Judith 10

1And it happened, when she stopped crying out to the God of Israel and finished all these words,

2And she rose from her prostration and called her maid Abra, and went down into the house in which she stayed during the days of her Sabbaths and during her festivals,

3And she took off the sackcloth that she had been wearing, and removed the garments of her widowhood. She washed her body with water and anointed herself with rich perfume, arranged the hair of her head, put a headband on it, and put on her festive garments, with which she used to adorn herself during the days of her husband Manasseh’s life;

4And she put sandals on her feet, and put on her anklets and bracelets and rings and earrings and all her jewelry; and she made herself very beautiful, to deceive the eyes of any men who might see her.

5And she gave her maid a skin of wine and a flask of oil, and she filled a bag with barley meal and cakes of pressed figs and clean loaves; then she wrapped up all her vessels and placed them on her.

6And they went out to the gate of the city of Bethulia, and found Uzziah standing there, and Chabris and Charmis, the elders of the city.

7But when they saw her, and her face had been changed and her clothing altered, they marveled very greatly at her beauty,

8And they said to her, “May the God of our fathers grant you favor, and bring your undertakings to completion for the boasting of the sons of Israel and the exaltation of Jerusalem.” And she bowed down to God.

9And she said to them, “Order the gate of the city to be opened for me, and I will go out for the fulfillment of the words that you spoke with me.” So they instructed the young men to open it for her, just as she had said.

10And they did so. Then Judith went out, she and her maid with her; and the men of the city kept watching her until she went down the mountain, until she passed through the valley, and they could no longer see her.

11And they were going straight through the courtyard, and an Assyrian advance guard met her.

12And they seized her and asked her, “Who are you, and where are you coming from, and where are you going?” And she said, “I am a daughter of the Hebrews, and I am fleeing from before them, because they are about to be given over to you for consumption.”

13And I am coming into the presence of Holofernes, the commander-in-chief of your forces, to announce words of truth, and I will show before him the way by which he will go and gain mastery over all the hill country, and not one flesh of his men, nor a breath of life, will be lacking.

14And when the men heard her words and observed her face, she was exceedingly marvelous in beauty before them.

15And they said to her, “You have saved your life by hurrying down into the presence of our lord. And now come to his tent, and some from among us will escort you until they hand you over into his hands.”

16But if you stand before him, do not be afraid in your heart; instead, report according to your words, and he will treat you well.

17And they selected one hundred men from among them, and they escorted her and her maid, and brought them to the tent of Holofernes.

18And there was a rush in the camp, for her arrival was reported through the tents; and they came and gathered around her as she stood outside the tent of Holofernes, until they announced her to him.

19And they marveled at her beauty, and because of her they marveled at the sons of Israel; and each said to his neighbor, “Who would despise this people, who have such women among them? For it is not good to leave even one man from among them, because those who are left would be able to outwit the whole earth.”

20And those attending Holofernes came out, and all his servants, and they brought her into the tent.

21And Holofernes was reclining on his bed under the canopy, which was woven with purple, gold, emeralds, and costly stones.

22And they reported her to him, and he came out into the forecourt, with silver lamps going before him.

23When Judith came before him and his attendants, they all marveled at the beauty of her face; and falling on her face, she bowed down to him, and they raised her up.