Apocrypha. CHAPTER XV. Apocrypha that I went, my countenance hath deceived him to his de- || his weapons, and they went forth by bands unto the straits struction, and yet hath he not committed sin with me, to of the mountain. 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. 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. 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 16 Therefore he cried with a loud voice, with weeppraise, to visit thee in good things, because thou hast noting, and sighing, and a mighty cry, and rent his garspared 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. CHAPTER XIV. 8 Achior heareth Judith shew what she had done, and is circumcised. 11 The head of Holofernes is hanged up: 15 He is found dead, and much lamented. TH HEN said Judith unto them, Hear me now, my brethren, and take this head, and hang it upon the highest place of your walls. 2 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. 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. 5 But before ye do these things, call me Achior the Ammonite, that he may see and know him that despised the house of Israel, and that sent him to us, as it were to his death. 6 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. 7 But when they had recovered him, he fell at Judith's feet, and reverenced her, and said, Blessed art thou in all the tabernacle of Juda, and in all nations, which hearing thy name shall be astonished. 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 ments. 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 upon the house of king Nabuchodonosor: for behold, Holofernes lieth upon the ground without a head. 19 When the captains of the Assyrian 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. 1 CHAPTER XV. The Assyrians are chased and slain. 8 The high priest 2 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. about Bethulia fled away. Then the children of Israel, 3 They also that had camped in the mountains round every one that was a warrior among them, rushed out upon them. 4 Then sent Ozias to Betomasthem, and to Bebai, and Chobai, and Cola, and to all the coasts of Israel, such as should tell the things that were done, and that all should rush forth upon their enemies to destroy them. 5 Now when the children of Israel heard it, they all fel! upon them with one consent, and slew them unto Chobai: likewise also they that came from Jerusalem, and from all the hill-country, (for men had told them what that were in Galaad, and in Galilee, chased them with a things were done in the camp of their enemies,) and they great slaughter, until they were passed Damascus and the borders thereof. the camp of Assur, and spoiled them, and were greatly 6 And the residue, that dwelt in Bethulia, fell upon enriched. 7 And the children of Israel 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. children of Israel that dwelt in Jerusalem, came to behold 8 Then Joacim the high priest, and the ancients of the Apocrypha. JUDITH. the good things that God had shewed to Israel, and to see Judith, and to salute her. 9 And when they came unto her, they blessed her with one accord, and said unto her, Thou art the exaltation of Jerusalem, thou art the great glory of Israel, thou art the great rejoicing of our nation: 10 Thou hast done all these things by thine hand: thou hast done much good to Israel, and God is pleased therewith: blessed be thou of the Almighty Lord for evermore. And all the people said, So be it. 11 And the people spoiled the camp the space of thirty days and they gave unto Judith Holofernes' 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. 12 Then all the women of Israel 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 the women that were with her. 13 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 Israel followed in their armour with garlands, and with songs in their mouths. CHAPTER XVI. 1 The song of Judith. 19 She dedicateth the stuff of Holofernes. 23 She dieth at Bethulia, a widow of great honour. 24 All Israel lament her death. HEN Judith began to sing this thanksgiving in all Israel, and all the people sang after her this song of praise. 2 And Judith said, Begin unto my God with timbrels, sing unto my Lord with cymbals: tune unto him a new psalm exalt him, and call upon his name. 3 For God breaketh the battles: for among the camps in the midst of the people he hath delivered me out of the hands of them that persecuted me. 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, and dash the sucking children against the ground, and make mine infants as a prey, and my virgins as a spoil. 6 But the Almighty Lord hath disappointed them by the hand of a woman. 7 For the mighty one did not fall by the young men, neither did the sons of the Titans smite him, nor high giants set upon him but Judith the daughter of Merari weakened him with the beauty of her countenance. : Apocrypha. 9 Her sandals ravished his eyes, her beauty took his mind prisoner, and the fauchion passed through his neck. 10 The Persians quaked at her boldness, and the Medes were daunted at her hardiness. 11 Then my afflicted shouted for joy, and my weak ones cried aloud; but they were astonished: these lifted up their voices, but they were overthrown. 8 For she put off the garment of her widowhood for the exaltation of those that were oppressed in Israel, and anointed her face with ointment, and bound her hair in fire, and took a linen garment to deceive him. 48 12 The sons of the damsels have pierced them through, and wounded them as fugitives' children: they perished by the battle of the Lord. a 13 I will sing unto the Lord a new song: O Lord, thou art great and glorious, wonderful in strength, and invincible. 14 Let all creatures serve thee; for thou spakest, and they were made, thou didst send forth thy spirit, and it created them, and there is none that can resist thy voice. 15 For the mountains shall be moved from their foundations with the waters, the rocks shall melt as wax at thy presence: yet thou art merciful to them that fear thee. 16 For all sacrifice is too little for a sweet savour unto thee, and all the fat is not sufficient for thy burnt-offering: but he that feareth the Lord is great at all times. 17 Wo to the nations that rise up against my kindred! the Lord Almighty will take vengeance of them in the day of judgment, in putting fire and worms in their flesh; and they shall feel them, and weep for ever. 18 Now as soon as they entered into Jerusalem, they worshipped the Lord; and as soon as the people were purified, they offered their burnt-offerings, and their freeofferings, and their gifts. 19 Judith also dedicated all the stuff of Holofernes, which the people had given her, and gave the canopy which she had taken out of his bed-chamber, for a gift unto the Lord. 20 So the people continued feasting in Jerusalem before the sanctuary for the space of three months, and Judith remained with them. 21 After this time every one returned to his own inheritance, and Judith went to Bethulia, and remained in her own possession, and was in her time honourable in all the country. 22 And many desired her, but none knew her all the days of her life, after that Manasses her husband was dead, and was gathered to his people. 23 But she increased more and more in honour, and waxed old in her husband's house, being an hundred and five years old, and made her maid free; so she died in Be thulia: and they buried her in the cave of her husband Manasses. 24 And the house of Israel lamented her seven days: and before she died, she did distribute her goods to all them that were nearest of kindred to Manasses her husband, and to them that were the nearest of her kindred. 25 And there was none that made the children of Israel any more afraid in the days of Judith, nor a long time after her death. |