Judith 8

1And in those days Judith heard, the daughter of Merari son of Ox son of Joseph son of Oziel son of Elkiah son of Eliou son of Chelkias son of Eliab son of Nathanael son of Salamiel son of Sarasadai son of Israel.

2And her husband Manasseh was from her own tribe and her own family line; and he died in the days of the barley harvest.

3For he happened to be binding the sheaf in the field, and the hot wind came upon his head, and he fell onto his bed and died in Bethulia, his city. And they buried him with his fathers in the field between Dothaim and Balamon.

4And Judith remained in her house as a widow for three years and four months.

5And she made for herself a tent on the roof of her house, and put sackcloth around her waist, and the garments of her widowhood were upon her.

6And she fasted all the days of her widowhood, except the days before Sabbaths and Sabbaths and the days before new moons and festivals and celebrations of the house of Israel.

7And she was very beautiful in appearance and lovely to behold; and Manasseh her husband had left her gold and silver and male servants and female servants and livestock and fields, and she remained over them.

8And there was no one who brought an evil word against her, because she feared God greatly.

9And she heard the evil words of the people against the ruler, because they had lost heart over the shortage of water; and she heard all the words that Ozias had spoken to them, that he had sworn to hand over the city to the Assyrians after five days.

10And she sent her maid, who was in charge of all that belonged to her, and summoned Chabris and Charmis, the elders of her city.

11And they came to her, and she said to them, “Listen to me, rulers of those who dwell in Bethulia, for your word that you spoke against the people on this day is not right, and you have set up the oath that you spoke between God and yourselves, and said that you would hand over the city to our enemies if within these days the Lord does not turn back to help you.”

12And now, who are you, that you have put God to the test this day, and have set yourselves above God among the sons of men?

13And now you are testing the Lord Almighty, and you will never understand anything.

14For you will not find the depths of a man's heart, nor will you discern the words of his mind. So how will you search out God, who made all these things, and know his mind, and understand his thought? By no means, brothers, provoke the Lord our God.

15For if he is not willing to help us within these five days, he himself has the authority, in whatever days he wishes, to shelter us, or even to destroy us before our enemies.

16But do not hold the plans of the Lord our God as security, for God is not like a man, to be threatened, nor like a son of man, to be persuaded.

17Therefore, while we wait for the salvation that comes from him, let us call on him to help us, and he will hear our voice, if it is pleasing to him.

18For in our generations no tribe or clan or people or city has arisen from among us that worships gods made by hands, as happened in former days; nor is there any even to this day.

19For this reason our fathers were handed over to the sword and to plundering, and they fell in a great slaughter before our enemies.

20But we have acknowledged no other god except him; therefore we hope that he will not disregard us, nor our people.

21For if we are captured like this, all Judea will be brought low, and our holy things will be plundered, and he will require their profanation from our blood.

22and the slaughter of our brothers, and the captivity of the land, and the desolation of our inheritance, will return upon our own heads among the nations where we will serve as servants there; and we will become a stumbling block and a reproach before those who possess us.

23For our slavery will not be turned to favor, but the Lord our God will make it a dishonor.

24Now, brothers, let us show our brothers that their life hangs on us, and that the holy things and the house and the altar rest on us.

25Besides all this, let us give thanks to the Lord our God, who tests us just as he also tested our fathers.

26Remember what he did with Abraham, and how he tested Isaac, and what happened to Jacob in Mesopotamia of Syria while he was shepherding the sheep of Laban, his mother's brother.

27For he did not test us by fire, as he did them, to examine their hearts; nor has he taken vengeance on us. Rather, the Lord scourges those who draw near to him for admonition.

28And Ozias said to her, “Everything you have said, you have spoken with a good heart, and there is no one who will oppose your words.”

29For your wisdom did not become evident only today; rather, from the beginning of your days all the people have known your understanding, because the disposition of your heart is good.

30But the people became very thirsty, and they compelled us to do as we had said to them, and to bring upon ourselves an oath that we will not break.

31And now pray for us, because you are a devout woman, and the Lord will send rain to fill our cisterns, and we will not perish any longer.

32And Judith said to them, “Listen to me, and I will do a deed that will reach to generation after generation among the sons of our people.”

33You stand at the gate tonight, and I will go out with my maidservant; and within the days after which you said you would hand over the city to our enemies, the Lord will visit Israel by my hand.

34But you must not investigate my action, for I will not tell you until what I am doing has been completed.

35Then Uzziah and the rulers said to her, “Go in peace, and may the Lord God go before you for vengeance on our enemies.”

36And turning away from the tent, they went to their assigned posts.