Judith

The Wise and Courageous Woman

The news of what had happened came to Judith, daughter of Merari, grandson of Ox, great-grandson of Joseph, of Oziel, of Elkiah, of Ananias, of Gideon, of Raphain, of Ahitub, of Elijah, of Hilkiah, of Eliab, of Nathanael, of Salamiel, of Sarasadai, son of Simeon, of Israel.

Her husband was Manasseh, of the same tribe and family. He had died during the harvesting of the barley,as he was supervising the reapers who were binding the sheaves on the plain;

he suffered sunstroke, took to his bed, and died in Bethulia, his hometown. He was buried with his ancestors in the field between Dothan and Balamon.

As a widow, Judith stayed in her house for three years and four months.

She built a room on the roof of her house.

She dressed in sackcloth, wore widow’s garments, and fasted every day of her widowhood except on the eves of the Sabbath, the Sabbath day, the eves of the new moons, the days of the new moons, and during all the festivals of Israel.

She was incredibly beautiful and very pleasing to look at. Manasseh, her husband, had left her gold, silver, servants, cattle, and fields, and she kept ownership of all these possessions.

No one could speak evil of her because she deeply feared God.

She heard the threatening words the people directed at their leaders because they were discouraged and lacking water. Judith also heard everything Uzziah had promised in response, specifically that he had sworn to surrender their city to the Assyrians within five days.

So she sent the maidservant who looked after her affairs to call Chabris and Charmis, two elders of the town, to come and see her.

They came to her house, and she said to them: “Listen to me, elders of Bethulia, for the words you spoke today in front of the people are not right. You erred by taking an oath before God and yourselves, saying that you would surrender the town to our enemies if, within a certain number of days, the Lord does not come to your aid.

Who are you to test God and take his place when you answered the people?

That is not the way to seek his mercy, but one that leads to his anger.

If you cannot analyze the depths of the human heart nor know what a man is thinking, how can you understand the God who made all things? Do you understand his mind or know his thoughts? No, my brothers, do not provoke the Lord our God.

For if he does not wish to help us within these five days, he has the power to defend us for as long as he chooses or to destroy us in front of our enemies.

As for yourselves, do not oppose the plans of the Lord our God, for God does not respond to threats like humans do, nor can any decision be forced upon him as it can on a mere mortal.

That is why, while waiting patiently for him to save us, let us beg him to come to our help. He will listen to our plea if it pleases him.

For it has not happened in our generation, nor is there among us today, any tribe, family, people, or city that worships gods made by human hands, as happened in days past.

That is why our ancestors were handed over to be killed by the sword and robbed, and why they suffered great disaster at the hands of their enemies.

But we do not acknowledge any god other than the One God; therefore, let us hope He will not look down on us or any of our kind with disdain.

If the enemies capture us, then likewise, all of Judea will be taken; our Sanctuary will be looted, and we will pay for its defilement with our blood.

God will bring the murder of our brothers, the bondage of our country, and the destruction of our heritage upon us. Wherever we are among the nations, we will be slaves; we will be mistreated by those to whom we belong.

Our enslavement won’t be changed in our favor, but the Lord our God will turn it into shame.

Now, my brothers, let us demonstrate to our fellow countrymen that their lives depend on ours and that the safety of the Sanctuary, the Temple, and the Altar rests with us.

Furthermore, let us thank the Lord our God, who is testing us as he did our ancestors.

Remember what he did with Abraham, all the trials he put Isaac through, and everything that happened to Jacob in Mesopotamia of Syria, where he cared for Laban’s sheep, his mother’s brother.

Is not God making us pass through fire as he did for others to prove their hearts? The Lord is not punishing us but chastising those who draw near to him to correct them.”

Uzziah said to her: “All that you have said has been said with wisdom, and no one can contradict your words.

It is not just today that your wisdom is evident, but ever since your early days, all the people have recognized your intelligence and the natural goodness of your heart.

But the people were suffering great thirst, so they forced us to carry out what we have said, and they have charged us with an oath which we cannot break.

Since you are a devout woman, pray for us that the Lord will send rain to fill our reservoirs and we shall no longer be exhausted.”

Judith said to them: “Listen to me, I will do something that will be passed down through generations of our people’s children.

Tonight, you will stand at the town gate, and I will go out with my maidservant. By the time you are supposed to hand over the town to our enemies, the Lord will visit Israel through my presence hand.

But do not try to find out what I will do, because I won’t tell you until I have carried out what I intend to do.”

Then Uzziah and the leaders said to her: “Go in peace, and may the Lord our God go before you so that you may take vengeance upon our enemies.”

Then, leaving Judith’s room, they returned to their posts.