Judith

History · Deuterocanon · Anonymous · c. 150-100 BCE

The Book of Judith is a deuterocanonical narrative recounting how a pious Jewish widow, Judith, saves her besieged city of Bethulia from the invading Assyrian army. By gaining the trust of the enemy general Holofernes, she decapitates him in his sleep, causing his forces to flee and securing victory for Judea.

16 chapters

• 1Judith 1King Nabuchodonosor defeats King Arphaxad of the Medes and vows vengeance on the western nations that refused to help him.
• 2Judith 2Nabuchodonosor commissions his general, Holofernes, to lead a massive military campaign to conquer and punish the western nations.
• 3Judith 3Coastal and neighboring nations surrender to Holofernes, but he still ravages their lands and destroys their sacred shrines.
• 4Judith 4Terrified by the advancing army, the Israelites fortify their mountain passes and engage in national prayer, fasting, and repentance.
• 5Judith 5Achior the Ammonite warns Holofernes that the Israelites are invincible unless they commit sin against their protective God.
• 6Judith 6Angered by Achior's warning, Holofernes sends him to Bethulia, where the Israelites rescue him and learn of the Assyrian threat.
• 7Judith 7Holofernes besieges Bethulia and cuts off its water, prompting desperate citizens to demand surrender if no help arrives within five days.
• 8Judith 8The devout widow Judith rebukes the elders for testing God and promises to execute a secret plan to save the city.
• 9Judith 9Judith prays fervently for God's strength and deceitful words to help her defeat the proud Assyrian army through her own hands.
• 10Judith 10Judith adorns herself beautifully, leaves Bethulia with her maid, and is captured by Assyrian guards who escort her to Holofernes.
• 11Judith 11Judith gains Holofernes's trust by flattering him and falsely claiming that Israel's sins will guarantee his military victory.
• 12Judith 12Judith maintains her dietary laws and nightly prayers before attending a banquet where Holofernes drinks excessively to seduce her.
• 13Judith 13Judith beheads the drunken Holofernes, escapes to Bethulia with his head, and rallies her people to praise God's deliverance.
• 14Judith 14Judith's head-display plan prompts Achior's conversion, while the Assyrians discover their general's headless corpse and fall into panic.
• 15Judith 15The Israelites rout the fleeing Assyrian army, plunder their camp, and celebrate Judith as the great glory of Israel.
• 16Judith 16Judith sings a song of thanksgiving, the Israelites celebrate in Jerusalem, and she lives a revered, peaceful life until her death.