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JUDITH CHAPTERS 1-10

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ΙΟΥΔΙΘ
 

1

ΕΤΟΥΣ δωδεκάτου τῆς βασιλείας Ναβουχοδονόσορ, ὃς ἐβασίλευσεν ᾿Ασσυρίων ἐν Νινευῆ τῇ πόλει τῇ μεγάλῃ, ἐν ταῖς ἡμέραις ᾿Αρφαξάδ, ὃς ἐβασίλευσεν Μήδων ἐν ᾿Εκβατάνοις,

2 καὶ ᾠκοδόμησεν ἐπ᾿ ᾿Εκβατάνων κύκλῳ τείχη ἐκ λίθων λελαξευμένων εἰς πλάτος πηχῶν τριῶν καὶ εἰς μῆκος πηχῶν ἓξ καὶ ἐποίησε τὸ ὕψος τοῦ τείχους πηχῶν ἑβδομήκοντα καὶ τὸ πλάτος αὐτοῦ πηχῶν πεντήκοντα

3 καὶ τοὺς πύργους αὐτοῦ ἔστησεν ἐπὶ ταῖς πύλαις αὐτῆς πηχῶν ἑκατὸν καὶ τὸ πλάτος αὐτῆς ἐθεμελίωσεν εἰς πήχεις ἑξήκοντα

4 καὶ ἐποίησε τὰς πύλας αὐτῆς πύλας διεγειρομένας εἰς ὕψος πηχῶν ἑβδομήκοντα καὶ τὸ πλάτος αὐτῶν πήχεις τεσσαράκοντα εἰς ἐξόδους δυνάμεων δυνατῶν αὐτοῦ καὶ διατάξεις τῶν πεζῶν αὐτοῦ.

5 καὶ ἐποίησε πόλεμον ἐν ταῖς ἡμέραις ἐκείναις ὁ βασιλεὺς Ναβουχοδονόσορ πρὸς βασιλέα ᾿Αρφαξὰδ ἐν τῷ πεδίῳ τῷ μεγάλῳ, τοῦτό ἐστιν ἐν τοῖς ὁρίοις Ραγαῦ.

6 καὶ συνήντησαν πρὸς αὐτὸν πάντες οἱ κατοικοῦντες τὴν ὀρεινὴν καὶ πάντες οἱ κατοικοῦντες τὸν Εὐφράτην καὶ τὸν Τίγριν καὶ τὸν ῾Υδάσπην καὶ πεδία ᾿Αριὼχ βασιλέως ᾿Ελυμαίων· καὶ συνῆλθον ἔθνη πολλὰ σφόδρα εἰς παράταξιν υἱῶν Χελεούδ.

7 καὶ ἀπέστειλε Ναβουχοδονόσορ ὁ βασιλεὺς ᾿Ασσυρίων ἐπὶ πάντας τοὺς κατοικοῦντας τὴν Περσίδα καὶ ἐπὶ πάντας τοὺς κατοικοῦντας πρὸς δυσμαῖς, τοὺς κατοικοῦντας Κιλικίαν καὶ Δαμασκόν, τὸν Λίβανον καὶ ᾿Αντιλίβανον, καὶ πάντας τοὺς κατοικοῦντας κατὰ πρόσωπον παραλίας

8 καὶ τοὺς ἐν τοῖς ἔθνεσι τοῦ Καρμήλου καὶ Γαλαὰδ καὶ τὴν ἄνω Γαλιλαίαν καὶ τὸ μέγα πεδίον ᾿Εσδρηλὼν

9 καὶ πάντας τοὺς ἐν Σαμαρείᾳ καὶ ταῖς πόλεσιν αὐτῆς καὶ πέραν τοῦ ᾿Ιορδάνου ἕως ῾Ιερουσαλὴμ καὶ Βετάνη καὶ Χελλοὺς καὶ Κάδης καὶ τοῦ ποταμοῦ Αἰγύπτου καὶ Ταφνὰς καὶ Ραμεσσὴ καὶ πᾶσαν γῆν Γεσὲμ

10 ἕως τοῦ ἐλθεῖν ἐπάνω Τάνεως καὶ Μέμφεως καὶ πάντας τοὺς κατοικοῦντας τὴν Αἴγυπτον ἕως τοῦ ἐλθεῖν ἐπὶ τὰ ὅρια τῆς Αἰθιοπίας.

11 καὶ ἐφαύλισαν πάντες οἱ κατοικοῦντες πᾶσαν τὴν γῆν τὸ ρῆμα Ναβουχοδονόσορ τοῦ βασιλέως ᾿Ασσυρίων καὶ οὐ συνῆλθον αὐτῷ εἰς τὸν πόλεμον, ὅτι οὐκ ἐφοβήθησαν αὐτόν, ἀλλ᾿ ἦν ἐναντίον αὐτῶν ὡς ἀνὴρ εἷς, καὶ ἀνέστρεψαν τοὺς ἀγγέλους αὐτοῦ κενοὺς ἐν ἀτιμίᾳ προσώπου αὐτῶν.

12 καὶ ἐθυμώθη Ναβουχοδονόσορ ἐπὶ πᾶσαν τὴν γῆν ταύτην σφόδρα καὶ ὤμοσε κατὰ τοῦ θρόνου καὶ τῆς βασιλείας αὐτοῦ, εἰ μὴν ἐκδικήσειν πάντα τὰ ὅρια τῆς Κιλικίας καὶ Δαμασκηνῆς καὶ Συρίας, ἀνελεῖν τῇ ρομφαίᾳ αὐτοῦ καὶ πάντας τοὺς κατοικοῦντας ἐν γῇ Μωὰβ καὶ τοὺς υἱοὺς ᾿Αμμὼν καὶ πᾶσαν τὴν ᾿Ιουδαίαν καὶ πάντας τοὺς ἐν Αἰγύπτῳ ἕως τοῦ ἐλθεῖν ἐπὶ τὰ ὅρια τῶν δύο θαλασσῶν.

13 καὶ παρετάξατο ἐν τῇ δυνάμει αὐτοῦ πρὸς ᾿Αρφαξὰδ βασιλέα ἐν τῷ ἔτει τῷ ἑπτακαιδεκάτῳ καὶ ἐκραταιώθη ἐν τῷ πολέμῳ αὐτοῦ καὶ ἀνέστρεψε πᾶσαν τὴν δύναμιν ᾿Αρφαξὰδ καὶ πᾶσαν τὴν ἵππον αὐτοῦ καὶ πάντα τὰ ἅρματα αὐτοῦ

14 καὶ ἐκυρίευσε τῶν πόλεων αὐτοῦ καὶ ἀφίκετο ἕως ᾿Εκβατάνων καὶ ἐκράτησε τῶν πύργων καὶ ἐπρονόμευσε τὰς πλατείας αὐτῆς καὶ τὸν κόσμον αὐτῆς ἔθηκεν εἰς ὄνειδος αὐτῆς.

15 καὶ ἔλαβε τὸν ᾿Αρφαξὰδ ἐν τοῖς ὄρεσι Ραγαῦ καὶ κατηκόντισεν αὐτὸν ἐν ταῖς ζιβύναις αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐξωλόθρευσεν αὐτὸν ἕως τῆς ἡμέρας ἐκείνης.

16 καὶ ἀνέστρεψε μετ᾿ αὐτῶν αὐτὸς καὶ πᾶς ὁ σύμμικτος αὐτοῦ, πλῆθος ἀνδρῶν πολεμιστῶν πολὺ σφόδρα· καὶ ἦν ἐκεῖ ραθυμῶν καὶ εὐωχούμενος αὐτὸς καὶ ἡ δύναμις αὐτοῦ ἐφ᾿ ἡμέρας ἑκατὸν εἴκοσι.

2

ΚΑΙ ἐν τῷ ἔτει τῷ ὀκτωκαιδεκάτῳ, δευτέρᾳ καὶ εἰκάδι τοῦ πρώτου μηνός, ἐγένετο λόγος ἐν οἴκῳ Ναβουχοδονόσορ βασιλέως ᾿Ασσυρίων ἐκδικῆσαι πᾶσαν τὴν γῆν καθὼς ἐλάλησε.

2 καὶ συνεκάλεσε πάντας τοὺς θεράποντας αὐτοῦ καὶ πάντας τοὺς μεγιστᾶνας αὐτοῦ καὶ ἔθετο μετ᾿ αὐτῶν τὸ μυστήριον τῆς βουλῆς αὐτοῦ καὶ συνετέλεσε πᾶσαν τὴν κακίαν τῆς γῆς ἐκ τοῦ στόματος αὐτοῦ.

3 καὶ αὐτοὶ ἔκριναν ὀλοθρεῦσαι πᾶσαν σάρκα, οἳ οὐκ ἠκολούθησαν τῷ λόγῳ τοῦ στόματος αὐτοῦ.

4 καὶ ἐγένετο ὡς συνετέλεσε τὴν βουλὴν αὐτοῦ, ἐκάλεσε Ναβουχοδονόσορ βασιλεὺς ᾿Ασσυρίων τὸν ᾿Ολοφέρνην ἀρχιστράτηγον τῆς δυνάμεως αὐτοῦ, δεύτερον ὄντα μετ᾿ αὐτόν, καὶ εἶπε πρὸς αὐτόν·

5 τάδε λέγει ὁ βασιλεὺς ὁ μέγας, ὁ κύριος πάσης τῆς γῆς· ἰδοὺ σὺ ἐξελεύσῃ ἐκ τοῦ προσώπου μου καὶ λήψῃ μετὰ σεαυτοῦ ἄνδρας πεποιθότας ἐν ἰσχύϊ αὐτῶν, πεζῶν εἰς χιλιάδας ἑκατὸν εἴκοσι καὶ πλῆθος ἵππων σὺν ἀναβάταις μυριάδων δεκαδύο,

6 καὶ ἐξελεύσῃ εἰς συνάντησιν πάσῃ τῇ γῇ ἐπὶ δυσμάς, ὅτι ἠπείθησαν τῷ ρήματι τοῦ στόματός μου.

7 καὶ ἀπαγγελεῖς αὐτοῖς ἑτοιμάζειν γῆν καὶ ὕδωρ. ὅτι ἐξελεύσομαι ἐν θυμῷ μου ἐπ᾿ αὐτοὺς καὶ καλύψω πᾶν τὸ πρόσωπον τῆς γῆς ἐν τοῖς ποσὶ τῆς δυνάμεώς μου καὶ δώσω αὐτοὺς εἰς διαρπαγὴν αὐτοῖς·

8 καὶ οἱ τραυματίαι αὐτῶν πληρώσουσι τὰς φάραγγας καὶ τοὺς χειμάρρους αὐτῶν, καὶ ποταμὸς ἐπικλύζων τοῖς νεκροῖς αὐτῶν πληρωθήσεται·

9 καὶ ἄξω τὴν αἰχμαλωσίαν αὐτῶν ἐπὶ τὰ ἄκρα πάσης τῆς γῆς.

10 σὺ δὲ ἐξελθὼν προκαταλήψῃ μοι πᾶν ὅριον αὐτῶν, καὶ ἐκδώσουσί σοι ἑαυτούς, καὶ διατηρήσεις ἐμοὶ αὐτοὺς εἰς ἡμέραν ἐλεγμοῦ αὐτῶν·

11 ἐπὶ δὲ τοὺς ἀπειθοῦντας οὐ φείσεται ὁ ὀφθαλμός σου τοῦ δοῦναι αὐτοὺς εἰς φόνον καὶ ἁρπαγὴν ἐν πάσῃ τῇ γῇ σου.

12 ὅτι ζῶν ἐγὼ καὶ τὸ κράτος τῆς βασιλείας μου, λελάληκα καὶ ποιήσω ταῦτα ἐν χειρί μου.

13 καὶ σὺ δὲ οὐ παραβήσῃ ἕν τι τῶν ρημάτων τοῦ κυρίου σου, ἀλλ᾿ ἐπιτελῶν ἐπιτελέσεις καθότι προστέταχά σοι, καὶ οὐ μακρυνεῖς τοῦ ποιῆσαι αὐτά.

14 καὶ ἐξῆλθεν ᾿Ολοφέρνης ἀπὸ προσώπου τοῦ κυρίου αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐκάλεσε πάντας τοὺς δυνάστας καὶ τοὺς στρατηγοὺς καὶ ἐπιστάτας τῆς δυνάμεως ᾿Ασσοὺρ

15 καὶ ἠρίθμησεν ἐκλεκτοὺς ἄνδρας εἰς παράταξιν, καθότι ἐκέλευσεν αὐτῷ ὁ κύριος αὐτοῦ εἰς μυριάδας δεκαδύο καὶ ἱππεῖς τοξότας μυρίους δισχιλίους,

16 καὶ διέταξεν αὐτοὺς ὃν τρόπον πολέμου πλῆθος συντάσσεται.

17 καὶ ἔλαβε καμήλους καὶ ὄνους καὶ ἡμιόνους εἰς τὴν ἀπαρτίαν αὐτῶν, πλῆθος πολὺ σφόδρα, καὶ πρόβατα καὶ βόας καὶ αἶγας εἰς τὴν παρασκευὴν αὐτῶν, ὧν οὐκ ἦν ἀριθμός,

18 καὶ ἐπισιτισμὸν παντὶ ἀνδρὶ εἰς πλῆθος καὶ χρυσίον καὶ ἀργύριον ἐξ οἴκου βασιλέως πολὺ σφόδρα.

19 καὶ ἐξῆλθεν αὐτὸς καὶ πᾶσα ἡ δύναμις αὐτοῦ εἰς πορείαν τοῦ προελθεῖν βασιλέως Ναβουχοδονόσορ καὶ καλύψαι πᾶν τὸ πρόσωπον τῆς γῆς πρὸς δυσμαῖς ἐν ἅρμασι καὶ ἱππεῦσι καὶ πεζοῖς ἐπιλέκτοις αὐτῶν.

20 καὶ πολὺς ὁ ἐπίμικτος ὡς ἀκρὶς συνεξῆλθον αὐτοῖς καὶ ὡς ἡ ἄμμος τῆς γῆς· οὐ γὰρ ἦν ἀριθμὸς ἀπὸ πλήθους αὐτῶν.

21 καὶ ἀπῆλθον ἐκ Νινευῆ ὁδὸν τριῶν ἡμερῶν ἐπὶ πρόσωπον τοῦ πεδίου Βεκτιλὲθ καὶ ἐστρατοπέδευσαν ἀπὸ Βεκτιλὲθ πλησίον τοῦ ὄρους τοῦ ἐπ᾿ ἀριστερᾷ τῆς ἄνω Κιλικίας.

22 καὶ ἔλαβε πᾶσαν τὴν δύναμιν αὐτοῦ, τοὺς πεζοὺς καὶ τοὺς ἱππεῖς καὶ τὰ ἅρματα αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἀπῆλθεν ἐκεῖθεν εἰς τὴν ὀρεινήν.

23 καὶ διέκοψε τὸ Φοὺδ καὶ Λοὺδ καὶ ἐπρονόμευσαν πάντας υἱοὺς Ρασσὶς καὶ υἱοὺς ᾿Ισμαὴλ τοὺς κατὰ πρόσωπον τῆς ἐρήμου πρὸς νότον τῆς Χελεών.

24 καὶ παρῆλθε τὸν Εὐφράτην καὶ διῆλθε τὴν Μεσοποταμίαν καὶ διέσκαψε πάσας τὰς πόλεις τὰς ὑψηλὰς τὰς ἐπὶ τοῦ χειμάρρου ᾿Αβρωνᾶ ἕως τοῦ ἐλθεῖν ἐπὶ θάλασσαν.

25 καὶ κατελάβετο τὰ ὅρια τῆς Κιλικίας καὶ κατέκοψε πάντας τοὺς ἀντιστάντας αὐτῷ καὶ ἦλθεν ἕως ὁρίων ᾿Ιάφεθ τὰ πρὸς νότον κατὰ πρόσωπον τῆς ᾿Αραβίας.

26 καὶ ἐκύκλωσε πάντας τοὺς υἱοὺς Μαδιὰμ καὶ ἐνέπρησε τὰ σκηνώματα αὐτῶν καὶ ἐπρονόμευσε τὰς μάνδρας αὐτῶν.

27 καὶ κατέβη εἰς πεδίον Δαμασκοῦ ἐν ἡμέραις θερισμοῦ πυρῶν καὶ ἐνέπρησε πάντας τοὺς ἀγροὺς αὐτῶν καὶ τὰ ποίμνια καὶ τὰ βουκόλια ἔδωκεν εἰς ἀφανισμὸν καὶ τὰς πόλεις αὐτῶν ἐσκύλευσε καὶ τὰ παιδία αὐτῶν ἐξελίκμησε καὶ ἐπάταξε πάντας τοὺς νεανίσκους αὐτῶν ἐν στόματι ρομφαίας.

28 καὶ ἐπέπεσεν ὁ φόβος καὶ ὁ τρόμος αὐτοῦ ἐπὶ τοὺς κατοικοῦντας τὴν παραλίαν, τοὺς ὄντας ἐν Σιδῶνι καὶ Τύρῳ καὶ τοὺς κατοικοῦντας Σοὺρ καὶ ᾿Οκινά, καὶ πάντας τοὺς κατοικοῦντας ῾Ιεμναάν, καὶ οἱ κατοικοῦντες ἐν ᾿Αζώτῳ καὶ ᾿Ασκάλωνι ἐφοβήθησαν αὐτὸν σφόδρα.

3

ΚΑΙ ἀπέστειλαν πρὸς αὐτὸν ἀγγέλους λόγοις εἰρηνικοῖς λέγοντες·

2 ἰδοὺ ἡμεῖς οἱ παῖδες Ναβουχοδονόσορ βασιλέως μεγάλου παρακείμεθα ἐνώπιόν σου, χρῆσαι ἡμῖν καθὼς ἀρεστόν ἐστι τῷ προσώπῳ σου·

3 ἰδοὺ αἱ ἐπαύλεις ἡμῶν καὶ πᾶν πεδίον πυρῶν καὶ τὰ ποίμνια καὶ τὰ βουκόλια καὶ πᾶσαι αἱ μάνδραι τῶν σκηνῶν ἡμῶν παράκεινται πρὸ προσώπου σου, χρῆσαι καθ᾿ ὃν ἂν ἀρέσκῃ σοι.

4 ἰδοὺ καὶ αἱ πόλεις ἡμῶν καὶ οἱ κατοικοῦντες ἐν αὐταῖς δοῦλοί σού εἰσιν· ἐλθὼν ἀπάντησον αὐταῖς ὡς ἔστιν ἀγαθὸν ἐν ὀφθαλμοῖς σου.

5 καὶ παρεγένοντο οἱ ἄνδρες πρὸς ᾿Ολοφέρνην καὶ ἀπήγγειλαν αὐτῷ κατὰ τὰ ρήματα ταῦτα.

6 καὶ κατέβη ἐπὶ τὴν παραλίαν αὐτὸς καὶ ἡ δύναμις αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐφρούρησε τὰς πόλεις τὰς ὑψηλὰς καὶ ἔλαβεν ἐξ αὐτῶν εἰς συμμαχίαν ἄνδρας ἐπιλέκτους·

7 καὶ ἐδέξαντο αὐτὸν αὐτοὶ καὶ πᾶσα ἡ περίχωρος αὐτῶν μετὰ στεφάνων καὶ χορῶν καὶ τυμπάνων.

8 καὶ κατέσκαψε πάντα τὰ ὅρια αὐτῶν καὶ τὰ ἄλση αὐτῶν ἐξέκοψε, καὶ ἦν δεδομένον αὐτῷ ἐξολοθρεῦσαι πάντας τοὺς θεοὺς τῆς γῆς, ὅπως αὐτῷ μόνῳ τῷ Ναβουχοδονόσορ λατρεύσωσι πάντα τὰ ἔθνη, καὶ πᾶσαι αἱ γλῶσσαι καὶ πᾶσαι αἱ φυλαὶ αὐτῶν ἐπικαλέσωνται αὐτὸν εἰς θεόν.

9 καὶ ἦλθε κατὰ πρόσωπον ᾿Εσδρηλὼν πλησίον τῆς Δωταίας, ἥ ἐστιν ἀπέναντι τοῦ πρίονος τοῦ μεγάλου τῆς ᾿Ιουδαίας,

10 καὶ κατεστρατοπέδευσεν ἀνὰ μέσον Γαβαὶ καὶ Σκυθῶν πόλεως, καὶ ἦν ἐκεῖ μῆνα ἡμερῶν εἰς τὸ συλλέξαι πᾶσαν τὴν ἀπαρτίαν τῆς δυνάμεως αὐτοῦ.

4

ΚΑΙ ἤκουσαν οἱ υἱοὶ ᾿Ισραὴλ οἱ κατοικοῦντες ἐν τῇ ᾿Ιουδαίᾳ πάντα, ὅσα ἐποίησεν ᾿Ολοφέρνης τοῖς ἔθνεσιν, ὁ ἀρχιστράτηγος Ναβουχοδονόσορ βασιλέως ᾿Ασσυρίων, καὶ ὃν τρόπον ἐσκύλευσε πάντα τὰ ἱερὰ αὐτῶν καὶ ἔδωκεν αὐτὰ εἰς ἀφανισμόν,

2 καὶ ἐφοβήθησαν σφόδρα σφόδρα ἀπὸ προσώπου αὐτοῦ καὶ περὶ ῾Ιερουσαλὴμ καὶ τοῦ ναοῦ Κυρίου Θεοῦ αὐτῶν ἐταράχθησαν.

3 ὅτι προσφάτως ἦσαν ἀναβεβηκότες ἐκ τῆς αἰχμαλωσίας, καὶ νεωστὶ πᾶς ὁ λαὸς συνελέλεκτο τῆς ᾿Ιουδαίας, καὶ τὰ σκεύη καὶ τὸ θυσιαστήριον καὶ ὁ οἶκος ἐκ τῆς βεβηλώσεως ἡγιασμένα ἦν.

4 καὶ ἀπέστειλαν εἰς πᾶν ὅριον Σαμαρείας καὶ Κωνὰ καὶ Βαιθωρὼν καὶ Βελμαὶν καὶ ῾Ιεριχὼ καὶ εἰς Χωβὰ καὶ Αἰσωρὰ καὶ τὸν αὐλῶνα Σαλὴμ

5 καὶ προκατελάβοντο πάσας τὰς κορυφὰς τῶν ὀρέων τῶν ὑψηλῶν καὶ ἐτειχίσαντο τὰς ἐν αὐτοῖς κώμας καὶ παρέθεντο εἰς ἐπισιτισμὸν εἰς παρασκευὴν πολέμου, ὅτι προσφάτως ἦν τὰ πεδία αὐτῶν τεθερισμένα.

6 καὶ ἔγραψεν ᾿Ιωακὶμ ὁ ἱερεὺς ὁ μέγας, ὃς ἦν ἐν ταῖς ἡμέραις ἐκείναις ἐν ῾Ιερουσαλήμ, τοῖς κατοικοῦσι Βαιτυλούα καὶ Βαιτομεσθαίμ, ἥ ἐστιν ἀπέναντι ᾿Εσδρηλὼν κατὰ πρόσωπον τοῦ πεδίου τοῦ πλησίον Δωθαΐμ,

7 λέγων διακατασχεῖν τὰς ἀναβάσεις τῆς ὀρεινῆς, ὅτι δι᾿ αὐτῶν ἦν ἡ εἴσοδος εἰς τὴν ᾿Ιουδαίαν, καὶ ἦν εὐχερῶς διακωλῦσαι αὐτοὺς προσβαίνοντας, στενῆς τῆς προσβάσεως οὔσης ἐπ᾿ ἄνδρας τοὺς πάντας δύο.

8 καὶ ἐποίησαν οἱ υἱοὶ ᾿Ισραὴλ καθὰ συνέταξεν αὐτοῖς ᾿Ιωακὶμ ὁ ἱερεὺς ὁ μέγας καὶ ἡ γερουσία παντὸς δήμου ᾿Ισραήλ, οἳ ἐκάθηντο ἐν ῾Ιερουσαλήμ.

9 καὶ ἀνεβόησαν πᾶς ἀνὴρ ᾿Ισραὴλ πρὸς τὸν Θεὸν ἐν ἐκτενίᾳ μεγάλῃ καὶ ἐταπεινοῦσαν τὰς ψυχὰς αὐτῶν ἐν ἐκτενίᾳ μεγάλῃ.

10 αὐτοὶ καὶ αἱ γυναῖκες αὐτῶν καὶ τὰ νήπια αὐτῶν καὶ τὰ κτήνη αὐτῶν καὶ πᾶς πάροικος ἢ μισθωτὸς καὶ ἀργυρώνητος αὐτῶν ἐπέθεντο σάκκους ἐπὶ τὰς ὀσφύας αὐτῶν.

11 καὶ πᾶς ἀνὴρ ᾿Ισραὴλ καὶ γυνὴ καὶ τὰ παιδία καὶ οἱ κατοικοῦντες ἐν ῾Ιερουσαλὴμ ἔπεσον κατὰ πρόσωπον τοῦ ναοῦ καὶ ἐσποδώσαντο τὰς κεφαλὰς αὐτῶν καὶ ἐξέτειναν τοὺς σάκκους αὐτῶν κατὰ πρόσωπον Κυρίου·

12 καὶ τὸ θυσιαστήριον σάκκῳ περιέβαλον καὶ ἐβόησαν πρὸς τὸν Θεὸν ᾿Ισραὴλ ὁμοθυμαδὸν ἐκτενῶς τοῦ μὴ δοῦναι εἰς διαρπαγὴν τὰ νήπια αὐτῶν καὶ τὰς γυναῖκας εἰς προνομὴν καὶ τὰς πόλεις τῆς κληρονομίας αὐτῶν εἰς ἀφανισμὸν καὶ τὰ ἅγια εἰς βεβήλωσιν καὶ ὀνειδισμόν, ἐπίχαρμα τοῖς ἔθνεσι.

13 καὶ εἰσήκουσε Κύριος τῆς φωνῆς αὐτῶν καὶ εἰσεῖδε τὴν θλῖψιν αὐτῶν· καὶ ἦν ὁ λαὸς νηστεύων ἡμέρας πλείους ἐν πάσῃ τῇ ᾿Ιουδαίᾳ καὶ ῾Ιερουσαλὴμ κατὰ πρόσωπον τῶν ἁγίων Κυρίου παντοκράτορος.

14 καὶ ᾿Ιωακὶμ ὁ ἱερεὺς ὁ μέγας καὶ πάντες οἱ παρεστηκότες ἐνώπιον Κυρίου, ἱερεῖς καὶ οἱ λειτουργοῦντες Κυρίῳ, σάκκους περιεζωσμένοι τὰς ὀσφύας αὐτῶν προσέφερον τὴν ὁλοκαύτωσιν τοῦ ἐνδελεχισμοῦ καὶ τὰς εὐχὰς καὶ τὰ ἑκούσια δόματα τοῦ λαοῦ,

15 καὶ ἦν σποδὸς ἐπὶ τὰς κιδάρεις αὐτῶν. καὶ ἐβόων πρὸς Κύριον ἐκ πάσης δυνάμεως εἰς ἀγαθὸν ἐπισκέψασθαι πάντα οἶκον ᾿Ισραήλ.

5

ΚΑΙ ἀνηγγέλη ᾿Ολοφέρνῃ ἀρχιστρατήγῳ δυνάμεως ᾿Ασσοὺρ διότι οἱ υἱοὶ ᾿Ισραὴλ παρεσκευάσαντο εἰς πόλεμον καὶ τὰς διόδους τῆς ὀρεινῆς συνέκλεισαν καὶ ἐτείχισαν πᾶσαν κορυφὴν ὄρους ὑψηλοῦ καὶ ἔθηκαν ἐν τοῖς πεδίοις σκάνδαλα.

2 καὶ ὠργίσθη θυμῷ σφόδρα καὶ ἐκάλεσε πάντας τοὺς ἄρχοντας Μωὰβ καὶ τοὺς στρατηγοὺς ᾿Αμμὼν καὶ πάντας σατράπας τῆς παραλίας

3 καὶ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς· ἀναγγείλατε δή μοι, υἱοὶ Χαναάν, τίς ὁ λαὸς οὗτος ὁ καθήμενος ἐν τῇ ὀρεινῇ, καὶ τίνες ἃς κατοικοῦσι πόλεις, καὶ τὸ πλῆθος τῆς δυνάμεως αὐτῶν, καὶ ἐν τίνι τὸ κράτος αὐτῶν, καὶ ἡ ἰσχὺς αὐτῶν, καὶ τίς ἀνέστηκεν ἐπ᾿ αὐτῶν βασιλεὺς ἡγούμενος στρατιᾶς αὐτῶν,

4 καὶ διατὶ κατενωτίσαντο τοῦ μὴ ἐλθεῖν εἰς ἀπάντησίν μοι παρὰ πάντας τοὺς κατοικοῦντας ἐν δυσμαῖς;

5 καὶ εἶπε πρὸς αὐτὸν ᾿Αχιὼρ ὁ ἡγούμενος πάντων υἱῶν ᾿Αμμών· ἀκουσάτω δὴ ὁ κύριός μου λόγον ἐκ στόματος τοῦ δούλου σου, καὶ ἀναγγελῶ σοι τὴν ἀλήθειαν περὶ τοῦ λαοῦ, ὃς κατοικεῖ τὴν ὀρεινὴν ταύτην, πλησίον σου οἰκοῦντος, καὶ οὐκ ἐξελεύσεται ψεῦδος ἐκ τοῦ στόματος τοῦ δούλου σου.

6 ὁ λαὸς οὗτός εἰσιν ἀπόγονοι Χαλδαίων,

7 καὶ παρῴκησαν τὸ πρότερον ἐν τῇ Μεσοποταμίᾳ, ὅτι οὐκ ἐβουλήθησαν ἀκολουθῆσαι τοῖς θεοῖς τῶν πατέρων αὐτῶν, οἳ ἐγένοντο ἐν γῇ Χαλδαίων·

8 καὶ ἐξέβησαν ἐξ ὁδοῦ τῶν γονέων αὐτῶν καὶ προσεκύνησαν τῷ Θεῷ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ, Θεῷ ᾧ ἐπέγνωσαν, καὶ ἐξέβαλον αὐτοὺς ἀπὸ προσώπου τῶν θεῶν αὐτῶν, καὶ ἔφυγον εἰς Μεσοποταμίαν καὶ παρῴκησαν ἐκεῖ ἡμέρας πολλάς.

9 καὶ εἶπεν ὁ Θεὸς αὐτῶν ἐξελθεῖν ἐκ τῆς παροικίας αὐτῶν καὶ πορευθῆναι εἰς γῆν Χαναάν, καὶ κατῴκησαν ἐκεῖ καὶ ἐπληθύνθησαν χρυσίῳ καὶ ἀργυρίῳ καὶ ἐν κτήνεσι πολλοῖς σφόδρα.

10 καὶ κατέβησαν εἰς Αἴγυπτον, ἐκάλυψε γὰρ τὸ πρόσωπον τῆς γῆς Χαναὰν λιμός, καὶ παρῴκησαν ἐκεῖ μέχρις οὗ διετράφησαν· καὶ ἐγένοντο ἐκεῖ εἰς πλῆθος πολύ, καὶ οὐκ ἦν ἀριθμὸς τοῦ γένους αὐτῶν.

11 καὶ ἐπανέστη αὐτοῖς ὁ βασιλεὺς Αἰγύπτου καὶ κατεσοφίσαντο αὐτοὺς ἐν πόνῳ καὶ ἐν πλίνθῳ, καὶ ἐταπείνωσαν αὐτοὺς καὶ ἔθεντο αὐτοὺς εἰς δούλους·

12 καὶ ἀνεβόησαν πρὸς τὸν Θεὸν αὐτῶν, καὶ ἐπάταξε πᾶσαν τὴν γῆν Αἰγύπτου πληγαῖς, ἐν αἷς οὐκ ἦν ἴασις· καὶ ἐξέβαλον αὐτοὺς οἱ Αἰγύπτιοι ἀπὸ προσώπου αὐτῶν.

13 καὶ κατεξήρανεν ὁ Θεὸς τὴν ἐρυθρὰν θάλασσαν ἔμπροσθεν αὐτῶν

14 καὶ ἤγαγεν αὐτοὺς εἰς ὁδὸν τοῦ Σινὰ καὶ Κάδης Βαρνή· καὶ ἐξέβαλον πάντας τοὺς κατοικοῦντας ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ

15 καὶ ᾤκησαν ἐν γῇ ᾿Αμορραίων καὶ πάντας τοὺς ᾿Εσεβωνίτας ἐξωλόθρευσαν ἐν τῇ ἰσχύϊ αὐτῶν. καὶ διαβάντες τὸν ᾿Ιορδάνην ἐκληρονόμησαν πᾶσαν τὴν ὀρεινὴν

16 καὶ ἐξέβαλον ἐκ προσώπου αὐτῶν τὸν Χαναναῖον καὶ τὸν Φερεζαῖον καὶ τὸν ᾿Ιεβουσαῖον καὶ τὸν Συχὲμ καὶ πάντας τοὺς Γεργεσαίους καὶ κατῴκησαν ἐν αὐτῇ ἡμέρας πολλάς.

17 καὶ ἕως οὐχ ἥμαρτον ἐνώπιον τοῦ Θεοῦ αὐτῶν, ἦν τὰ ἀγαθὰ μετ᾿ αὐτῶν, ὅτι Θεὸς μισῶν ἀδικίαν μετ᾿ αὐτῶν ἐστιν.

18 ὅτε δὲ ἀπέστησαν ἀπὸ τῆς ὁδοῦ, ἧς διέθετο αὐτοῖς, ἐξωλοθρεύθησαν ἐν πολλοῖς πολέμοις ἐπὶ πολὺ σφόδρα καὶ ᾐχμαλωτεύθησαν εἰς γῆν οὐκ ἰδίαν, καὶ ὁ ναὸς τοῦ Θεοῦ αὐτῶν ἐγενήθη εἰς ἔδαφος, καὶ οἱ πόλεις αὐτῶν ἐκρατήθησαν ὑπὸ τῶν ὑπεναντίων.

19 καὶ νῦν ἐπιστρέψαντες ἐπὶ τὸν Θεὸν αὐτῶν ἀνέβησαν ἐκ τῆς διασπορᾶς, οὗ διεσπάρησαν ἐκεῖ, καὶ κατέσχον τὴν ῾Ιερουσαλήμ, οὗ τὸ ἁγίασμα αὐτῶν, καὶ κατῳκίσθησαν ἐν τῇ ὀρεινῇ, ὅτι ἦν ἔρημος.

20 καὶ νῦν, δέσποτα κύριε, εἰ μέν ἐστιν ἀγνόημα ἐν τῷ λαῷ τούτῳ καὶ ἁμαρτάνουσιν εἰς τὸν Θεὸν αὐτῶν καὶ ἐπισκεψόμεθα ὅτι ἐστὶν ἐν αὐτοῖς σκάνδαλον τοῦτο, καὶ ἀναβησόμεθα καὶ ἐκπολεμήσομεν αὐτούς.

21 εἰ δὲ οὐκ ἔστιν ἀνομία ἐν τῷ ἔθνει αὐτῶν, παρελθέτω δὴ ὁ κύριός μου, μήποτε ὑπερασπίσῃ ὁ Κύριος αὐτῶν καὶ ὁ Θεὸς αὐτῶν ὑπὲρ αὐτῶν, καὶ ἐσόμεθα εἰς ὀνειδισμὸν ἐναντίον πάσης τῆς γῆς.

22 καὶ ἐγένετο ὡς ἐπαύσατο ᾿Αχιὼρ λαλῶν τοὺς λόγους τούτους, καὶ ἐγόγγυσε πᾶς ὁ λαὸς ὁ κυκλῶν τὴν σκηνὴν καὶ περιεστώς, καὶ εἶπαν οἱ μεγιστᾶνες ᾿Ολοφέρνου καὶ πάντες οἱ κατοικοῦντες τὴν παραλίαν καὶ τὴν Μωὰβ συγκόψαι αὐτόν·

23 οὐ γὰρ φοβηθησόμεθα ἀπὸ υἱῶν ᾿Ισραήλ· ἰδοὺ γὰρ λαός, ἐν ᾧ οὐκ ἔστι δύναμις οὐδὲ κράτος εἰς παράταξιν ἰσχυράν·

24 διὸ δὴ ἀναβησόμεθα, καὶ ἔσονται εἰς κατάβρωμα πάσης τῆς στρατιᾶς σου, δέσποτα ᾿Ολοφέρνη.

6

ΚΑΙ ὡς κατέπαυσεν ὁ θόρυβος τῶν ἀνδρῶν τῶν κύκλῳ τῆς συνεδρίας, καὶ εἶπεν ᾿Ολοφέρνης ὁ ἀρχιστράτηγος δυνάμεως ᾿Ασσοὺρ πρὸς ᾿Αχιὼρ ἐναντίον παντὸς τοῦ δήμου ἀλλοφύλων καὶ πρὸς πάντας υἱοὺς Μωάβ·

2 καὶ τίς εἶ σύ, ᾿Αχιὼρ καὶ οἱ μισθωτοὶ τοῦ ᾿Εφραίμ, ὅτι ἐπροφήτευσας ἐν ἡμῖν καθὼς σήμερον καὶ εἶπας τὸ γένος ᾿Ισραὴλ μὴ πολεμῆσαι, ὅτι ὁ Θεὸς αὐτῶν ὑπερασπιεῖ αὐτῶν; καὶ τίς ὁ Θεὸς εἰ μὴ Ναβουχοδονόσορ; οὗτος ἀποστελεῖ τὸ κράτος αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐξολοθρεύσει αὐτοὺς ἀπὸ προσώπου τῆς γῆς, καὶ οὐ ρύσεται αὐτοὺς ὁ Θεὸς αὐτῶν·

3 ἀλλ᾿ ἡμεῖς οἱ δοῦλοι αὐτοῦ πατάξομεν αὐτοὺς ὡς ἄνθρωπον ἕνα, καὶ οὐχ ὑποστήσονται τὸ κράτος τῶν ἵππων ἡμῶν.

4 κατακαύσομεν γὰρ αὐτοὺς ἐν αὐτοῖς, καὶ τὰ ὄρη αὐτῶν μεθυσθήσεται ἐν τῷ αἵματι αὐτῶν, καὶ τὰ πεδία αὐτῶν πληρωθήσεται νεκρῶν αὐτῶν, καὶ οὐκ ἀντιστήσεται τὸ ἴχνος τῶν ποδῶν αὐτῶν κατὰ πρόσωπον ἡμῶν, ἀλλὰ ἀπωλείᾳ ἀπολοῦνται, λέγει ὁ βασιλεὺς Ναβουχοδονόσορ ὁ κύριος πάσης τῆς γῆς· εἶπε γάρ, οὐ ματαιωθήσεται τὰ ρήματα τῶν λόγων αὐτοῦ.

5 σὺ δὲ ᾿Αχιὼρ μισθωτὲ τοῦ ᾿Αμμών, ὃς ἐλάλησας τοὺς λόγους τούτους ἐν ἡμέρᾳ ἀδικίας σου, οὐκ ὄψει ἔτι τὸ πρόσωπόν μου ἀπὸ τῆς ἡμέρας ταύτης, ἕως οὗ ἐκδικήσω τὸ γένος τῶν ἐξ Αἰγύπτου·

6 καὶ τότε διελεύσεται ὁ σίδηρος τῆς στρατιᾶς μου καὶ ὁ λαὸς τῶν θεραπόντων μου τὰς πλευράς σου, καὶ πεσῇ ἐν τοῖς τραυματίαις αὐτῶν, ὅταν ἐπιστρέψω.

7 καὶ ἀποκαταστήσουσί σε οἱ δοῦλοί μου εἰς τὴν ὀρεινὴν καὶ θήσουσί σε ἐν μιᾷ τῶν πόλεων τῶν ἀναβάσεων,

8 καὶ οὐκ ἀπολῇ ἕως οὗ ἐξολοθρευθῇς μετ᾿ αὐτῶν.

9 καὶ εἴπερ ἐλπίζεις τῇ καρδίᾳ σου ὅτι οὐ ληφθήσονται, μὴ συμπεσέτω σου τὸ πρόσωπον· ἐλάλησα, καὶ οὐδὲν διαπεσεῖται τῶν ρημάτων μου.

10 καὶ προσέταξεν ᾿Ολοφέρνης τοῖς δούλοις αὐτοῦ, οἳ ἦσαν παρεστηκότες ἐν τῇ σκηνῇ αὐτοῦ, συλλαβεῖν τὸν ᾿Αχιὼρ καὶ ἀποκαταστῆσαι αὐτὸν εἰς Βαιτυλούα καὶ παραδοῦναι εἰς χεῖρας υἱῶν ᾿Ισραήλ.

11 καὶ συνέλαβον αὐτὸν οἱ δοῦλοι αὐτοῦ καὶ ἤγαγον αὐτὸν ἔξω τῆς παρεμβολῆς εἰς τὸ πεδίον καὶ ἀπῇραν ἐκ μέσου τῆς πεδινῆς εἰς τὴν ὀρεινὴν καὶ παρεγένοντο ἐπὶ τὰς πηγάς, αἳ ἦσαν ὑποκάτω Βαιτυλούα.

12 καὶ ὡς εἶδαν αὐτοὺς οἱ ἄνδρες τῆς πόλεως ἐπὶ τὴν κορυφὴν τοῦ ὄρους, ἀνέλαβον τὰ ὅπλα αὐτῶν καὶ ἀπῆλθον ἔξω τῆς πόλεως ἐπὶ τὴν κορυφὴν τοῦ ὄρους, καὶ πᾶς ἀνὴρ σφενδονήτης διεκράτησαν τὴν ἀνάβασιν αὐτῶν καὶ ἔβαλον ἐν λίθοις ἐπ᾿ αὐτούς.

13 καὶ ὑποδύσαντες ὑποκάτω τοῦ ὄρους ἔδησαν τὸν ᾿Αχιὼρ καὶ ἀφῆκαν ἐρριμμένον ὑπὸ τὴν ρίζαν τοῦ ὄρους καὶ ἀπῴχοντο πρὸς τὸν κύριον αὐτῶν.

14 καταβάντες δὲ υἱοὶ ᾿Ισραὴλ ἐκ τῆς πόλεως αὐτῶν ἐπέστησαν αὐτῷ καὶ λύσαντες αὐτὸν ἀπήγαγον εἰς τὴν Βαιτυλούα καὶ κατέστησαν αὐτὸν ἐπὶ τοὺς ἄρχοντας τῆς πόλεως αὐτῶν,

15 οἳ ἦσαν ἐν ταῖς ἡμέραις ἐκείναις, ᾿Οζίας ὁ τοῦ Μιχὰ ἐκ τῆς φυλῆς Συμεὼν καὶ ᾿Αβρὶς ὁ τοῦ Γοθονιὴλ καὶ Χαρμὶς υἱὸς Μελχιήλ.

16 καὶ συνεκάλεσαν πάντας τοὺς πρεσβυτέρους τῆς πόλεως, καὶ συνέδραμον πᾶς νεανίσκος αὐτῶν καὶ αἱ γυναῖκες εἰς τὴν ἐκκλησίαν, καὶ ἔστησαν τὸν ᾿Αχιὼρ ἐν μέσῳ παντὸς τοῦ λαοῦ αὐτῶν, καὶ ἐπηρώτησεν αὐτὸν ᾿Οζίας τὸ συμβεβηκός.

17 καὶ ἀποκριθεὶς ἀπήγγειλεν αὐτοῖς τὰ ρήματα τῆς συνεδρίας ᾿Ολοφέρνου καὶ πάντα τὰ ρήματα, ὅσα ἐλάλησεν ἐν μέσῳ τῶν ἀρχόντων υἱῶν ᾿Ασσούρ, καὶ ὅσα ἐμεγαλορρημόνησεν ᾿Ολοφέρνης εἰς τὸν οἶκον ᾿Ισραήλ.

18 καὶ πεσόντες ὁ λαὸς προσεκύνησαν τῷ Θεῷ καὶ ἐβόησαν λέγοντες·

19 Κύριε ὁ Θεὸς τοῦ οὐρανοῦ, κάτιδε ἐπὶ τὰς ὑπερηφανίας αὐτῶν καὶ ἐλέησον τὴν ταπείνωσιν τοῦ γένους ἡμῶν καὶ ἐπίβλεψον ἐπὶ τὸ πρόσωπον τῶν ἡγιασμένων σοι ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ταύτῃ.

20 καὶ παρεκάλεσαν τὸν ᾿Αχιὼρ καὶ ἐπῄνεσαν αὐτὸν σφόδρα.

21 καὶ παρέλαβεν αὐτὸν ᾿Οζίας ἐκ τῆς ἐκκλησίας εἰς οἶκον αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐποίησε πότον τοῖς πρεσβυτέροις, καὶ ἐπεκαλέσαντο τὸν Θεὸν ᾿Ισραὴλ εἰς βοήθειαν ὅλην τὴν νύκτα ἐκείνην.

7

ΤΗ δ᾿ ἐπαύριον παρήγγειλεν ᾿Ολοφέρνης πάσῃ τῇ στρατιᾷ αὐτοῦ καὶ παντὶ τῷ λαῷ αὐτοῦ, οἳ παρεγένοντο ἐπὶ τὴν συμμαχίαν αὐτοῦ, ἀναζευγνύειν ἐπὶ Βαιτυλούα καὶ τὰς ἀναβάσεις τῆς ὀρεινῆς προκαταλαμβάνεσθαι καὶ ποιεῖν πόλεμον πρὸς τοὺς υἱοὺς ᾿Ισραήλ.

2 καὶ ἀνέζευξεν ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ἐκείνῃ πᾶς ἀνὴρ δυνατὸς αὐτῶν· καὶ ἡ δύναμις αὐτῶν ἀνδρῶν πολεμιστῶν χιλιάδες ἀνδρῶν πεζῶν ἑκατὸν ἑβδομήκοντα καὶ ἱππέων χιλιάδες δεκαδύο, χωρὶς τῆς ἀποσκευῆς καὶ τῶν ἀνδρῶν, οἳ ἦσαν πεζοὶ ἐν αὐτοῖς, πλῆθος πολὺ σφόδρα.

3 καὶ παρενέβαλον ἐν τῷ αὐλῶνι πλησίον Βαιτυλούα ἐπὶ τῆς πηγῆς καὶ παρέτειναν εἰς εὖρος ἐπὶ Δωθαΐμ καὶ ἕως Βελβαὶμ καὶ εἰς μῆκος ἀπὸ Βαιτυλούα ἕως Κυαμῶνος, ἥ ἐστιν ἀπέναντι ᾿Εσδρηλών.

4 οἱ δὲ υἱοὶ ᾿Ισραήλ, ὡς εἶδον αὐτῶν τὸ πλῆθος, ἐταράχθησαν σφόδρα καὶ εἶπεν ἕκαστος πρὸς τὸν πλησίον αὐτοῦ· νῦν ἐκλείξουσιν οὖτοι τὸ πρόσωπον τῆς γῆς πάσης, καὶ οὔτε τὰ ὄρη τὰ ὑψηλὰ οὔτε αἱ φάραγγες οὔτε οἱ βουνοὶ ὑποστήσονται τὸ βάρος αὐτῶν.

5 καὶ ἀναλαβόντες ἕκαστος τὰ σκεύη τὰ πολεμικὰ αὐτῶν καὶ ἀνακαύσαντες πυρὰς ἐπὶ τοὺς πύργους αὐτῶν, ἔμενον φυλάσσοντες ὅλην τὴν νύκτα ἐκείνην.

6 τῇ δὲ ἡμέρᾳ τῇ δευτέρᾳ ἐξήγαγεν ᾿Ολοφέρνης πᾶσαν τὴν ἵππον αὐτοῦ κατὰ πρόσωπον τῶν υἱῶν ᾿Ισραήλ, οἳ ἦσαν ἐν Βαιτυλούᾳ,

7 καὶ ἐπεσκέψατο τὰς ἀναβάσεις τῆς πόλεως αὐτῶν καὶ τὰς πηγὰς τῶν ὑδάτων αὐτῶν ἐφώδευσε καὶ προκατελάβετο αὐτὰς καὶ ἐπέστησεν αὐταῖς παρεμβολὰς ἀνδρῶν πολεμιστῶν, καὶ αὐτὸς ἀνέζευξεν εἰς τὸν λαὸν αὐτοῦ.

8 καὶ προσελθόντες αὐτῷ οἱ ἄρχοντες τῶν υἱῶν ῾Ησαῦ καὶ πάντες οἱ ἡγούμενοι τοῦ λαοῦ Μωὰβ καὶ οἱ στρατηγοὶ τῆς παραλίας εἶπαν·

9 ἀκουσάτω δὴ λόγον ὁ δεσπότης ἡμῶν, ἵνα μὴ γένηται θραῦσμα ἐν τῇ δυνάμει σου·

10 ὁ γὰρ λαὸς οὗτος τῶν υἱῶν ᾿Ισραὴλ οὐ πέποιθαν ἐπὶ τοῖς δόρασιν αὐτῶν, ἀλλ᾿ ἐπὶ τοῖς ὕψεσι τῶν ὀρέων αὐτῶν, ἐν οἷς αὐτοὶ ἐνοικοῦσιν ἐν αὐτοῖς· οὐ γάρ ἐστιν εὐχερὲς προσβῆναι ταῖς κορυφαῖς τῶν ὀρέων αὐτῶν.

11 καὶ νῦν, δέσποτα, μὴ πολέμει πρὸς αὐτούς, καθὼς γίνεται πόλεμος παρατάξεως, καὶ οὐ πεσεῖται ἐκ τοῦ λαοῦ σου ἀνὴρ εἷς.

12 ἀνάμεινον ἐπὶ τῆς παρεμβολῆς σου διαφυλάσσων πάντα ἄνδρα ἐκ τῆς δυνάμεώς σου, καὶ ἐπικρατησάτωσαν οἱ παῖδές σου τῆς πηγῆς τοῦ ὕδατος, ἣ ἐκπορεύεται ἐκ τῆς ρίζης τοῦ ὄρους,

13 διότι ἐκεῖθεν ὑδρεύονται πάντες οἱ κατοικοῦντες Βαιτυλούα, καὶ ἀνελεῖ αὐτοὺς ἡ δίψα, καὶ ἐκδώσουσι τὴν πόλιν ἑαυτῶν· καὶ ἡμεῖς καὶ ὁ λαὸς ἡμῶν ἀναβησόμεθα ἐπὶ τὰς πλησίον κορυφὰς τῶν ὀρέων καὶ παρεμβαλοῦμεν ἐπ᾿ αὐταῖς εἰς προφυλακὴν τοῦ μὴ ἐξελθεῖν ἐκ τῆς πόλεως ἄνδρα ἕνα.

14 καὶ τακήσονται ἐν τῷ λιμῷ αὐτοὶ καὶ αἱ γυναῖκες αὐτῶν καὶ τὰ τέκνα αὐτῶν, καὶ πρὶν ἐλθεῖν τὴν ρομφαίαν ἐπ᾿ αὐτούς, καταστρωθήσονται ἐν ταῖς πλατείαις τῆς οἰκήσεως αὐτῶν.

15 καὶ ἀνταποδώσεις αὐτοῖς ἀνταπόδομα πονηρόν, ἀνθ᾿ ὧν ἐστασίασαν, καὶ οὐκ ἀπήντησαν τῷ προσώπῳ σου ἐν εἰρήνῃ.

16 καὶ ἤρεσαν οἱ λόγοι αὐτῶν ἐνώπιον ᾿Ολοφέρνου καὶ ἐνώπιον πάντων τῶν θεραπόντων αὐτοῦ, καὶ συνέταξαν ποιεῖν καθὼς ἐλάλησαν.

17 καὶ ἀπῇρε παρεμβολὴ υἱῶν ᾿Αμμὼν καὶ μετ᾿ αὐτῶν χιλιάδες πέντε υἱῶν ᾿Ασσοὺρ καὶ παρενέβαλον ἐν τῷ αὐλῶνι καὶ προκατελάβοντο τὰ ὕδατα καὶ τὰς πηγὰς τῶν ὑδάτων τῶν υἱῶν ᾿Ισραήλ.

18 καὶ ἀνέβησαν υἱοὶ ῾Ησαῦ καὶ οἱ υἱοὶ ᾿Αμμὼν καὶ παρενέβαλον ἐν τῇ ὀρεινῇ ἀπέναντι Δωθαΐμ. καὶ ἀπέστειλαν ἐξ αὐτῶν πρὸς νότον καὶ ἀπηλιώτην ἀπέναντι ᾿Εγρεβήλ, ἥ ἐστι πλησίον Χούς, ἥ ἐστιν ἐπὶ τοῦ χειμάρρου Μοχμούρ. καὶ ἡ λοιπὴ στρατιὰ τῶν ᾿Ασσυρίων παρενέβαλον ἐν τῷ πεδίῳ καὶ ἐκάλυψαν πᾶν τὸ πρόσωπον τῆς γῆς· καὶ αἱ σκηναὶ καὶ αἱ ἀπαρτίαι αὐτῶν κατεστρατοπέδευσαν ἐν ὄχλῳ πολλῷ καὶ ἦσαν εἰς πλῆθος πολὺ σφόδρα.

19 Καὶ οἱ υἱοὶ ᾿Ισραὴλ ἀνεβόησαν πρὸς Κύριον Θεὸν αὐτῶν, ὅτι ὠλιγοψύχησε τὸ πνεῦμα αὐτῶν, ὅτι ἐκύκλωσαν πάντες οἱ ἐχθροὶ αὐτῶν καὶ οὐκ ἦν διαφυγεῖν ἐκ μέσου αὐτῶν.

20 καὶ ἔμεινε κύκλῳ αὐτῶν πᾶσα παρεμβολὴ ᾿Ασσούρ, οἱ πεζοὶ καὶ τὰ ἅρματα καὶ οἱ ἱππεῖς αὐτῶν, ἡμέρας τριακοντατέσσαρας. καὶ ἐξέλιπε πάντας τοὺς κατοικοῦντας Βαιτυλούα πάντα τὰ ἀγγεῖα αὐτῶν τῶν ὑδάτων,

21 καὶ οἱ λάκκοι ἐξεκενοῦντο, καὶ οὐκ εἶχον πιεῖν εἰς πλησμονὴν ὕδωρ ἡμέραν μίαν, ὅτι ἐν μέτρῳ ἐδίδοσαν αὐτοῖς πιεῖν.

22 καὶ ἠθύμησαν τὰ νήπια αὐτῶν, καὶ αἱ γυναῖκες αὐτῶν καὶ οἱ νεανίσκοι ἐξέλιπον ἀπὸ τῆς δίψης καὶ ἔπιπτον ἐν ταῖς πλατείαις τῆς πόλεως καὶ ἐν ταῖς διόδοις τῶν πυλῶν, καὶ οὐκ ἦν κραταίωσις ἔτι ἐν αὐτοῖς.

23 καὶ ἐπισυνήχθησαν πᾶς ὁ λαὸς ἐπὶ ᾿Οζίαν καὶ τοὺς ἄρχοντας τῆς πόλεως, οἱ νεανίσκοι καὶ αἱ γυναῖκες καὶ τὰ παιδία, καὶ ἀνεβόησαν φωνῇ μεγάλῃ καὶ εἶπαν ἐναντίον πάντων τῶν πρεσβυτέρων·

24 κρίναι ὁ Θεὸς ἀνὰ μέσον ἡμῶν καὶ ὑμῶν, ὅτι ἐποιήσατε ἐν ἡμῖν ἀδικίαν μεγάλην οὐ λαλήσαντες εἰρηνικὰ μετὰ τῶν υἱῶν ᾿Ασσούρ.

25 καὶ νῦν οὐκ ἔστι βοηθὸς ἡμῶν, ἀλλὰ πέπρακεν ἡμᾶς ὁ Θεὸς εἰς τὰς χεῖρας αὐτῶν τοῦ καταστρωθῆναι ἐναντίον αὐτῶν ἐν δίψῃ καὶ ἀπωλείᾳ μεγάλῃ.

26 καὶ νῦν ἐπικαλέσασθε αὐτοὺς καὶ ἔκδοσθε τὴν πόλιν πᾶσαν εἰς προνομὴν τῷ λαῷ ᾿Ολοφέρνου καὶ πάσῃ τῇ δυνάμει αὐτοῦ·

27 κρεῖσσον γὰρ ἡμῖν γενηθῆναι αὐτοῖς εἰς διαρπαγήν, ἐσόμεθα γὰρ εἰς δούλους, καὶ ζήσεται ἡ ψυχὴ ἡμῶν, καὶ οὐκ ὀψόμεθα τὸν θάνατον τῶν νηπίων ἡμῶν ἐν ὀφθαλμοῖς ἡμῶν καὶ τὰς γυναῖκας καὶ τὰ τέκνα ἡμῶν ἐκλειπούσας τὰς ψυχὰς αὐτῶν.

28 μαρτυρόμεθα ὑμῖν τὸν οὐρανὸν καὶ τὴν γῆν καὶ τὸν Θεὸν ἡμῶν καὶ Κύριον τῶν πατέρων ἡμῶν, ὃς ἐκδικεῖ ἡμᾶς κατὰ τὰς ἁμαρτίας ἡμῶν καὶ κατὰ τὰ ἁμαρτήματα τῶν πατέρων ἡμῶν, ἵνα μὴ ποιήσῃ κατὰ τὰ ρήματα ταῦτα ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ τῇ σήμερον.

29 καὶ ἐγένετο κλαυθμὸς μέγας ἐν μέσῳ τῆς ἐκκλησίας πάντων ὁμοθυμαδὸν καὶ ἐβόησαν πρὸς Κύριον τὸν Θεὸν φωνῇ μεγάλῃ.

30 καὶ εἶπε πρὸς αὐτοὺς ᾿Οζίας· θαρσεῖτε, ἀδελφοί, διακαρτερήσωμεν ἔτι πέντε ἡμέρας, ἐν αἷς ἐπιστρέψει Κύριος ὁ Θεὸς ἡμῶν τὸ ἔλεος αὐτοῦ ἐφ᾿ ἡμᾶς, οὐ γὰρ ἐγκαταλείψει ἡμᾶς εἰς τέλος·

31 ἐὰν δὲ διέλθωσιν αὗται καὶ μὴ ἔλθῃ ἐφ᾿ ἡμᾶς βοήθεια, ποιήσω κατὰ τὰ ρήματα ὑμῶν. καὶ ἐσκόρπισε τὸν λαὸν εἰς τὴν ἑαυτοῦ παρεμβολήν, καὶ ἐπὶ τὰ τείχη καὶ τοὺς πύργους τῆς πόλεως αὐτῶν ἀπῆλθον, καὶ τὰς γυναῖκας καὶ τὰ τέκνα εἰς τοὺς οἴκους αὐτῶν ἐξαπέστειλε· καὶ ἦσαν ἐν ταπεινώσει πολλῇ ἐν τῇ πόλει.

8

ΚΑΙ ἤκουσεν ἐν ἐκείναις ταῖς ἡμέραις ᾿Ιουδίθ, θυγάτηρ Μεραρί, υἱοῦ ῎Ωξ, υἱοῦ ᾿Ιωσήφ, υἱοῦ ᾿Οζιήλ, υἱοῦ ᾿Ελκία, υἱοῦ ᾿Ηλιού, υἱοῦ Χελκίου, υἱοῦ ᾿Ελιάβ, υἱοῦ Ναθαναήλ, υἱοῦ Σαλαμιήλ, υἱοῦ Σαρασαδαΐ, υἱοῦ ᾿Ισραήλ.

2 καὶ ὁ ἀνὴρ αὐτῆς Μανασσῆς τῆς φυλῆς αὐτῆς καὶ τῆς πατριᾶς αὐτῆς, καὶ ἀπέθανεν ἐν ἡμέραις θερισμοῦ κριθῶν·

3 ἐπέστη γὰρ ἐπὶ τοῦ δεσμεύοντος τὸ δράγμα τῷ πεδίῳ, καὶ ὁ καύσων ἦλθεν ἐπὶ τὴν κεφαλὴν αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἔπεσεν ἐπὶ τὴν κλίνην καὶ ἐτελεύτησεν ἐν Βαιτυλούᾳ τῇ πόλει αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἔθαψαν αὐτὸν μετὰ τῶν πατέρων αὐτοῦ ἐν τῷ ἀγρῷ τῷ ἀνὰ μέσον Δωθαΐμ καὶ Βαλαμών.

4 καὶ ἦν ᾿Ιουδὶθ ἐν τῷ οἴκῳ αὐτῆς χηρεύουσα ἔτη τρία καὶ μῆνας τέσσαρας.

5 καὶ ἐποίησεν ἑαυτῇ σκηνὴν ἐπὶ τοῦ δώματος τοῦ οἴκου αὐτῆς καὶ ἐπέθηκεν ἐπὶ τὴν ὀσφὺν αὐτῆς σάκκον, καὶ ἦν ἐπ᾿ αὐτῆς τὰ ἱμάτια τῆς χηρεύσεως αὐτῆς.

6 καὶ ἐνήστευε πάσας τὰς ἡμέρας χηρεύσεως αὐτῆς, χωρὶς προσαββάτων καὶ σαββάτων καὶ προνουμηνιῶν καὶ νουμηνιῶν καὶ ἑορτῶν καὶ χαρμοσυνῶν οἴκου ᾿Ισραήλ.

7 καὶ ἦν καλὴ τῷ εἴδει καὶ ὡραία τῇ ὄψει σφόδρα· καὶ ὑπελίπετο αὐτῇ Μανασσῆς, ὁ ἀνὴρ αὐτῆς, χρυσίον καὶ ἀργύριον καὶ παῖδας καὶ παιδίσκας καὶ κτήνη καὶ ἀγρούς, καὶ ἔμενεν ἐπ᾿ αὐτῶν.

8 καὶ οὐκ ἦν ὃς ἐπήνεγκεν αὐτῇ ρῆμα πονηρόν, ὅτι ἐφοβεῖτο τὸν Θεὸν σφόδρα

9 καὶ ἤκουσε τὰ ρήματα τοῦ λαοῦ τὰ πονηρὰ ἐπὶ τὸν ἄρχοντα, ὅτι ὠλιγοψύχησαν ἐπὶ τῇ σπάνει τῶν ὑδάτων, καὶ ἤκουσε πάντας τοὺς λόγους ᾿Ιουδίθ, οὓς ἐλάλησε πρὸς αὐτοὺς ᾿Οζίας, ὡς ὤμοσεν αὐτοῖς παραδώσειν τὴν πόλιν μετὰ ἡμέρας πέντε τοῖς ᾿Ασσυρίοις.

10 καὶ ἀποστείλασα τὴν ἅβραν αὐτῆς τὴν ἐφεστῶσαν πᾶσι τοῖς ὑπάρχουσιν αὐτῆς ἐκάλεσεν ᾿Οζίαν καὶ Χαβρὶν καὶ Χαρμὶν τοὺς πρεσβυτέρους τῆς πόλεως αὐτῆς,

11 καὶ ἦλθον πρὸς αὐτήν, καὶ εἶπε πρὸς αὐτούς· ἀκούσατε δή μου, ἄρχοντες τῶν κατοικούντων ἐν Βαιτυλούᾳ, ὅτι οὐκ εὐθὺς ὁ λόγος ὑμῶν, ὃν ἐλαλήσατε ἐναντίον τοῦ λαοῦ ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ταύτῃ καὶ ἐστήσατε τὸν ὅρκον, ὃν ἐλαλήσατε ἀνὰ μέσον τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ ὑμῶν καὶ εἴπατε ἐκδώσειν τὴν πόλιν τοῖς ἐχθροῖς ἡμῶν, ἐὰν μὴ ἐν αὐταῖς ἐπιστρέψῃ ὁ Κύριος βοηθῆσαι ἡμῖν.

12 καὶ νῦν τίνες ἐστὲ ὑμεῖς, οἳ ἐπειράσατε τὸν Θεὸν ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ τῇ σήμερον καὶ ἵστατε ὑπὲρ τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐν μέσῳ υἱῶν ἀνθρώπων;

13 καὶ νῦν Κύριον παντοκράτορα ἐξετάζετε καὶ οὐθὲν ἐπιγνώσεσθε ἕως τοῦ αἰῶνος,

14 ὅτι βάθος καρδίας ἀνθρώπου οὐχ εὑρήσετε καὶ λόγους τῆς διανοίας αὐτοῦ οὐ διαλήψεσθε· καὶ πῶς τὸν Θεόν, ὃς ἐποίησε τὰ πάντα ταῦτα, ἐρευνήσετε καὶ τὸν νοῦν αὐτοῦ ἐπιγνώσεσθε καὶ τὸν λογισμὸν αὐτοῦ κατανοήσετε; μηδαμῶς, ἀδελφοί, μὴ παροργίζετε Κύριον τὸν Θεὸν ἡμῶν·

15 ὅτι ἐὰν μὴ βούληται ἐν ταῖς πέντε ἡμέραις βοηθῆσαι ἡμῖν, αὐτὸς ἔχει τὴν ἐξουσίαν ἐν αἷς θέλει σκεπάσαι ἡμέραις ἢ καὶ ὀλοθρεῦσαι ἡμᾶς πρὸ προσώπου τῶν ἐχθρῶν ἡμῶν.

16 ὑμεῖς δὲ μὴ ἐνεχυράζετε τὰς βουλὰς Κυρίου τοῦ Θεοῦ ἡμῶν, ὅτι οὐχ ὡς ἄνθρωπος ὁ Θεὸς ἀπειληθῆναι, οὐδὲ ὡς υἱὸς ἀνθρώπου διαιτηθῆναι.

17 διόπερ ἀναμένοντες τὴν παρ᾿ αὐτοῦ σωτηρίαν ἐπικαλεσώμεθα αὐτὸν εἰς βοήθειαν ἡμῶν, καὶ εἰσακούσεται τῆς φωνῆς ἡμῶν, ἐὰν ᾖ αὐτῷ ἀρεστόν.

18 ὅτι οὐκ ἀνέστη ἐν ταῖς γενεαῖς ἡμῶν οὐδέ ἐστιν ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ τῇ σήμερον οὔτε φυλὴ οὔτε πατριὰ οὔτε δῆμος οὔτε πόλις ἐξ ἡμῶν, οἳ προσκυνοῦσι θεοῖς χειροποιήτοις, καθάπερ ἐγένετο ἐν ταῖς πρότερον ἡμέραις·

19 ὧν χάριν ἐδόθησαν εἰς ρομφαίαν καὶ εἰς διαρπαγὴν οἱ πατέρες ἡμῶν καὶ ἔπεσον πτῶμα μέγα ἐνώπιον τῶν ἐχθρῶν ἡμῶν.

20 ἡμεῖς δὲ ἕτερον θεὸν οὐκ ἐπέγνωμεν πλὴν αὐτοῦ· ὅθεν ἐλπίζομεν ὅτι οὐχ ὑπερόψεται ἡμᾶς, οὐδ᾿ ἀπὸ τοῦ γένους ἡμῶν.

21 ὅτι ἐν τῷ ληφθῆναι ἡμᾶς οὕτως καθήσεται πᾶσα ἡ ᾿Ιουδαία, καὶ προνομευθήσεται τὰ ἅγια ἡμῶν, καὶ ζητήσει τὴν βεβήλωσιν αὐτῶν ἐκ τοῦ αἵματος ἡμῶν

22 καὶ τὸν φόνον τῶν ἀδελφῶν ἡμῶν καὶ τὴν αἰχμαλωσίαν τῆς γῆς καὶ τὴν ἐρήμωσιν τῆς κληρονομίας ἡμῶν ἐπιστρέψει εἰς κεφαλὴν ἡμῶν ἐν τοῖς ἔθνεσιν, οὗ ἐὰν δουλεύσωμεν ἐκεῖ, καὶ ἐσόμεθα εἰς πρόσκομμα καὶ εἰς ὄνειδος ἐναντίον τῶν κτωμένων ἡμᾶς.

23 ὅτι οὐ κατευθυνθήσεται ἡ δουλεία ἡμῶν εἰς χάριν, ἀλλ᾿ εἰς ἀτιμίαν θήσει αὐτὴν Κύριος ὁ Θεὸς ἡμῶν.

24 καὶ νῦν, ἀδελφοί, ἐπιδειξώμεθα τοῖς ἀδελφοῖς ἡμῶν, ὅτι ἐξ ἡμῶν κρέμαται ἡ ψυχὴ αὐτῶν, καὶ τὰ ἅγια καὶ ὁ οἶκος καὶ τὸ θυσιαστήριον ἐπιστήρικται ἐφ᾿ ἡμῖν.

25 παρὰ ταῦτα πάντα εὐχαριστήσωμεν Κυρίῳ τῷ Θεῷ ἡμῶν, ὃς πειράζει ἡμᾶς καθὰ καὶ τοὺς πατέρας ἡμῶν.

26 μνήσθητε ὅσα ἐποίησε μετὰ ῾Αβραὰμ καὶ ὅσα ἐπείρασε τὸν ᾿Ισαὰκ καὶ ὅσα ἐγένετο τῷ ᾿Ιακὼβ ἐν Μεσοποταμίᾳ τῆς Συρίας ποιμαίνοντι τὰ πρόβατα Λάβαν τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ τῆς μητρὸς αὐτοῦ.

27 ὅτι οὐ καθὼς ἐκείνους ἐπύρωσεν εἰς ἐτασμὸν τῆς καρδίας αὐτῶν, καὶ ἡμᾶς οὐκ ἐξεδίκησεν, ἀλλ᾿ εἰς νουθέτησιν μαστιγοῖ Κύριος τοὺς ἐγγίζοντας αὐτῷ.

28 καὶ εἶπε πρὸς αὐτὴν ᾿Οζίας· πάντα, ὅσα εἶπας, ἀγαθῇ καρδίᾳ ἐλάλησας, καὶ οὐκ ἔστιν ὃς ἀντιστήσεται τοῖς λόγοις σου·

29 ὅτι οὐκ ἐν τῇ σήμερον ἡ σοφία σου πρόδηλός ἐστιν, ἀλλὰ ἀπ᾿ ἀρχῆς ἡμερῶν σου ἔγνω πᾶς ὁ λαὸς τὴν σύνεσίν σου, καθότι ἀγαθόν ἐστι τὸ πλάσμα τῆς καρδίας σου.

30 ἀλλ᾿ ὁ λαὸς ἐδίψησε σφόδρα καὶ ἠνάγκασαν ποιῆσαι ἡμᾶς καθὰ ἐλαλήσαμεν αὐτοῖς καὶ ἐπαγαγεῖν ὅρκον ἐφ᾿ ἡμᾶς, ὃν οὐ παραβησόμεθα.

31 καὶ νῦν δεήθητι περὶ ἡμῶν, ὅτι γυνὴ εὐσεβὴς εἶ, καὶ ἀποστελεῖ Κύριος τὸν ὑετὸν εἰς πλήρωσιν τῶν λάκκων ἡμῶν, καὶ οὐκ ἐκλείψωμεν ἔτι.

32 καὶ εἶπε πρὸς αὐτοὺς ᾿Ιουδίθ· ἀκούσατέ μου, καὶ ποιήσω πρᾶγμα, ὃ ἀφίξεται εἰς γενεὰς γενεῶν υἱοῖς τοῦ γένους ἡμῶν.

33 ὑμεῖς στήσεσθε ἐπὶ τῆς πύλης τὴν νύκτα ταύτην, καὶ ἐξελεύσομαι ἐγὼ μετὰ τῆς ἅβρας μου, καὶ ἐν ταῖς ἡμέραις, μεθ᾿ ἃς εἴπατε παραδώσειν τὴν πόλιν τοῖς ἐχθροῖς ἡμῶν, ἐπισκέψεται Κύριος τὸν ᾿Ισραὴλ ἐν χειρί μου·

34 ὑμεῖς δὲ οὐκ ἐξερευνήσετε τὴν πρᾶξίν μου, οὐ γὰρ ἐρῶ ὑμῖν, ἕως τοῦ τελεσθῆναι ἃ ἐγὼ ποιῶ.

35 καὶ εἶπεν ᾿Οζίας καὶ οἱ ἄρχοντες πρὸς αὐτήν· πορεύου εἰς εἰρήνην, καὶ Κύριος ὁ Θεὸς ἔμπροσθέν σου εἰς ἐκδίκησιν τῶν ἐχθρῶν ἡμῶν.

36 καὶ ἀποστρέψαντες ἐκ τῆς σκηνῆς ἐπορεύθησαν ἐπὶ τὰς διατάξεις αὐτῶν.

9

ΙΟΥΔΙΘ δὲ ἔπεσεν ἐπὶ πρόσωπον καὶ ἐπέθετο σποδὸν ἐπὶ τὴν κεφαλὴν αὐτῆς καὶ ἐγύμνωσεν ὃν ἐνεδιδύσκετο σάκκον, καὶ ἦν ἄρτι προσφερόμενον ἐν ῾Ιερουσαλὴμ εἰς τὸν οἶκον τοῦ Θεοῦ τὸ θυμίαμα τῆς ἑσπέρας ἐκείνης, καὶ ἐβόησε φωνῇ μεγάλῃ ᾿Ιουδὶθ πρὸς Κύριον καὶ εἶπε·

2 Κύριε ὁ Θεὸς τοῦ πατρός μου Συμεών, ᾧ ἔδωκας ἐν χειρὶ ρομφαίαν εἰς ἐκδίκησιν ἀλλογενῶν, οἳ ἔλυσαν μήτραν παρθένου εἰς μίασμα καὶ ἐγύμνωσαν μηρὸν εἰς αἰσχύνην καὶ ἐβεβήλωσαν μήτραν εἰς ὄνειδος· εἶπας γάρ, οὐχ οὕτως ἔσται· καὶ ἐποίησαν

3 ἀνθ᾿ ὧν ἔδωκας ἄρχοντας αὐτῶν εἰς φόνον καὶ τὴν στρωμνὴν αὐτῶν, ἣ ᾐδέσατο τὴν ἀπάτην αὐτῶν, εἰς αἷμα, καὶ ἐπάταξας δούλους ἐπὶ δυνάσταις καὶ δυνάστας ἐπὶ θρόνους αὐτῶν.

4 καὶ ἔδωκας γυναῖκας αὐτῶν εἰς προνομὴν καὶ θυγατέρας εἰς αἰχμαλωσίαν καὶ πάντα τὰ σκῦλα εἰς διαίρεσιν υἱῶν ἠγαπημένων ὑπὸ σοῦ, οἳ καὶ ἐζήλωσαν τὸν ζῆλόν σου καὶ ἐβδελύξαντο μίασμα αἵματος αὐτῶν καὶ ἐπεκαλέσαντό σε εἰς βοηθόν. ὁ Θεὸς ὁ Θεὸς ὁ ἐμός, καὶ εἰσάκουσον ἐμοῦ τῆς χήρας·

5 σὺ γὰρ ἐποίησας τὰ πρότερα ἐκείνων καὶ ἐκεῖνα καὶ τὰ μετέπειτα καὶ τὰ νῦν καὶ τὰ ἐπερχόμενα διενοήθης, καὶ ἐγενήθησαν ἃ ἐνενοήθης,

6 καὶ παρέστησαν ἃ ἐβουλεύσω καὶ εἶπαν· ἰδοὺ πάρεσμεν· πᾶσαι γὰρ αἱ ὁδοί σου ἕτοιμοι, καὶ ἡ κρίσις σου ἐν προγνώσει·

7 ἰδοὺ γὰρ ᾿Ασσύριοι ἐπληθύνθησαν ἐν δυνάμει αὐτῶν, ὑψώθησαν ἐφ᾿ ἵππῳ καὶ ἀναβάτῃ ἐγαυρίασαν ἐν βραχίονι πεζῶν, ἤλπισαν ἐν ἀσπίδι καὶ ἐν γαισῷ καὶ τόξῳ καὶ σφενδόνῃ καὶ οὐκ ἔγνωσαν ὅτι σὺ εἶ Κύριος συντρίβων πολέμους.

8 Κύριος ὄνομά σοι· σὺ ράξον αὐτῶν τὴν ἰσχὺν ἐν δυνάμει σου καὶ κάταξον τὸ κράτος αὐτῶν ἐν τῷ θυμῷ σου· ἐβουλεύσαντο γὰρ βεβηλῶσαι τὰ ἅγιά σου, μιᾶναι τὸ σκήνωμα τῆς καταπαύσεως τοῦ ὀνόματος τῆς δόξης σου καὶ καταβαλεῖν σιδήρῳ κέρας θυσιαστηρίου σου.

9 βλέψον εἰς ὑπερηφανίαν αὐτῶν, ἀπόστειλον τὴν ὀργήν σου εἰς κεφαλὰς αὐτῶν, δὸς ἐν χειρί μου τῆς χήρας ὃ διενοήθην κράτος.

10 πάταξον δοῦλον ἐκ χειλέων ἀπάτης μου ἐπ᾿ ἄρχοντι καὶ ἄρχοντα ἐπὶ θεράποντι αὐτοῦ, θραῦσον αὐτῶν τὸ ἀνάστημα ἐν χειρὶ θηλείας·

11 οὐ γὰρ ἐν πλήθει τὸ κράτος σου, οὐδὲ ἡ δυναστεία σου ἐν ἰσχύουσιν, ἀλλὰ ταπεινῶν εἶ Θεός, ἐλαττόνων εἶ βοηθός, ἀντιλήπτωρ ἀσθενούντων, ἀπεγνωσμένων σκεπαστής, ἀπηλπισμένων σωτήρ.

12 ναὶ ναὶ ὁ Θεὸς τοῦ πατρός μου καὶ Θεὸς κληρονομίας ᾿Ισραήλ, δέσποτα τῶν οὐρανῶν καὶ τῆς γῆς, κτίστα τῶν ὑδάτων, βασιλεῦ πάσης κτίσεώς σου, σὺ εἰσάκουσον τῆς δεήσεώς μου

13 καὶ δὸς λόγον μου καὶ ἀπάτην εἰς τραῦμα καὶ μώλωπα αὐτῶν, οἳ κατὰ τῆς διαθήκης σου καὶ οἴκου ἡγιασμένου σου καὶ κορυφῆς Σιὼν καὶ οἴκου κατασχέσεως υἱῶν σου ἐβουλεύσαντο σκληρά.

14 καὶ ποίησον ἐπὶ πᾶν τὸ ἔθνος σου, καὶ πάσης φυλῆς ἐπίγνωσιν τοῦ εἰδῆσαι ὅτι σὺ εἶ ὁ Θεὸς πάσης δυνάμεως καὶ κράτους, καὶ οὐκ ἔστιν ἄλλος ὑπερασπίζων τοῦ γένους ᾿Ισραήλ, εἰ μὴ σύ.

10

ΚΑΙ ἐγένετο ὡς ἐπαύσατο βοῶσα πρὸς τὸν Θεὸν ᾿Ισραὴλ καὶ συνετέλεσε πάντα τὰ ρήματα ταῦτα,

2 καὶ ἀνέστη ἀπὸ τῆς πτώσεως καὶ ἐκάλεσε τὴν ἅβραν αὐτῆς καὶ κατέβη εἰς τὸν οἶκον, ἐν ᾧ διέτριβεν ἐν αὐτῷ ἐν ταῖς ἡμέραις τῶν σαββάτων καὶ ἐν ταῖς ἑορταῖς αὐτῆς·

3 καὶ περιείλατο τὸν σάκκον, ὃν ἐνεδεδύκει, καὶ ἐξεδύσατο τὰ ἱμάτια τῆς χηρεύσεως αὐτῆς καὶ περιεκλύσατο τὸ σῶμα ὕδατι καὶ ἐχρίσατο μύρῳ παχεῖ καὶ διέταξε τὰς τρίχας τῆς κεφαλῆς αὐτῆς καὶ ἐπέθετο μίτραν ἐπ᾿ αὐτῆς καὶ ἐνεδύσατο τὰ ἱμάτια τῆς εὐφροσύνης αὐτῆς, ἐν οἷς ἐστολίζετο ἐν ταῖς ἡμέραις τῆς ζωῆς τοῦ ἀνδρὸς αὐτῆς Μανασσῆ,

4 καὶ ἔλαβε σανδάλια εἰς τοὺς πόδας αὐτῆς καὶ περιέθετο τοὺς χλιδῶνας καὶ τὰ ψέλλια καὶ τοὺς δακτυλίους καὶ τὰ ἐνώτια καὶ πάντα τὸν κόσμον αὐτῆς καὶ ἐκαλλωπίσατο σφόδρα εἰς ἀπάτησιν ὀφθαλμῶν ἀνδρῶν, ὅσοι ἂν ἴδωσιν αὐτήν.

5 καὶ ἔδωκε τῇ ἅβρᾳ αὐτῆς ἀσκοπυτίνην οἴνου καὶ καψάκην ἐλαίου καὶ πήραν ἐπλήρωσεν ἀλφίτων καὶ παλάθης καὶ ἄρτων καθαρῶν καὶ περιεδίπλωσε πάντα τὰ ἀγγεῖα αὐτῆς καὶ ἐπέθηκεν ἐπ᾿ αὐτῇ.

6 καὶ ἐξήλθοσαν ἐπὶ τὴν πύλην τῆς πόλεως Βαιτυλούα καὶ εὕροσαν ἐφεστῶτας ἐπ᾿ αὐτῆς ᾿Οζίαν καὶ τοὺς πρεσβυτέρους τῆς πόλεως Χαβρὶν καὶ Χαρμίν.

7 ὡς δὲ εἶδον αὐτὴν καὶ ἦν ἠλλοιωμένον τὸ πρόσωπον αὐτῆς καὶ τὴν στολὴν μεταβεβληκυῖαν αὐτῆς, καὶ ἐθαύμασαν ἐπὶ τῷ κάλλει αὐτῆς ἐπὶ πολὺ σφόδρα καὶ εἶπαν αὐτῇ·

8 ὁ Θεὸς ὁ Θεὸς τῶν πατέρων ἡμῶν δῴη σε εἰς χάριν καὶ τελειώσαι τὰ ἐπιτηδεύματά σου εἰς γαυρίαμα υἱῶν ᾿Ισραὴλ καὶ ὕψωμα ῾Ιερουσαλήμ. καὶ προσεκύνησε τῷ Θεῷ

9 καὶ εἶπε πρὸς αὐτούς· ἐπιτάξατε ἀνοῖξαί μοι τὴν πύλην τῆς πόλεως, καὶ ἐξελεύσομαι εἰς τελείωσιν τῶν λόγων, ὧν ἐλαλήσατε μετ᾿ ἐμοῦ· καὶ συνέταξαν τοῖς νεανίσκοις ἀνοῖξαι αὐτῇ καθότι ἐλάλησε.

10 καὶ ἐποίησαν οὕτως. καὶ ἐξῆλθεν ᾿Ιουδίθ, αὐτὴ καὶ ἡ παιδίσκη αὐτῆς μετ᾿ αὐτῆς· ἀπεσκόπευον δὲ αὐτὴν οἱ ἄνδρες τῆς πόλεως ἕως οὗ κατέβη τὸ ὄρος, ἕως διῆλθε τὸν αὐλῶνα καὶ οὐκέτι ἐθεώρουν αὐτήν.

11 καὶ ἐπορεύοντο ἐν τῷ αὐλῶνι εἰς εὐθεῖαν, καὶ συνήντησεν αὐτῇ προφυλακὴ τῶν ᾿Ασσυρίων.

12 καὶ συνέλαβον αὐτὴν καὶ ἐπηρώτησαν· τίνων εἶ καὶ πόθεν ἔρχῃ καὶ ποῦ πορεύῃ; καὶ εἶπε· θυγάτηρ εἰμὶ τῶν ῾Εβραίων καὶ ἀποδιδράσκω ἀπὸ προσώπου αὐτῶν, ὅτι μέλλουσι δίδοσθαι ὑμῖν εἰς κατάβρωμα·

13 κἀγὼ ἔρχομαι εἰς τὸ πρόσωπον ᾿Ολοφέρνου ἀρχιστρατήγου δυνάμεως ὑμῶν τοῦ ἀναγγεῖλαι ρήματα ἀληθείας καὶ δείξω πρὸ προσώπου αὐτοῦ ὁδόν, καθ᾿ ἣν πορεύσεται καὶ κυριεύσει πάσης τῆς ὀρεινῆς, καὶ οὐ διαφωνήσει τῶν ἀνδρῶν αὐτοῦ σάρξ μία οὐδὲ πνεῦμα ζωῆς.

14 ὡς δὲ ἤκουσαν οἱ ἄνδρες τὰ ρήματα αὐτῆς καὶ κατενόησαν τὸ πρόσωπον αὐτῆς —καὶ ἦν ἐναντίον αὐτῶν θαυμάσιον τῷ κάλλει σφόδρα— καὶ εἶπαν πρὸς αὐτήν·

15 σέσωκας τὴν ψυχήν σου σπεύσασα καταβῆναι εἰς πρόσωπον τοῦ κυρίου ἡμῶν· καὶ νῦν πρόσελθε ἐπὶ τὴν σκηνὴν αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἀφ᾿ ἡμῶν προπέμψουσί σε, ἕως παραδώσουσί σε εἰς τὰς χεῖρας αὐτοῦ·

16 ἐὰν δὲ στῇς ἐναντίον αὐτοῦ, μὴ φοβηθῇς τῇ καρδίᾳ σου, ἀλλὰ ἀνάγγειλον κατὰ τὰ ρήματά σου, καὶ εὖ σε ποιήσει.

17 καὶ ἐπέλεξαν ἐξ αὐτῶν ἄνδρας ἑκατὸν καὶ παρέζευξαν αὐτῇ καὶ τῇ ἅβρᾳ αὐτῆς, καὶ ἤγαγον αὐτὰς ἐπὶ τὴν σκηνὴν ᾿Ολοφέρνου.

18 καὶ ἐγένετο συνδρομὴ πάσῃ τῇ παρεμβολῇ, διεβοήθη γὰρ εἰς τὰ σκηνώματα ἡ παρουσία αὐτῆς· καὶ ἐλθόντες ἐκύκλουν αὐτὴν ὡς εἱστήκει ἔξω τῆς σκηνῆς ᾿Ολοφέρνου, ἕως προσήγγειλαν αὐτῷ περὶ αὐτῆς.

19 καὶ ἐθαύμαζον ἐπὶ τῷ κάλλει αὐτῆς καὶ ἐθαύμαζον τοὺς υἱοὺς ᾿Ισραὴλ ἀπ᾿ αὐτῆς, καὶ εἶπεν ἕκαστος πρὸς τὸν πλησίον αὐτοῦ· τίς καταφρονήσει τοῦ λαοῦ τούτου, ὃς ἔχει ἐν ἑαυτῷ γυναῖκας τοιαύτας; ὅτι οὐ καλόν ἐστιν ὑπολείπεσθαι ἐξ αὐτῶν ἄνδρα ἕνα, οἳ ἀφεθέντες δυνήσονται κατασοφίσασθαι πᾶσαν τὴν γῆν.

20 καὶ ἐξῆλθον οἱ παρακαθεύδοντες ᾿Ολοφέρνῃ καὶ πάντες οἱ θεράποντες αὐτοῦ καὶ εἰσήγαγον αὐτὴν εἰς τὴν σκηνήν.

21 καὶ ἦν ᾿Ολοφέρνης ἀναπαυόμενος ἐπὶ τῆς κλίνης αὐτοῦ ἐν τῷ κωνωπείῳ, ὃ ἦν ἐκ πορφύρας καὶ χρυσίου καὶ σμαράγδου καὶ λίθων πολυτελῶν καθυφασμένων.

22 καὶ ἀνήγγειλαν αὐτῷ περὶ αὐτῆς, καὶ ἐξῆλθεν εἰς τὸ προσκήνιον, καὶ λαμπάδες ἀργυραῖ προάγουσαι αὐτοῦ.

23 ὡς δὲ ἦλθε κατὰ πρόσωπον αὐτοῦ ᾿Ιουδὶθ καὶ τῶν θεραπόντων αὐτοῦ, ἐθαύμασαν πάντες ἐπὶ τῷ κάλλει τοῦ προσώπου αὐτῆς· καὶ πεσοῦσα ἐπὶ πρόσωπον προσεκύνησεν αὐτῷ, καὶ ἤγειραν αὐτὴν οἱ δοῦλοι αὐτοῦ.
 

JUDITH

1

In the twelfth year of the reign of Nabuchodonosor, who reigned in Nineve, the great city; in the days of Arphaxad, which reigned over the Medes in Ecbatane,

2 And built in Ecbatane walls round about of stones hewn three cubits broad and six cubits long, and made the height of the wall seventy cubits, and the breadth thereof fifty cubits:

3 And set the towers thereof upon the gates of it an hundred cubits high, and the breadth thereof in the foundation threescore cubits:

4 And he made the gates thereof, even gates that were raised to the height of seventy cubits, and the breadth of them was forty cubits, for the going forth of his mighty armies, and for the setting in array of his footmen:

5 Even in those days king Nabuchodonosor made war with king Arphaxad in the great plain, which is the plain in the borders of Ragau.

6 And there came unto him all they that dwelt in the hill country, and all that dwelt by Euphrates, and Tigris and Hydaspes, and the plain of Arioch the king of the Elymeans, and very many nations of the sons of Chelod, assembled themselves to the battle.

7 Then Nabuchodonosor king of the Assyrians sent unto all that dwelt in Persia, and to all that dwelt westward, and to those that dwelt in Cilicia, and Damascus, and Libanus, and Antilibanus, and to all that dwelt upon the sea coast,

8 And to those among the nations that were of Carmel, and Galaad, and the higher Galilee, and the great plain of Esdrelom,

9 And to all that were in Samaria and the cities thereof, and beyond Jordan unto Jerusalem, and Betane, and Chelus, and Kades, and the river of Egypt, and Taphnes, and Ramesse, and all the land of Gesem,

10 Until ye come beyond Tanis and Memphis, and to all the inhabitants of Egypt, until ye come to the borders of Ethiopia.

11 But all the inhabitants of the land made light of the commandment of Nabuchodonosor king of the Assyrians, neither went they with him to the battle; for they were not afraid of him: yea, he was before them as one man, and they sent away his ambassadors from them without effect, and with disgrace.

12 Therefore Nabuchodonosor was very angry with all this country, and sware by his throne and kingdom, that he would surely be avenged upon all those coasts of Cilicia, and Damascus, and Syria, and that he would slay with the sword all the inhabitants of the land of Moab, and the children of Ammon, and all Judea, and all that were in Egypt, till ye come to the borders of the two seas.

13 Then he marched in battle array with his power against king Arphaxad in the seventeenth year, and he prevailed in his battle: for he overthrew all the power of Arphaxad, and all his horsemen, and all his chariots,

14 And became lord of his cities, and came unto Ecbatane, and took the towers, and spoiled the streets thereof, and turned the beauty thereof into shame.

15 He took also Arphaxad in the mountains of Ragau, and smote him through with his darts, and destroyed him utterly that day.

16 So he returned afterward to Nineve, both he and all his company of sundry nations being a very great multitude of men of war, and there he took his ease, and banqueted, both he and his army, an hundred and twenty days.

2

And in the eighteenth year, the two and twentieth day of the first month, there was talk in the house of Nabuchodonosor king of the Assyrians that he should, as he said, avenge himself on all the earth.

2 So he called unto him all his officers, and all his nobles, and communicated with them his secret counsel, and concluded the afflicting of the whole earth out of his own mouth.

3 Then they decreed to destroy all flesh, that did not obey the commandment of his mouth.

4 And when he had ended his counsel, Nabuchodonosor king of the Assyrians called Holofernes the chief captain of his army, which was next unto him, and said unto him.

5 Thus saith the great king, the lord of the whole earth, Behold, thou shalt go forth from my presence, and take with thee men that trust in their own strength, of footmen an hundred and twenty thousand; and the number of horses with their riders twelve thousand.

6 And thou shalt go against all the west country, because they disobeyed my commandment.

7 And thou shalt declare unto that they prepare for me earth and water: for I will go forth in my wrath against them and will cover the whole face of the earth with the feet of mine army, and I will give them for a spoil unto them:

8 So that their slain shall fill their valleys and brooks and the river shall be filled with their dead, till it overflow:

9 And I will lead them captives to the utmost parts of all the earth.

10 Thou therefore shalt go forth. and take beforehand for me all their coasts: and if they will yield themselves unto thee, thou shalt reserve them for me till the day of their punishment.

11 But concerning them that rebel, let not thine eye spare them; but put them to the slaughter, and spoil them wheresoever thou goest.

12 For as I live, and by the power of my kingdom, whatsoever I have spoken, that will I do by mine hand.

13 And take thou heed that thou transgress none of the commandments of thy lord, but accomplish them fully, as I have commanded thee, and defer not to do them.

14 Then Holofernes went forth from the presence of his lord, and called all the governors and captains, and the officers of the army of Assur;

15 And he mustered the chosen men for the battle, as his lord had commanded him, unto an hundred and twenty thousand, and twelve thousand archers on horseback;

16 And he ranged them, as a great army is ordered for the war.

17 And he took camels and asses for their carriages, a very great number; and sheep and oxen and goats without number for their provision:

18 And plenty of victual for every man of the army, and very much gold and silver out of the king’s house.

19 Then he went forth and all his power to go before king Nabuchodonosor in the voyage, and to cover all the face of the earth westward with their chariots, and horsemen, and their chosen footmen.

20 A great number also sundry countries came with them like locusts, and like the sand of the earth: for the multitude was without number.

21 And they went forth of Nineve three days’ journey toward the plain of Bectileth, and pitched from Bectileth near the mountain which is at the left hand of the upper Cilicia.

22 Then he took all his army, his footmen, and horsemen and chariots, and went from thence into the hill country;

23 And destroyed Phud and Lud, and spoiled all the children of Rasses, and the children of Israel, which were toward the wilderness at the south of the land of the Chellians.

24 Then he went over Euphrates, and went through Mesopotamia, and destroyed all the high cities that were upon the river Arbonai, till ye come to the sea.

25 And he took the borders of Cilicia, and killed all that resisted him, and came to the borders of Japheth, which were toward the south, over against Arabia.

26 He compassed also all the children of Madian, and burned up their tabernacles, and spoiled their sheepcotes.

27 Then he went down into the plain of Damascus in the time of wheat harvest, and burnt up all their fields, and destroyed their flocks and herds, also he spoiled their cities, and utterly wasted their countries, and smote all their young men with the edge of the sword.

28 Therefore the fear and dread of him fell upon all the inhabitants of the sea coasts, which were in Sidon and Tyrus, and them that dwelt in Sur and Ocina, and all that dwelt in Jemnaan; and they that dwelt in Azotus and Ascalon feared him greatly.

 
3

So they sent ambassadors unto him to treat of peace, saying,

2 Behold, we the servants of Nabuchodonosor the great king lie before thee; use us as shall be good in thy sight.

3 Behold, our houses, and all our places, and all our fields of wheat, and flocks, and herds, and all the lodges of our tents lie before thy face; use them as it pleaseth thee.

4 Behold, even our cities and the inhabitants thereof are thy servants; come and deal with them as seemeth good unto thee.

5 So the men came to Holofernes, and declared unto him after this manner.

6 Then came he down toward the sea coast, both he and his army, and set garrisons in the high cities, and took out of them chosen men for aid.

7 So they and all the country round about received them with garlands, with dances, and with timbrels.

8 Yet he did cast down their frontiers, and cut down their groves: for he had decreed to destroy all the gods of the land, that all nations should worship Nabuchodonosor only, and that all tongues and tribes should call upon him as god.

9 Also he came over against Esdraelon near unto Judea, over against the great strait of Judea.

10 And he pitched between Geba and Scythopolis, and there he tarried a whole month, that he might gather together all the carriages of his army.

 
4

Now the children of Israel, that dwelt in Judea, heard all that Holofernes the chief captain of Nabuchodonosor king of the Assyrians had done to the nations, and after what manner he had spoiled all their temples, and brought them to nought.

2 Therefore they were exceedingly afraid of him, and were troubled for Jerusalem, and for the temple of the Lord their God:

3 For they were newly returned from the captivity, and all the people of Judea were lately gathered together: and the vessels, and the altar, and the house, were sanctified after the profanation.

4 Therefore they sent into all the coasts of Samaria, and the villages and to Bethoron, and Belmen, and Jericho, and to Choba, and Esora, and to the valley of Salem:

5 And possessed themselves beforehand of all the tops of the high mountains, and fortified the villages that were in them, and laid up victuals for the provision of war: for their fields were of late reaped.

6 Also Joacim the high priest, which was in those days in Jerusalem, wrote to them that dwelt in Bethulia, and Betomestham, which is over against Esdraelon toward the open country, near to Dothaim,

7 Charging them to keep the passages of the hill country: for by them there was an entrance into Judea, and it was easy to stop them that would come up, because the passage was straight, for two men at the most.

8 And the children of Israel did as Joacim the high priest had commanded them, with the ancients of all the people of Israel, which dwelt at Jerusalem.

9 Then every man of Israel cried to God with great fervency, and with great vehemency did they humble their souls:

10 Both they, and their wives and their children, and their cattle, and every stranger and hireling, and their servants bought with money, put sackcloth upon their loins.

11 Thus every man and women, and the little children, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, fell before the temple, and cast ashes upon their heads, and spread out their sackcloth before the face of the Lord:

12 also they put sackcloth about the altar, And cried to the God of Israel all with one consent earnestly, that he would not give their children for a prey, and their wives for a spoil, and the cities of their inheritance to destruction, and the sanctuary to profanation and reproach, and for the nations to rejoice at.

13 So God heard their prayers, and looked upon their afflictions: for the people fasted many days in all Judea and Jerusalem before the sanctuary of the Lord Almighty.

14 And Joacim the high priest, and all the priests that stood before the Lord, and they which ministered unto the Lord, had their loins girt with sackcloth, and offered the daily burnt offerings, with the vows and free gifts of the people,

15 And had ashes on their mitres, and cried unto the Lord with all their power, that he would look upon all the house of Israel graciously.

5

Then was it declared to Holofernes, the chief captain of the army of Assur, that the children of Israel had prepared for war, and had shut up the passages of the hill country, and had fortified all the tops of the high hills and had laid traps in the plains.

2 Wherewith he was very angry, and called all the princes of Moab, and the captains of Ammon, and all the governors of the sea coast,

3 And he said unto them, Tell me now, ye sons of Chanaan, who this people is, that dwelleth in the hill country, and what are the cities that they inhabit, and what is the multitude of their army, and wherein is their power and strength, and what king is set over them, or captain of their army;

4 And why have they determined not to come and meet me, more than all the inhabitants of the west.

5 Then said Achior, the captain of all the sons of Ammon, Let my lord now hear a word from the mouth of thy servant, and I will declare unto thee the truth concerning this people, which dwelleth near thee, and inhabiteth the hill countries: and there shall no lie come out of the mouth of thy servant.

6 This people are descended of the Chaldeans:

7 And they sojourned heretofore in Mesopotamia, because they would not follow the gods of their fathers, which were in the land of Chaldea.

8 For they left the way of their ancestors, and worshipped the God of heaven, the God whom they knew: so they cast them out from the face of their gods, and they fled into Mesopotamia, and sojourned there many days.

9 Then their God commanded them to depart from the place where they sojourned, and to go into the land of Chanaan: where they dwelt, and were increased with gold and silver, and with very much cattle.

10 But when a famine covered all the land of Chanaan, they went down into Egypt, and sojourned there, while they were nourished, and became there a great multitude, so that one could not number their nation.

11 Therefore the king of Egypt rose up against them, and dealt subtilly with them, and brought them low with labouring in brick, and made them slaves.

12 Then they cried unto their God, and he smote all the land of Egypt with incurable plagues: so the Egyptians cast them out of their sight.

13 And God dried the Red sea before them,

14 And brought them to mount Sina, and Cades-Barne, and cast forth all that dwelt in the wilderness.

15 So they dwelt in the land of the Amorites, and they destroyed by their strength all them of Esebon, and passing over Jordan they possessed all the hill country.

16 And they cast forth before them the Chanaanite, the Pherezite, the Jebusite, and the Sychemite, and all the Gergesites, and they dwelt in that country many days.

17 And whilst they sinned not before their God, they prospered, because the God that hateth iniquity was with them.

18 But when they departed from the way which he appointed them, they were destroyed in many battles very sore, and were led captives into a land that was not their’s, and the temple of their God was cast to the ground, and their cities were taken by the enemies.

19 But now are they returned to their God, and are come up from the places where they were scattered, and have possessed Jerusalem, where their sanctuary is, and are seated in the hill country; for it was desolate.

20 Now therefore, my lord and governor, if there be any error against this people, and they sin against their God, let us consider that this shall be their ruin, and let us go up, and we shall overcome them.

21 But if there be no iniquity in their nation, let my lord now pass by, lest their Lord defend them, and their God be for them, and we become a reproach before all the world.

22 And when Achior had finished these sayings, all the people standing round about the tent murmured, and the chief men of Holofernes, and all that dwelt by the sea side, and in Moab, spake that he should kill him.

23 For, say they, we will not be afraid of the face of the children of Israel: for, lo, it is a people that have no strength nor power for a strong battle

24 Now therefore, lord Holofernes, we will go up, and they shall be a prey to be devoured of all thine army.

 
6

And when the tumult of men that were about the council was ceased, Holofernes the chief captain of the army of Assur said unto Achior and all the Moabites before all the company of other nations,

2 And who art thou, Achior, and the hirelings of Ephraim, that thou hast prophesied against us as to day, and hast said, that we should not make war with the people of Israel, because their God will defend them? and who is God but Nabuchodonosor? He will send his power, and will destroy them from the face of the earth, and their God shall not deliver them:

3 but we his servants will destroy them as one man; for they are not able to sustain the power of our horses.

4 For with them we will tread them under foot, and their mountains shall be drunken with their blood, and their fields shall be filled with their dead bodies, and their footsteps shall not be able to stand before us, for they shall utterly perish, saith king Nabuchodonosor, lord of all the earth: for he said, None of my words shall be in vain.

5 And thou, Achior, an hireling of Ammon, which hast spoken these words in the day of thine iniquity, shalt see my face no more from this day, until I take vengeance of this nation that came out of Egypt.

6 And then shall the sword of mine army, and the multitude of them that serve me, pass through thy sides, and thou shalt fall among their slain, when I return.

7 Now therefore my servants shall bring thee back into the hill country, and shall set thee in one of the cities of the passages:

8 And thou shalt not perish, till thou be destroyed with them.

9 And if thou persuade thyself in thy mind that they shall be taken, let not thy countenance fall: I have spoken it, and none of my words shall be in vain.

10 Then Holofernes commanded his servants, that waited in his tent, to take Achior, and bring him to Bethulia, and deliver him into the hands of the children of Israel.

11 So his servants took him, and brought him out of the camp into the plain, and they went from the midst of the plain into the hill country, and came unto the fountains that were under Bethulia.

12 And when the men of the city saw them, they took up their weapons, and went out of the city to the top of the hill: and every man that used a sling kept them from coming up by casting of stones against them.

13 Nevertheless having gotten privily under the hill, they bound Achior, and cast him down, and left him at the foot of the hill, and returned to their lord.

14 But the Israelites descended from their city, and came unto him, and loosed him, and brought him to Bethulia, and presented him to the governors of the city:

15 Which were in those days Ozias the son of Micha, of the tribe of Simeon, and Chabris the son of Gothoniel, and Charmis the son of Melchiel.

16 And they called together all the ancients of the city, and all their youth ran together, and their women, to the assembly, and they set Achior in the midst of all their people. Then Ozias asked him of that which was done.

17 And he answered and declared unto them the words of the council of Holofernes, and all the words that he had spoken in the midst of the princes of Assur, and whatsoever Holofernes had spoken proudly against the house of Israel.

18 Then the people fell down and worshipped God, and cried unto God. saying,

19 O Lord God of heaven, behold their pride, and pity the low estate of our nation, and look upon the face of those that are sanctified unto thee this day.

20 Then they comforted Achior, and praised him greatly.

21 And Ozias took him out of the assembly unto his house, and made a feast to the elders; and they called on the God of Israel all that night for help.

 
7

The next day Holofernes commanded all his army, and all his people which were come to take his part, that they should remove their camp against Bethulia, to take aforehand the ascents of the hill country, and to make war against the children of Israel.

2 Then their strong men removed their camps in that day, and the army of the men of war was an hundred and seventy thousand footmen, and twelve thousand horsemen, beside the baggage, and other men that were afoot among them, a very great multitude.

3 And they camped in the valley near unto Bethulia, by the fountain, and they spread themselves in breadth over Dothaim even to Belmaim, and in length from Bethulia unto Cynamon, which is over against Esdraelon.

4 Now the children of Israel, when they saw the multitude of them, were greatly troubled, and said every one to his neighbour, Now will these men lick up the face of the earth; for neither the high mountains, nor the valleys, nor the hills, are able to bear their weight.

5 Then every man took up his weapons of war, and when they had kindled fires upon their towers, they remained and watched all that night.

6 But in the second day Holofernes brought forth all his horsemen in the sight of the children of Israel which were in Bethulia,

7 And viewed the passages up to the city, and came to the fountains of their waters, and took them, and set garrisons of men of war over them, and he himself removed toward his people.

8 Then came unto him all the chief of the children of Esau, and all the governors of the people of Moab, and the captains of the sea coast, and said,

9 Let our lord now hear a word, that there be not an overthrow in thine army.

10 For this people of the children of Israel do not trust in their spears, but in the height of the mountains wherein they dwell, because it is not easy to come up to the tops of their mountains.

11 Now therefore, my lord, fight not against them in battle array, and there shall not so much as one man of thy people perish.

12 Remain in thy camp, and keep all the men of thine army, and let thy servants get into their hands the fountain of water, which issueth forth of the foot of the mountain:

13 For all the inhabitants of Bethulia have their water thence; so shall thirst kill them, and they shall give up their city, and we and our people shall go up to the tops of the mountains that are near, and will camp upon them, to watch that none go out of the city.

14 So they and their wives and their children shall be consumed with famine, and before the sword come against them, they shall be overthrown in the streets where they dwell.

15 Thus shalt thou render them an evil reward; because they rebelled, and met not thy person peaceably.

16 And these words pleased Holofernes and all his servants, and he appointed to do as they had spoken.

17 So the camp of the children of Ammon departed, and with them five thousand of the Assyrians, and they pitched in the valley, and took the waters, and the fountains of the waters of the children of Israel.

18 Then the children of Esau went up with the children of Ammon, and camped in the hill country over against Dothaim: and they sent some of them toward the south, and toward the east over against Ekrebel, which is near unto Chusi, that is upon the brook Mochmur; and the rest of the army of the Assyrians camped in the plain, and covered the face of the whole land; and their tents and carriages were pitched to a very great multitude.

19 Then the children of Israel cried unto the Lord their God, because their heart failed, for all their enemies had compassed them round about, and there was no way to escape out from among them.

20 Thus all the company of Assur remained about them, both their footmen, chariots, and horsemen, four and thirty days, so that all their vessels of water failed all the inhibitants of Bethulia.

21 And the cisterns were emptied, and they had not water to drink their fill for one day; for they gave them drink by measure.

22 Therefore their young children were out of heart, and their women and young men fainted for thirst, and fell down in the streets of the city, and by the passages of the gates, and there was no longer any strength in them.

23 Then all the people assembled to Ozias, and to the chief of the city, both young men, and women, and children, and cried with a loud voice, and said before all the elders,

24 God be judge between us and you: for ye have done us great injury, in that ye have not required peace of the children of Assur.

25 For now we have no helper: but God hath sold us into their hands, that we should be thrown down before them with thirst and great destruction.

26 Now therefore call them unto you, and deliver the whole city for a spoil to the people of Holofernes, and to all his army.

27 For it is better for us to be made a spoil unto them, than to die for thirst: for we will be his servants, that our souls may live, and not see the death of our infants before our eyes, nor our wives nor our children to die.

28 We take to witness against you the heaven and the earth, and our God and Lord of our fathers, which punisheth us according to our sins and the sins of our fathers, that he do not according as we have said this day.

29 Then there was great weeping with one consent in the midst of the assembly; and they cried unto the Lord God with a loud voice.

30 Then said Ozias to them, Brethren, be of good courage, let us yet endure five days, in the which space the Lord our God may turn his mercy toward us; for he will not forsake us utterly.

31 And if these days pass, and there come no help unto us, I will do according to your word. And he dispersed the people, every one to their own charge; and they went unto the walls and towers of their city, and sent the women and children into their houses: and they were very low brought in the city.

 
8

Now at that time Judith heard thereof, which was the daughter of Merari, the son of Ox, the son of Joseph, the son of Ozel, the son of Elcia, the son of Eliu, the son of Chelciou, the son of Eliab, the son of Nathanael, the son of Salamael, the son of Salasadal, the son of Israel.

2 And Manasses was her husband, of her tribe and kindred, who died in the barley harvest.

3 For as he stood overseeing them that bound sheaves in the field, the heat came upon his head, and he fell on his bed, and died in the city of Bethulia: and they buried him with his fathers in the field between Dothaim and Balamo.

4 So Judith was a widow in her house three years and four months.

5 And she made her a tent upon the top of her house, and put on sackcloth upon her loins and ware her widow’s apparel.

6 And she fasted all the days of her widowhood, save the eves of the sabbaths, and the sabbaths, and the eves of the new moons, and the new moons and the feasts and solemn days of the house of Israel.

7 She was also of a goodly countenance, and very beautiful to behold: and her husband Manasses had left her gold, and silver, and menservants and maidservants, and cattle, and lands; and she remained upon them.

8 And there was none that gave her an ill word; ar she feared God greatly.

9 Now when she heard the evil words of the people against the governor, that they fainted for lack of water; for Judith had heard all the words that Ozias had spoken unto them, and that he had sworn to deliver the city unto the Assyrians after five days;

10 Then she sent her waiting woman, that had the government of all things that she had, to call Ozias and Chabris and Charmis, the ancients of the city.

11 And they came unto her, and she said unto them, Hear me now, O ye governors of the inhabitants of Bethulia: for your words that ye have spoken before the people this day are not right, touching this oath which ye made and pronounced between God and you, and have promised to deliver the city to our enemies, unless within these days the Lord turn to help you.

12 And now who are ye that have tempted God this day, and stand instead of God among the children of men?

13 And now try the Lord Almighty, but ye shall never know any thing.

14 For ye cannot find the depth of the heart of man, neither can ye perceive the things that he thinketh: then how can ye search out God, that hath made all these things, and know his mind, or comprehend his purpose? Nay, my brethren, provoke not the Lord our God to anger.

15 For if he will not help us within these five days, he hath power to defend us when he will, even every day, or to destroy us before our enemies.

16 Do not bind the counsels of the Lord our God: for God is not as man, that he may be threatened; neither is he as the son of man, that he should be wavering.

17 Therefore let us wait for salvation of him, and call upon him to help us, and he will hear our voice, if it please him.

18 For there arose none in our age, neither is there any now in these days neither tribe, nor family, nor people, nor city among us, which worship gods made with hands, as hath been aforetime.

19 For the which cause our fathers were given to the sword, and for a spoil, and had a great fall before our enemies.

20 But we know none other god, therefore we trust that he will not dispise us, nor any of our nation.

21 For if we be taken so, all Judea shall lie waste, and our sanctuary shall be spoiled; and he will require the profanation thereof by our blood.

22 And the slaughter of our brethren, and the captivity of the country, and the desolation of our inheritance, will he turn upon our heads among the Gentiles, wheresoever we shall be in bondage; and we shall be an offence and a reproach to all them that possess us.

23 For our servitude shall not be directed to favour: but the Lord our God shall turn it to dishonour.

24 Now therefore, O brethren, let us shew an example to our brethren, because their hearts depend upon us, and the sanctuary, and the house, and the altar, rest upon us.

25 Moreover let us give thanks to the Lord our God, which trieth us, even as he did our fathers.

26 Remember what things he did to Abraham, and how he tried Isaac, and what happened to Jacob in Mesopotamia of Syria, when he kept the sheep of Laban his mother’s brother.

27 For he hath not tried us in the fire, as he did them, for the examination of their hearts, neither hath he taken vengeance on us: but the Lord doth scourge them that come near unto him, to admonish them.

28 Then said Ozias to her, All that thou hast spoken hast thou spoken with a good heart, and there is none that may gainsay thy words.

29 For this is not the first day wherein thy wisdom is manifested; but from the beginning of thy days all the people have known thy understanding, because the disposition of thine heart is good.

30 But the people were very thirsty, and compelled us to do unto them as we have spoken, and to bring an oath upon ourselves, which we will not break.

31 Therefore now pray thou for us, because thou art a godly woman, and the Lord will send us rain to fill our cisterns, and we shall faint no more.

32 Then said Judith unto them, Hear me, and I will do a thing, which shall go throughout all generations to the children of our nation.

33 Ye shall stand this night in the gate, and I will go forth with my waiting woman: and within the days that ye have promised to deliver the city to our enemies the Lord will visit Israel by mine hand.

34 But enquire not ye of mine act: for I will not declare it unto you, till the things be finished that I do.

35 Then said Ozias and the princes unto her, Go in peace, and the Lord God be before thee, to take vengeance on our enemies.

36 So they returned from the tent, and went to their wards.

9

Judith fell upon her face, and put ashes upon her head, and uncovered the sackcloth wherewith she was clothed; and about the time that the incense of that evening was offered in Jerusalem in the house of the Lord Judith cried with a loud voice, and said,

2 O Lord God of my father Simeon, to whom thou gavest a sword to take vengeance of the strangers, who loosened the girdle of a maid to defile her, and discovered the thigh to her shame, and polluted her virginity to her reproach; for thou saidst, It shall not be so; and yet they did so:

3 Wherefore thou gavest their rulers to be slain, so that they dyed their bed in blood, being deceived, and smotest the servants with their lords, and the lords upon their thrones;

4 And hast given their wives for a prey, and their daughters to be captives, and all their spoils to be divided among thy dear children; which were moved with thy zeal, and abhorred the pollution of their blood, and called upon thee for aid: O God, O my God, hear me also a widow.

5 For thou hast wrought not only those things, but also the things which fell out before, and which ensued after; thou hast thought upon the things which are now, and which are to come.

6 Yea, what things thou didst determine were ready at hand, and said, Lo, we are here: for all thy ways are prepared, and thy judgments are in thy foreknowledge.

7 For, behold, the Assyrians are multiplied in their power; they are exalted with horse and man; they glory in the strength of their footmen; they trust in shield, and spear, and bow, and sling; and know not that thou art the Lord that breakest the battles.

8 Lord is thy name. Throw down their strength in thy power, and bring down their force in thy wrath: for they have purposed to defile thy sanctuary, and to pollute the tabernacle where thy glorious name resteth and to cast down with sword the horn of thy altar.

9 Behold their pride, and send thy wrath upon their heads: give into mine hand, which am a widow, the power that I have conceived.

10 Smite by the deceit of my lips the servant with the prince, and the prince with the servant: break down their stateliness by the hand of a woman.

11 For thy power standeth not in multitude nor thy might in strong men: for thou art a God of the afflicted, an helper of the oppressed, an upholder of the weak, a protector of the forlorn, a saviour of them that are without hope.

12 Yea, yea, I pray thee, O God of my father, and God of the inheritance of Israel, Lord of the heavens and earth, Creator of the waters, king of every creature, hear thou my prayer:

13 And make my speech and deceit to be their wound and stripe, who have purposed cruel things against thy covenant, and thy hallowed house, and against the top of Sion, and against the house of the possession of thy children.

14 And make every nation and tribe to acknowledge that thou art the God of all power and might, and that there is none other that protecteth the people of Israel but thou.

10

Now after that she had ceased to cry unto the God of Israel, and bad made an end of all these words.

2 She rose where she had fallen down, and called her maid, and went down into the house in the which she abode in the sabbath days, and in her feast days,

3 And pulled off the sackcloth which she had on, and put off the garments of her widowhood, and washed her body all over with water, and anointed herself with precious ointment, and braided the hair of her head, and put on a tire upon it, and put on her garments of gladness, wherewith she was clad during the life of Manasses her husband.

4 And she took sandals upon her feet, and put about her her bracelets, and her chains, and her rings, and her earrings, and all her ornaments, and decked herself bravely, to allure the eyes of all men that should see her.

5 Then she gave her maid a bottle of wine, and a cruse of oil, and filled a bag with parched corn, and lumps of figs, and with fine bread; so she folded all these things together, and laid them upon her.

6 Thus they went forth to the gate of the city of Bethulia, and found standing there Ozias and the ancients of the city, Chabris and Charmis.

7 And when they saw her, that her countenance was altered, and her apparel was changed, they wondered at her beauty very greatly, and said unto her.

8 The God, the God of our fathers give thee favour, and accomplish thine enterprizes to the glory of the children of Israel, and to the exaltation of Jerusalem. Then they worshipped God.

9 And she said unto them, Command the gates of the city to be opened unto me, that I may go forth to accomplish the things whereof ye have spoken with me. So they commanded the young men to open unto her, as she had spoken.

10 And when they had done so, Judith went out, she, and her maid with her; and the men of the city looked after her, until she was gone down the mountain, and till she had passed the valley, and could see her no more.

11 Thus they went straight forth in the valley: and the first watch of the Assyrians met her,

12 And took her, and asked her, Of what people art thou? and whence comest thou? and whither goest thou? And she said, I am a woman of the Hebrews, and am fled from them: for they shall be given you to be consumed:

13 And I am coming before Holofernes the chief captain of your army, to declare words of truth; and I will shew him a way, whereby he shall go, and win all the hill country, without losing the body or life of any one of his men.

14 Now when the men heard her words, and beheld her countenance, they wondered greatly at her beauty, and said unto her,

15 Thou hast saved thy life, in that thou hast hasted to come down to the presence of our lord: now therefore come to his tent, and some of us shall conduct thee, until they have delivered thee to his hands.

16 And when thou standest before him, be not afraid in thine heart, but shew unto him according to thy word; and he will entreat thee well.

17 Then they chose out of them an hundred men to accompany her and her maid; and they brought her to the tent of Holofernes.

18 Then was there a concourse throughout all the camp: for her coming was noised among the tents, and they came about her, as she stood without the tent of Holofernes, till they told him of her.

19 And they wondered at her beauty, and admired the children of Israel because of her, and every one said to his neighbour, Who would despise this people, that have among them such women? surely it is not good that one man of them be left who being let go might deceive the whole earth.

20 And they that lay near Holofernes went out, and all his servants and they brought her into the tent.

21 Now Holofernes rested upon his bed under a canopy, which was woven with purple, and gold, and emeralds, and precious stones.

22 So they shewed him of her; and he came out before his tent with silver lamps going before him.

23 And when Judith was come before him and his servants they all marvelled at the beauty of her countenance; and she fell down upon her face, and did reverence unto him: and his servants took her up.
 

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