Judith:4

---

Seeker Overlay ON

* Now the children of Israel , that dwelt in Judea , heard all that Holofernes the chief captain of Nabuchodonosor king of the Assyrians had done to the nations , and after what manner he had spoiled all their temples , and brought them to nought . * Therefore they were exceedingly afraid of him , and were troubled for Jerusalem , and for the temple of the Lord their God : * For they were newly returned from the captivity , and all the people of Judea were lately gathered together : and the vessels , and the altar , and the house , were sanctified after the profanation . * Therefore they sent into all the coasts of Samaria , and the villages and to Bethoron , and Belmen , and Jericho , and to Choba , and Esora , and to the valley of Salem : * And possessed themselves beforehand of all the tops of the high mountains , and fortified the villages that were in them , and laid up victuals for the provision of war : for their fields were of late reaped . * Also Joacim the high priest , which was in those days in Jerusalem , wrote to them that dwelt in Bethulia , and Betomestham , which is over against Esdraelon toward the open country , near to Dothaim , * Charging them to keep the passages of the hill country : for by them there was an entrance into Judea , and it was easy to stop them that would come up , because the passage was straight , for two men at the most . * And the children of Israel did as Joacim the high priest had commanded them , with the ancients of all the people of Israel , which dwelt at Jerusalem . * Then every man of Israel cried to God with great fervency , and with great vehemency did they humble their souls : * Both they , and their wives and their children , and their cattle , and every stranger and hireling , and their servants bought with money , put sackcloth upon their loins . * Thus every man and women , and the little children , and the inhabitants of Jerusalem , fell before the temple , and cast ashes upon their heads , and spread out their sackcloth before the face of the Lord : also they put sackcloth about the altar , * And cried to the God of Israel all with one consent earnestly , that he would not give their children for a prey , and their wives for a spoil , and the cities of their inheritance to destruction , and the sanctuary to profanation and reproach , and for the nations to rejoice at . * So God heard their prayers , and looked upon their afflictions : for the people fasted many days in all Judea and Jerusalem before the sanctuary of the Lord Almighty . * And Joacim the high priest , and all the priests that stood before the Lord , and they which ministered unto the Lord , had their loins girt with sackcloth , and offered the daily burnt offerings , with the vows and free gifts of the people , * And had ashes on their mitres , and cried unto the Lord with all their power , that he would look upon all the house of Israel graciously .

---