Judith
Chapter 13
When it was late, the servants hurried away. Bagoas dismissed those standing around from the presence of his master and closed the tent from the outside. All the men hurried to bed because they were tired from having drunk too much.
So Judith was left alone in the tent with Holofernes, who, sodden with wine, had collapsed onto the bed.
Judith told her servant to stand outside the room and watch for her coming out because she would go out to pray, as she did each day. She also spoke to Bagoas in much the same way.
Everyone left the tent of Holofernes; not one small or significant thing remained in the room. Judith, then, stood by Holofernes’ bed and prayed in her heart: “Lord God all-powerful, help me now with what I will do for the glory of Jerusalem.
Now is the time to support the cause of your people and to ensure that my undertaking brings about the ruin of the enemies who are drawn up against us.”
Then she moved towards the bedpost near Holofernes’ head and took down the sword and,
approaching the bed, seized his hair saying: “O Lord God of Israel, give me strength, this very moment!”
Then, with all her strength she struck his neck twice and cut off his head.
She then rolled his body off the bed and took down the hangings from the columns. Then she went out immediately and handed the head of Holofernes to her servant.
Who put it in the bag where she carried the food? Then they went out together, just like they used to do for prayer. After crossing the camp, they went around the edge of the ravine, climbed the mountain to Bethulia, and reached the town’s gates.
The Victorious City
Judith called from a distance to those guarding the gates: “Open, open the gates! God, our God, is with us! He has again worked a miracle in Israel and exerted his power against our enemies.”
As soon as the townsfolk heard her voice, they called the elders and hurried to the town’s gates.
They all ran together, from the youngest to the oldest, waiting for her return. They opened the gates and welcomed the two women; then, after lighting a fire to see them clearly, they gathered around.
She said to them loudly: “Praise God, praise him! Praise God who has not withheld his mercy from the house of Israel. This very night, he has crushed our enemies by my hand.”
And, taking out the head of Holofernes from the bag, she showed it to them, saying: “Here is the head of Holofernes, the general-in-chief of the Assyrian army, and here are the hangings under which he was lying in his drunkenness. The Lord has struck him down by the hand of a woman.
As truly as the Lord lives, my face seduced him to his undoing, but the Lord has protected me. This man could not sin with me to disgrace or dishonor me.”
All the people were incredibly amazed, so they bowed down and worshiped God, saying with one voice: “Blessed are you, our God, who today has crushed the enemies of your people.”
Uzziah said: “My daughter, may the Most High God bless you more than all women on earth. And blessed be the Lord God, the Creator of heaven and earth, who has led you to behead the leader of our enemies.
Never will people forget the confidence you have shown; they will always remember the power of God.
May God ensure your everlasting glory, and may he reward and bless you, for you have risked your life when your race was humiliated. You chose instead to do the best before God to prevent our downfall.” And all the people said: “Amen! Amen!”
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.
The Decisive Night.
The fatal night for Holofernes, the night of salvation for Judith and her people, unfolds during a banquet hosted by the general—an occasion to entertain his guests and a chance for her to act. There is a dialogue in which Judith, once again, carries out one of the intentions contained in her prayer: to deceive with her words. Those deceitful words (12:4.14.18), Judith’s only interventions, are enough to keep her enemy calm and confident; the rest will be the work of food and wine… For her part, Judith waits confidently. Judith’s plan is described in 13:6-9.
The Victorious City.
Before the final victory, the festive atmosphere of celebration begins. The announcement of victory, even from afar, is a cry of thanksgiving to the Lord; joyful singing fills the scene. Judith, aware of what she has accomplished, claims no praise or recognition for herself. It was her beauty that seduced Holofernes, leading to his downfall, but ultimately, it was the work of the Lord who once again acted on behalf of His people. The words of Ozias, an elder of the city, express how the people feel after witnessing the removal of threats and dangers, encouraging Jewish believers not to lose hope during difficult times.