Judith:13

---

Seeker Overlay ON

* 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 along in the tent , and Holofernes lying along 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 Lord God of all power , look at this present upon the works of mine hands for the exaltation of Jerusalem . * 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 Lord God of Israel , 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 : God , even our God , is with us , to shew his power yet in Jerusalem , 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 God , praise God , I say , for he hath not taken away his mercy from the house of Israel , 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 Lord hath smitten him by the hand of a woman . * As the Lord 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 God , and said with one accord , Blessed be thou , O our God , 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 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 . * For this thy confidence shall not depart from the heart of men , which remember the power of God for ever . * And God 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 God . And all the people said ; So be it , so be it .

---