Judith

Achior’s Report

Holofernes was informed that the people of Israel were ready for war, having closed the mountain passes, fortified the ramparts on the summits of all the high mountains, and set up blockades in the plains.

Seething with anger, Holofernes summoned the leaders of the Moabites, the generals of Ammon, and all the governors of the seacoast,

and said to them: “Tell me, sons of Canaan, who are these people living in the mountain region? Which towns do they inhabit? What is the strength of their army? What do their power and strength consist of? Who has been placed at their head as commander of their army?

Why have they not appeared before me like everyone else in the West?”

Achior, commander of the Ammonites, said to him: “May my lord listen to the words spoken by your servant, for I will tell you the truth about these people from the mountain region whom you now encounter.

These people descend from the Chaldeans.

They settled first in Mesopotamia because they no longer wished to worship the gods of their ancestors who lived in Chaldea.

They abandoned the religion of their ancestors and worshiped the God of Heaven, a God whom they had come to recognize. As a result, their fathers drove them out, and they fled to Mesopotamia, where they stayed for a long time.

Then their God told them to leave the land where they had settled and go to the land of Canaan. They moved there and collected abundant gold, silver, and many herds of cattle.

Famine spread throughout the land of Canaan, so they went down into Egypt, where they stayed as long as there was food. Then, they became so numerous that they could not be counted.

But the king of Egypt rose against them, tricked them into making bricks, and they were humiliated and made into slaves.

They called upon their God, who punished all of Egypt with incurable plagues, forcing the Egyptians to drive them out.

Then God dried up the Red Sea in front of them,

and He led them along the route of Sinai and Kadesh-Barnea. The Israelites drove out all the inhabitants of the land;

they inhabited the country of the Amorites and wiped out the Heshbonites. After crossing the Jordan, they took control of all the hill country,

driving out the Canaanites, Perizzites, Jebusites, Shechemites, and Gergesites; they lived there for a long time.

As long as they did not offend God, they prospered because their God, who hates wrongdoing, was with them.

But when they strayed from the path He had set for them, they were defeated in many battles, and they were taken into captivity in a land not their own. The temple of their God was destroyed, and their cities were occupied by enemies.

Now that they have returned to their God, they have come back from exile from the places where they had been scattered. They have reclaimed Jerusalem, where their Sanctuary is, and settled in the mountain region because it has remained uninhabited.

And now, Sovereign Lord, we must find out if there is any wrongdoing among these people.

If they sin against their God, we will march against them and conquer. But if there is no sinfulness in their nation, then, my lord, turn away from them for fear that their Lord and God will protect them with His shield, and the entire world will witness our downfall.”

Now, when Achior finished speaking, all the people standing in a circle around the tent began criticizing and protesting. The officers of Holofernes and all the inhabitants of the seacoast and Moab said he should be cut to pieces. They said:

“We are not afraid of the children of Israel. Look, they have no strength or energy to sustain a violent conflict.

Let us go forth, and they will be like bread for your whole army, O lord Holofernes!”