1  Then Judith said to all the people: “Hear me, brothers. Suspend this head over our walls.

1  Then said Judith unto them, Hear me now, my brethren, and take this head, and hang it upon the highest place of your walls.

2  And, as soon as the sun rises, let everyone take up his weapons and go out to attack, not going down all the way, but only to seem as if making an assault.

2  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.

3  Then the scouts will have to hurry to awaken their leader for the fight.

3  Then they shall take their armour, and shall go into their camp, and raise up the captains of the army of Assur, and shall run to the tent of Holofernes, but shall not find him: then fear shall fall upon them, and they shall flee before your face.

4  And when their commanders rush into the tabernacle of Holofernes, and they find his headless body wallowing in his blood, fear will fall over them.

4  So ye, and all that inhabit the coast of Israel, shall pursue them, and overthrow them as they go.

5  And when you realize that they are fleeing, go after them in security, for the Lord will crush them under your feet.”

5  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.

6  Then Achior, seeing the power that the God of Israel had wrought, left behind the rituals of the Gentiles. He believed in God, and he circumcised the flesh of his foreskin, and he was placed among the people of Israel, and so were all the succession of his kindred, even until this present day.

6  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.

7  And soon, at the rising of day, they suspended the head of Holofernes above the walls, and every man took up his weapons, and they went out with a great uproar and howling.

7  But when they had recovered him, he fell at Judith’s feet, and reverenced her, and said, Blessed art thou in all the tabernacles of Juda, and in all nations, which hearing thy name shall be astonished.

8  When the scouts saw this, they rushed to the tent of Holofernes.

8  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.

9  Moreover, those who were in the tent came and made a loud noise before the entrance to the bedchamber, hoping to awaken him by an attempt at skillful noise-making, not by intruding on him, so that Holofernes might be roused from sleep.

9  And when she had left off speaking, the people shouted with a loud voice, and made a joyful noise in their city.

10  For no one dared to knock, or to open and enter, the bedchamber of the powerful leader of the Assyrians.

10  And when Achior had seen all that the God of Israel had done, he believed in God greatly, and circumcised the flesh of his foreskin, and was joined unto the house of Israel unto this day.

11  But when his commanders and tribunes had arrived, with all the chiefs of the army of the king of the Assyrians, they said to the chamberlains

11  And as soon as the morning arose, they hanged the head of Holofernes upon the wall, and every man took his weapons, and they went forth by bands unto the straits of the mountain.

12  “Enter and awaken him, for the mice have come out of their holes, intending to challenge us to fight.”

12  But when the Assyrians saw them, they sent to their leaders, which came to their captains and tribunes, and to every one of their rulers.

13  So they came to Holofernes’ tent, and said to him that had the charge of all his things, Waken now our lord: for the slaves have been bold to come down against us to battle, that they may be utterly destroyed.

14  Then Vagao, entering his bedchamber, stood before the curtain, and he made a clapping noise with his hands. For he suspected that he was sleeping with Judith.

14  Then went in Bagoas, and knocked at the door of the tent; for he thought that he had slept with Judith.

15  But when, with attentiveness, he perceived no motion of anyone reclining, he approached the curtain. And lifting it up, he saw the dead body of Holofernes, without a head, lying on the ground, soaked in his own blood. He cried out with a loud voice and weeping, and he tore his garments.

15  But because none answered, he opened it, and went into the bedchamber, and found him cast upon the floor dead, and his head was taken from him.

16  And he entered the tent of Judith and did not find her. And he ran out to the people,

16  Therefore he cried with a loud voice, with weeping, and sighing, and a mighty cry, and rent his garments.

17  and he said: “One Hebrew woman has caused confusion in the house of Nebuchadnezzar the king. For behold, Holofernes lies on the ground, and his head is not with him.”

17  After he went into the tent where Judith lodged: and when he found her not, he leaped out to the people, and cried,

18  Now when the leaders of the army of the Assyrians had heard this, they all tore their garments, and an intolerable fear and trembling fell over them, and their minds were greatly disturbed.

18  These slaves have dealt treacherously; one woman of the Hebrews hath brought shame upon the house of king Nabuchodonosor: for, behold, Holofernes lieth upon the ground without a head.

19  And there was an unprecedented outcry in the midst of their camp.

19  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.

15:1  And when the entire army had heard that Holofernes was beheaded, reason and resolution fled from them, and, being moved by trembling and fear alone, they thought only to flee to safety.

1  And when they that were in the tents heard, they were astonished at the thing that was done.

15:2  So then, no one spoke with his neighbor, but hanging their heads and leaving everything behind, they hurried to escape from the Hebrews, who, as they had heard, were advancing against them well-armed. And they fled through the ways of the fields and the paths of the hills.

2  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.

15:3  And so, the sons of Israel, seeing them fleeing, pursued them. And they went down after them, sounding the trumpets and howling.

3  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.

15:4  And, since the Assyrians were not united, they rushed headlong in their flight. But the sons of Israel, pursuing like one unit, struck down all they were able to find.

15:5  And so, Uzziah sent messengers through all the cities and regions of Israel.

Jdt15:4  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.

15:6  And then, every region and every city sent their chosen young men with weapons after them, and they pursued them with the edge of the sword, until they passed through to the extremities of their borders.

Jdt15:5  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.

15:7  But the remainder, who were in Bethulia, entered the camp of the Assyrians and took away the plunder that the Assyrians, in their flight, had left behind, and they were exceedingly burdened.

Jdt15:6  And the residue that dwelt at Bethulia, fell upon the camp of Assur, and spoiled them, and were greatly enriched.