bagoas, and knocked at the door of the tent; for he thought that he had slept with Judith.
But because none answered, he opened it, and went into the bedchamber, and found him cast upon the floor dead, and his head was taken from him.
Therefore he cried with a loud voice, with weeping, and sighing, and a mighty cry, and rent his garments.
After he went into the tent where Judith lodged: and when he found her not, he leaped out to the people, and cried,
These slaves have dealt treacherously; one woman of the Hebrews hath brought shame upon the house of king Nabuchodonosor: for, behold, Holofernes lieth upon the ground without a head.
When the captains of the Assyrians’ army heard these words, they rent their coats and their minds were wonderfully troubled, and there was a cry and a very great noise throughout the camp.
Sefarim
Yehudit15
Judith · Chapter 15
And when they that were in the tents heard, they were astonished at the thing that was done.
And fear and trembling fell upon them, so that there was no man that durst abide in the sight of his neighbour, but rushing out all together, they fled into every way of the plain, and of the hill country.
They also that had camped in the mountains round about Bethulia fled away. Then the children of Yisra'el, every one that was a warrior among them, rushed out upon them.
Then sent Ozias to Betomasthem, and to Bebai, and Chobai, and Cola and to all the coasts of Yisra'el, such as should tell the things that were done, and that all should rush forth upon their enemies to destroy them.
Now when the children of Yisra'el heard it, they all fell upon them with one consent, and slew them unto Chobai: likewise also they that came from Yerushalayim, and from all the hill country, (for men had told them what things were done in the camp of their enemies) and they that were in Galaad, and in Galilee, chased them with a great slaughter, until they were past Damascus and the borders thereof.
And the residue that dwelt at Bethulia, fell upon the camp of Assur, and spoiled them, and were greatly enriched.
And the children of Yisra'el that returned from the slaughter had that which remained; and the villages and the cities, that were in the mountains and in the plain, gat many spoils: for the multitude was very great.
Then Joacim the high kohen, and the ancients of the children of Yisra'el that dwelt in Yerushalayim, came to behold the good things that Elohim had shewed to Yisra'el, and to see Judith, and to salute her.
And when they came unto her, they blessed her with one accord, and said unto her, Thou art the exaltation of Yerushalayim, thou art the great glory of Yisra'el, thou art the great rejoicing of our nation:
Thou hast done all these things by thine hand: thou hast done much good to Yisra'el, and Elohim is pleased therewith: blessed be thou of the Almighty master for evermore. And all the people said, So be it.
And the people spoiled the camp the space of thirty days: and they gave unto Judith Holofernes his tent, and all his plate, and beds, and vessels, and all his stuff: and she took it and laid it on her mule; and made ready her carts, and laid them thereon.
Then all the women of Yisra'el ran together to see her, and blessed her, and made a dance among them for her: and she took branches in her hand, and gave also to the women that were with her.
And they put a garland of olive upon her and her maid that was with her, and she went before all the people in the dance, leading all the women: and all the men of Yisra'el followed in their armour with garlands, and with songs in their mouths.