witty in thy words: surely if thou do as thou hast spoken, thy God shall be my God, and thou shalt dwell in the house of king Nabuchodonosor, and shalt be renowned through the whole earth. OCTOBER 10. Ebening, JUDITH XII. The where his plate was set; and bade that they should prepare for her of his own meats, and that she should drink of his own wine. And Judith said, I will not eat thereof, lest there be an offence: but provision shall be made for me of the things that I have brought. Then Holofernes said unto her, If thy provision should fail, how should we give thee the like? for there be none with us of thy nation. Then said Judith unto him, As thy soul liveth, my lord, thine handmaid shall not spend those things that I have, before the Lord work by mine hand the things that He hath determined. Then the servants of Holofernes brought her into the tent, and she slept till midnight, and she arose when it was toward the morning watch, and sent to Holofernes, saying, Let my lord now command that thine handmaid may go forth unto prayer. Then Holofernes commanded his guard that they should not stay her thus she abode in the camp three days, and went out in the night into the valley of Bethulia, and washed herself in a fountain of water by the camp. And when she came out, she besought the Lord God of Israel to direct her way to the raising up of the children of her people. So she came in clean, and remained in the tent, until she did eat her meat at evening. HEN he commanded to bring And in the fourth day Holofernes made a feast to his own servants only, and called none of the officers to the banquet. Then said he to Bagoas the eunuch, who had charge over all that he had, Go now, and persuade this Hebrew woman which is with thee, that she come unto us, 577 OCTOBER 10. it will be a shame for our person, if we shall let such a woman go, not having had her company; for if we draw her not unto us, she will laugh us to scorn. Then went Bagoas from the presence of Holofernes, and came to her, and he said, Let not this fair damsel fear to come to my lord, and to be honoured in his presence, and drink wine, and be merry with us, and be made this day as one of the daughters of the Assyrians, which serve in the house of Nabuchodonosor. Then said Judith unto him, Who am I now, that I should gainsay my lord? surely whatsoever pleaseth him I will do speedily, and it shall be my joy unto the day of my death. So she arose, and decked herself with her apparel and all her woman's attire, and her maid went and laid soft skins on the ground for her over against Holofernes, which she had received of Bagoas for her daily use, that she might sit and eat upon them. Now when Judith came in and sat down, Holofernes his heart was ravished with her, and his mind was moved, and he desired greatly her company; for he waited a time to deceive her, from the day that he had seen her. Then said Holofernes unto her, Drink now, and be merry with us. So Judith said, I will drink now, my lord, because my life is magnified in me this day more than all the days since I was born. Then she took and ate and drank before him what her maid had prepared. And Holofernes took great delight in her, and drank much more wine than he had drunk at any time in one day since he was born. and eat and drink with us. For, lo, PP OCTOBER 11. Morning, JUDITH XIII. OW evening Now, when trante unide 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 alone 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 mine 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 ap. proached 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 578 OCTOBER 11. with us, to shew His power yet in now the gate: God, even our God, is 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 unte 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 coun tenance hath deceived him to las destruction, and yet hath be 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 cat ting off of the head of the chief of our enemies. For this thy confidence shall not depart from the heart of God for ever. And God turn the men, which remember the power things to thee for a perpetual prast, of DAILY LESSONS. to visit thee in good things, because | OCTOBER 11. OCTOBER 11. venged our ruin, walking a straight Ebening, JUDITH XIV. HEN said Judith unto them, 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 fake 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 fee 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 tabernacle 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 579 OCTOBER 11. a joyful noise in their city. And God of Israel had done, he believed flesh of his foreskin, and was joined in God greatly, and circumcised the unto the house of Israel unto this day. they hanged the head of Holofernes And as soon as the morning arose, 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 which came to their captains and saw them, they sent to their leaders, 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 bold to come down against us to our lord: for the slaves have been 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. answered, he opened it, and went But because none into the bedchamber, and found him cast upon the floor dead, and his head was taken from him. Therewith weeping, and sighing, and a fore he cried with a loud voice, 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 for, behold, Holofernes lieth upon the house of king Nabuchodonosor : 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. OCTOBER 12. ΑΝ Morning, JUDITH XV. ND when they that were in the tents heard, they were astonished at the thing that was done. 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. They also that had camped in the mountains round about Bethulia fled away. Then the children of Israel, every one that was a warrior among them, rushed out upon them. 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. Now when the children of Israel heard it, they all fell 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 things were done in the camp of their enemies,) and they that were in Galaad, and in Galilee, chased them with a great slaughter, until they were past Damascus and the borders thereof. And the residue, that dwelt at Bethulia, fell upon the camp of Assur, and spoiled them, and were greatly enriched. 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 | ОСТОВЕК 12 and in the plain, gat many spoils: for the multitude was very great. Then Joacim the high priest, and the ancients of the children of Israel that dwelt in Jerusalem, came to behold the good things that God had shewed to Israel, and to see Judith, and to salute her. And when they came unto her, they blessed her with one accord, and said unto her, Thou art the exaltation of Jeru salem, thou art the great glory of Israel, thou art the great rejoicing of our nation: thou hast done all these things by thine hand: the hast done much good to Israel, and God is pleased therewith: blessed be thou of the Almighty Lord fat evermore. And all the people said, So be it. And the people spoiled the camp the space of thirty days: and they gave unto Judith Holofer nes his 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 ears, and laid them thereon. Then all the women of Israel ran together to her, and blessed her, and made dance among them for her: and took branches in her hand, and ga also to the women that were wil her. And they put a garland of em upon her and her maid that wa with her, and she went before all people in the dance, leading all the women and all the men of Is followed in their armour with lands, and with songs in their mouths JUDITH XVI. THEN Judith began to sing this thanksgiving in all Israel, and all the people sang after her this song of praise. 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. For God breaketh the battles: for among the camps in the midst of the peoHe hath delivered me out of the OCTOBER 12 hands of them that persecuted Assur came out of the mounta from the north, he came with thousands of his army, the ma tude whereof stopped the torrent and their horsemen have covered hills. He bragged that he wou burn up my borders, and kill young men with the sword, dash the sucking children agai the ground, and make mine infa as a prey, and my virgins as a spoil. But the Almighty Lord hath disappointed them by the hand of a woman. 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. 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 a tire, and took a linen arment to deceive him. Her sandals avished his eyes, her beauty took is mind prisoner, and the fauchion passed through his neck. The Perans quaked at her boldness, and The Medes were daunted at her ardiness. Then my afflicted shoutd for joy, and my weak ones cried loud; but they were astonished: hese lifted up their voices, but they were overthrown. The sons of the amsels have pierced them through, nd wounded them as fugitives' hildren: they perished by the batle of the Lord. I will sing unto the Lord a new song: O Lord, Thou rt great and glorious, wonderful strength, and invincible. Let all reatures serve Thee for Thou pakest, and they were made, Thou idst send forth Thy spirit, and it reated them, and there is none hat can resist Thy voice. 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. For all sacrifice is too little for a sweet savour anto Thee, and all the fat is not ufficient for Thy burnt offering: but he that feareth the Lord is great OCTOBER 13. Morning, OVE righteousness, ye that be the Lord with a good (heart,) and in simplicity of heart seek Him. For He will be found of them that at all times. Woe 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. 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 free offerings, and their gifts. 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 bedchamber, for a gift unto the Lord. So the people continued feasting in Jerusalem before the sanctuary for the space of three months, and Judith remained with them. 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. 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. 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 Bethulia: and they buried her in the cave of her husband Manasses. 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. 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. |