Judith
Chapter 11
Judith’s Report
Holofernes said to Judith:“Have confidence, woman; have no fear in your heart; I do not harm anyone who has chosen to serve Nebuchadnezzar, king of all the earth.
And, if your people who live on the mountain had not ignored me, I would not have raised my sword against them; but they have brought this on themselves.
Tell me why you have fled from their midst and come to us. Are you doing this to save yourself? Have confidence; your life is safe tonight and in the future.
No one will harm you; you will be well-treated, as are all the servants of my lord, King Nebuchadnezzar.”
Judith replied: “Listen to the words of your servant so that I may speak freely in your presence, and I will not lie to my lord tonight.
And if you follow the advice of your servant, everything will be accomplished by the hand of God; and my lord will not fail in his undertakings.
For just as truly as Nebuchadnezzar is the king of all the earth and his presence is felt; and he has sent you for the correction of others; it is due to your power that not only do men serve him but also wild beasts, animals; and the birds of the air live for Nebuchadnezzar and all his house.
We have heard of your wisdom and prudence of mind, and it is said throughout the world that you alone are the bravest man in the kingdom, powerful because of your knowledge and outstanding military strategy.
We have heard about the discourse delivered in your council by Achior and its terms because the men of Bethulia took him in and reported to them everything he said in your presence.
Now, all-powerful lord, do not dismiss what he said, but keep it in mind because it is true. Our nation will never be punished, nor the sword used against it, unless its people sin against their God.
Yet my lord will not be turned back or fail. Death will catch them, for they have fallen into the sin that provokes God’s anger every time they commit it.
Due to a shortage of food and water, they have decided to take what they need from their animals. They have made the decision to eat those things God, in His laws, forbade them to eat, including the firstfruits of the harvest and the tithes of wine and oil, which, after their consecration, had been set aside for the priests who serve before God in Jerusalem.
They have decided to consume these items entirely. However, it is illegal for anyone to even touch them with their hands.
They have sent messengers to Jerusalem—since those who live there have also done this—and they have instructed these men to bring back this permission from the Council of the Elders.
Now it will happen that when this permission comes, and the people have acted upon it, on that same day, they will be handed over to you for their destruction.
I, your servant, have fled far from them after understanding all this. God has sent me to work with you to create deeds that will inspire terror worldwide and make those who hear about them talk.
For your servant is a religious woman who worships God night and day. From now on, I will stay close to you, my lord. Every evening, I will go to the ravine and pray to God, and He will tell me when they have sinned.
Then I will report this to you so that you can move forward with your entire army, and no one will be able to stand against you.
I will lead you through Judea until I arrive in Jerusalem, where I will set up your tent. You will lead them like sheep without a shepherd; no dog will growl at you. I have been given a premonition of these things. It has been revealed to me, and I have been sent to make it known to you.”
Her words pleased Holofernes and all his officers. They admired her wisdom and said:
“From one end of the earth to the other, there is no woman like her for the beauty of her face and the wisdom of her words.”
Holofernes said to her: “God has done well to send you ahead of this people, to show them that the power is in my hands; and that destruction is the fate of those who despised my lord.
You are beautiful to look at and wise in your words: if you do as you have said, your God shall be my God; and you will live in the house of King Nebuchadnezzar and be famous worldwide.”
Commentaries
The Great Liberation.
The second part of the book focuses on the main protagonist, Judith, who arrives at this point. It is here that the dilemma will be resolved: surrender or resistance. Judith will lead the resistance, but she will also guide it: we must resist not by counting on a miraculous intervention from God, but by using the resources at our disposal to serve the community and divine action—our beauty and our freedom, since as widows, we do not depend on a husband—and finally, our wisdom and resourcefulness. Resistance does not, therefore, mean waiting for extraordinary interventions that are unlikely to happen. Resistance means starting with what little we have, with the strong hope that it is more than enough to face any force opposed to God’s plan.
Judith’s Report.
This encounter highlights Holofernes’ attitude as a vain and arrogant general, full of confidence in his power and military achievements. He believes he can achieve anything: capturing the rebellious city and the beautiful woman who has come to his tent. Judith understands how to exploit the general’s weaknesses, which he perceives as strengths.
11:11-15 could be a criticism the author makes of his contemporaries and puts into Judith’s mouth: a political-religious movement gaining strength in Jerusalem, marked by a certain laxity and neglect of Israel’s religious traditions and precepts. The author recognizes that this is the gateway for contemporary enemies to undermine religion, ultimately leading to the loss of national, cultural, and, of course, religious identity. In the Assyrian camp, Judith preserves her Jewish identity through both her food and her devotional practices (12:1-9).