Judith:14

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* Then said Judith unto them , Hear me now , my brethren , and take this head , and hang it upon the highest place of your walls . * 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 . * Then they shall take their armour , and shall go into their camp , and raise up the captains of the army of Assur , and 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 . * So ye , and all that inhabit the coast of Israel , shall pursue them , and overthrow them as they go . * 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 . * 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 . * But when they had recovered him , he fell at Judith 's feet , and reverenced her , and said , Blessed art thou in all the tabernacles of Juda , and in all nations , which hearing thy name shall be astonished . * 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 . * And when she had left off speaking , the people shouted with a loud voice , and made a joyful noise in their city . * 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 . * And as soon as the morning arose , they hanged the head of Holofernes upon the wall , and every man took his weapons , and they went forth by bands unto the straits of the mountain . * 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 . * 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 . * Then went in Bagoas , and knocked at the door of the tent ; for he thought that he had slept with Judith . * But because none answered , he opened it , and went into the bedchamber , and found him cast upon the floor dead , and his head was taken from him . * Therefore he cried with a loud voice , with weeping , and sighing , and a mighty cry , and rent his garments . * After he went into the tent where Judith lodged : and when he found her not , he leaped out to the people , and cried , * 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 . * When the captains of the Assyrians ' 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 .

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