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Judith 8
New American Bible (Revised Edition)

III. Judith, Instrument of the Lord[a]

Chapter 8

Description of Judith. 1 [b](A)Now in those days Judith, daughter of Merari,(B) son of Ox, son of Joseph, son of Oziel, son of Elkiah, son of Ananias, son of Gideon, son of Raphain, son of Ahitub, son of Elijah, son of Hilkiah, son of Eliab, son of Nathanael, son of Salamiel, son of Sarasadai, son of Simeon, son of Israel, heard of this. 2 Her husband, Manasseh,[c] of her own tribe and clan, had died at the time of the barley harvest. 3 While he was supervising those who bound the sheaves in the field, he was overcome by the heat; and he collapsed on his bed and died in Bethulia, his native city. He was buried with his ancestors in the field between Dothan and Balamon. 4 (C)Judith was living as a widow[d] in her home for three years and four months. 5 She set up a tent for herself on the roof of her house, put sackcloth about her waist, and wore widow’s clothing.(D) 6 She fasted all the days of her widowhood, except sabbath eves and sabbaths, new moon eves and new moons, feastdays and holidays of the house of Israel.(E) 7 She was beautiful in appearance and very lovely to behold.(F) Her husband, Manasseh, had left her gold and silver, male and female servants, livestock and fields, which she was maintaining. 8 No one had a bad word to say about her, for she feared God greatly.

Judith and the Elders.[e] 9 So when Judith heard of the harsh words that the people, discouraged by their lack of water, had spoken against their ruler, and of all that Uzziah had said to them in reply, swearing that he would hand over the city to the Assyrians at the end of five days, 10 she sent her maid who was in charge of all her things[f] to summon Uzziah, Chabris, and Charmis, the elders of her city. 11 When they came, she said to them: “Listen to me, you rulers of the people of Bethulia. What you said to the people today is not right. You pronounced this oath, made between God and yourselves, and promised to hand over the city to our enemies unless within a certain time the Lord comes to our aid. 12 Who are you to put God to the test today, setting yourselves in the place of God in human affairs?[g](G) 13 And now it is the Lord Almighty you are putting to the test, but you will never understand anything! 14 You cannot plumb the depths of the human heart or grasp the workings of the human mind; how then can you fathom God, who has made all these things, or discern his mind, or understand his plan?(H)

“No, my brothers, do not anger the Lord our God. 15 [h]For if he does not plan to come to our aid within the five days, he has it equally within his power to protect us at such time as he pleases, or to destroy us in the sight of our enemies. 16 Do not impose conditions on the plans of the Lord our God. God is not like a human being to be moved by threats, nor like a mortal to be cajoled.

17 “So while we wait for the salvation that comes from him, let us call upon him to help us, and he will hear our cry if it pleases him. 18 For there has not risen among us in recent generations, nor does there exist today, any tribe, or clan, or district, or city of ours that worships gods made by hands, as happened in former days.(I) 19 It was for such conduct that our ancestors were handed over to the sword and to pillage, and fell with great destruction before our enemies.(J) 20 But since we acknowledge no other god but the Lord, we hope that he will not disdain us or any of our people. 21 If we are taken, then all Judea will fall, our sanctuary will be plundered, and God will demand an account from us for their profanation. 22 For the slaughter of our kindred, for the taking of exiles from the land, and for the devastation of our inheritance, he will hold us responsible among the nations. Wherever we are enslaved, we will be a scandal and a reproach in the eyes of our masters. 23 Our servitude will not work to our advantage, but the Lord our God will turn it to disgrace.

24 “Therefore, my brothers, let us set an example[i] for our kindred. Their lives depend on us, and the defense of the sanctuary, the temple, and the altar rests with us. 25 (K)Besides all this, let us give thanks to the Lord our God for putting us to the test as he did our ancestors.(L) 26 Recall how he dealt with Abraham, and how he tested Isaac, and all that happened to Jacob in Syrian Mesopotamia while he was tending the flocks of Laban, his mother’s brother. 27 He has not tested us with fire, as he did them, to try their hearts, nor is he taking vengeance on us. But the Lord chastises those who are close to him in order to admonish them.”

28 Then Uzziah said to her: “All that you have said you have spoken truthfully, and no one can deny your words. 29 For today is not the first time your wisdom has been evident, but from your earliest days all the people have recognized your understanding, for your heart’s disposition is right. 30 The people, however, were so thirsty that they forced us to do for them as we have promised, and to bind ourselves by an oath that we cannot break.[j](M) 31 But now, since you are a devout woman, pray for us that the Lord may send rain to fill up our cisterns. Then we will no longer be fainting from thirst.”

32 Then Judith said to them: “Listen to me! I will perform a deed that will go down from generation to generation among our descendants. 33 Stand at the city gate tonight to let me pass through with my maid; and within the days you have specified before you will surrender the city to our enemies, the Lord will deliver Israel by my hand. 34 You must not inquire into the affair, for I will not tell you what I am doing until it has been accomplished.” 35 Uzziah and the rulers said to her, “Go in peace, and may the Lord God go before you to take vengeance upon our enemies!” 36 Then they withdrew from the tent and returned to their posts.

Footnotes

  1. 8:1–10:10 In this section the hero is introduced (8:1–8) and prepares to deliver Israel (8:9–10:10).
  2. 8:1 Judith has the longest genealogy accorded any biblical woman, with family ties back to Israel/Jacob.
  3. 8:2 Manasseh: Judith’s marriage was endogamous, within her own tribe. The tribe and clan are identified as hers, though usually it is the husband’s tribe and clan that are noted.
  4. 8:4 Widow: in a reversal of traditional property law, Judith holds title to her husband’s estate (see v. 7). However, she will give a part of her inheritance to her late husband’s family before her death (16:24); she chooses not to remarry (16:22).
  5. 8:9–10:10 This section opens with a repetition of the information that Judith heard about the discouragement of the people and about Uzziah’s vow (cf. v. 1). Judith’s plan to save Israel then takes shape. In her own home, she meets with the elders of Bethulia (vv. 9–36), prays (9:1–14), prepares herself and the food she will need in the Assyrian camp (10:1–5), goes out to meet the elders again at the gate of Bethulia (10:6–8), and sets out with her maid for the Assyrian camp (10:9–10).
  6. 8:10 Her maid who was in charge of all her things: cf. Gn 15:2; 24:2; 39:4. Judith’s first act in the story is to send this unnamed maid (habra, lit., “graceful one” or “favorite slave,” v. 33; 10:2, 5, 17; 13:9; 16:23) to summon the town officials (see also other terms for female servants, paidiske in 10:10 and doule in 12:15; 13:3). Her last act in the story will be to give this woman her freedom (16:23).
  7. 8:12 Judith reprimands the leaders for putting God to the test (cf. Dt 6:16). She will argue that the right to test belongs to God (vv. 25–27).
  8. 8:15–16 God’s plans are in opposition to Nebuchadnezzar’s plans (2:2, 4). To protect…or to destroy: Judith defends God’s freedom (cf. Jb 1:21; 2:10).
  9. 8:24 Let us set an example: when Judith says “us,” she includes herself. She proposes that she together with Uzziah, Chabris, and Charmis model a faithful response to God’s test for the wavering people. “Let us give thanks to the Lord our God for putting us to the test” (v. 25) repeats her intention. “Us” for Uzziah does not include her (see vv. 30, 31).
  10. 8:30–31 An oath that we cannot break: Uzziah’s request that Judith pray for rain underscores his lack of imagination concerning how God’s deliverance might come.
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Judith 8
Common English Bible

Judith is introduced

8 Now in those days Judith heard about these things. She was the daughter of Merari son of Ox son of Joseph son of Oziel son of Elkiah son of Ananias son of Gideon son of Raphain son of Ahitub son of Elijah son of Hilkiah son of Eliab son of Nathanael son of Salamiel son of Sarasadai son of Israel. 2 Her husband Manasseh, who was from her tribe and her family, had died during the barley harvest. 3 He suffered heat stroke while he was overseeing the workers in the fields, and died in his bed in Bethulia, his hometown. They buried him with his ancestors in the field between Dothan and Balamon. 4 Judith had lived as a widow in her house for three years and four months. 5 She pitched a tent for herself on the roof of her house, put funeral clothing around her waist, and wore widow’s clothing. 6 She fasted all the days of her widowhood except for the day before the Sabbath and the Sabbath itself, the day before the new moon, the day of the new moon, and the feasts and celebration days of the house of Israel. 7 She was very beautiful and lovely to stare at. Her husband Manasseh left her gold and silver, male and female slaves, cattle, and fields, which she continued to oversee. 8 And no one had a bad word to say about her, for she revered God greatly.

Judith speaks to the elders

9 Judith heard the people’s harsh words against the ruler, for they were growing weak from the lack of water. Judith also heard everything that Uzziah told them, how he promised to surrender the city to the Assyrians in five days. 10 So she sent her most trusted servant, the one who managed her property, to call for Uzziah, Chabris, and Charmis, the elders of her city. 11 When they came to her, she said to them:

“Listen to me, rulers of the inhabitants of Bethulia. What you have said to the people today isn’t right. What is this promise you have made? How can you bargain with God by saying that you’ll surrender the city to our enemies if the Lord doesn’t send help within a certain time? 12 So who are you to test God today and set yourselves up in the place of God in the midst of the people? 13 You can question the Lord Almighty, but you won’t ever learn anything. 14 You can’t sound the depths of a person’s heart or comprehend the thoughts of that person’s mind. How then will you search out God, who made all these things? How will you understand God’s mind and comprehend God’s thoughts?

“No, brothers, don’t provoke the Lord our God, 15 even if he chooses not to help us in the next five days. God has the power to visit us in however many days he wishes or to destroy us in front of our enemies. 16 Don’t attempt to block the plans of the Lord our God. God isn’t like a human being who can be argued with, a person who can be threatened. 17 Therefore, while we’re waiting for his rescue, we should call upon him for help, and he will hear our voice if it pleases him. 18 There hasn’t been in our generation, nor is there today, a tribe, a family, a people, or a city among us who worships gods made with human hands as happened in times past. 19 This is the reason why our ancestors were handed over to the sword and to plunder, and they suffered greatly in the presence of our enemies. 20 But we have known no other gods except him.

“Therefore, we hope that he won’t forget about us and our generation. 21 If we are captured, so also will the rest of Judea be captured. Then our sanctuary will be plundered, and God will hold us responsible for its ruin with our own blood. 22 He will bring the murder of our families, the captivity of the land, and the destruction of our inheritance down upon our heads, wherever we may be enslaved among the nations. Those who purchase us as slaves will consider us offensive and disgraceful. 23 Our slavery won’t bring us favor. Rather, the Lord our God will turn it into a disgrace.

24 “Now, brothers, let us be an example to those whose lives depend on us. The sanctuary, the temple, and the altar depend on us as well. 25 In the midst of all this, let us give thanks to the Lord our God, who is testing us just as he did our ancestors. 26 Remember what he did with Abraham, how he tested Isaac, and what happened to Jacob while he was in Mesopotamia of Syria, tending his uncle Laban’s sheep? 27 He hasn’t yet tested us with fire, as he did them to examine their hearts, nor has he taken vengeance upon us. Rather, the Lord afflicts those close to him in order to warn them.”

28 Uzziah said to her: “You have spoken all this from a genuine heart, and no one disagrees with your words. 29 Today isn’t the first time you have demonstrated your wisdom. Since your earliest days, all the people have observed your insight and the goodness of your heart. 30 But the people are very thirsty, and they strongly urged us to do what we promised them, and to make a solemn promise that we can’t break. 31 You are a godly woman. So pray for us, and the Lord will send rain to fill our reservoirs, and we won’t die.”

32 Judith said to them: “Listen to me. I’m going to do something that will be remembered for generations to come. 33 Stand at the gate tonight, and I, along with my most trusted servant, will go out. By the deadline you set for surrendering the city to our enemies, the Lord will deliver Israel by my hand. 34 Don’t ask what I will do. I won’t tell you until I’m finished.”

35 Then Uzziah and the rulers said to her: “Go in peace, and may the Lord God go before you to take vengeance on our enemies.” 36 So they left the tent[a] and returned to their posts.

Footnotes

  1. Judith 8:36 Or tabernacle
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New American Bible (Revised Edition) (NABRE)

Scripture texts, prefaces, introductions, footnotes and cross references used in this work are taken from the New American Bible, revised edition © 2010, 1991, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Inc., Washington, DC All Rights Reserved. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

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