Judith 16
1Then Judith began to sing this thanksgiving in all Israel, and all the people sang after her this song of praise.
2And Judith said, Begin to my God with timbrels, sing to my Lord with cymbals: tune to him a new psalm: exalt him, and call upon his name.
3For God breaks the battles: for among the camps in the midst of the people he has delivered me out of the hands of them that persecuted me.
4Assur came out of the mountains from the north, he came with ten thousands of his army, the multitude whereof stopped the torrents, and their horsemen have covered the hills.
5He bragged that he would burn up my borders, and kill my young men with the sword, and dash the sucking children against the ground, and make mine infants as a prey, and my virgins as a spoil.
6But the Almighty Lord has disappointed them by the hand of a woman.
7For the mighty one did not fall by the young men, neither did the sons of the Titans strike him, nor high giants set upon him: but Judith the daughter of Merari weakened him with the beauty of her countenance.
8For she put off the garment of her widowhood for the exaltation of those that were oppressed in Israel, and anointed her face with ointment, and bound her hair in a tire, and took a linen garment to deceive him.
9Her sandals ravished his eyes, her beauty took his mind prisoner, and the fauchion passed through his neck.
10The Persians quaked at her boldness, and the Medes were daunted at her hardiness.
11Then my afflicted shouted for joy, and my weak ones cried aloud; but they were astonished: these lifted up their voices, but they were overthrown.
12The sons of the damsels have pierced them through, and wounded them as fugatives' children: they perished by the battle of the Lord.
13I will sing to the Lord a new song: O Lord, you are great and glorious, wonderful in strength, and invincible.
14Let all creatures serve you: for you spoke, and they were made, you did send forth your spirit, and it created them, and there is none that can resist your voice.
15For the mountains shall be moved from their foundations with the waters, the rocks shall melt as wax at your presence: yet you are merciful to them that fear you.
16For all sacrifice is too little for a sweet savor to you, and all the fat is not sufficient for your burnt offering: but he that fears the Lord is great at all times.
17Woe to the nations that rise up against my kindred! the Lord Almighty will take vengeance of them in the day of judgment, in putting fire and worms in their flesh; and they shall feel them, and weep for ever.
18Now as soon as they entered into Jerusalem, they worshipped the Lord; and as soon as the people were purified, they offered their burnt offerings, and their free offerings, and their gifts.
19Judith also dedicated all the stuff of Holofernes, which the people had given her, and gave the canopy, which she had taken out of his bedchamber, for a gift to the Lord.
20So the people continued feasting in Jerusalem before the sanctuary for the space of three months and Judith remained with them.
21After this time every one returned to his own inheritance, and Judith went to Bethulia, and remained in her own possession, and was in her time honorable in all the country.
22And many desired her, but none knew her all the days of her life, after that Manasses her husband was dead, and was gathered to his people.
23But she increased more and more in honor, and waxed old in her husband's house, being an hundred and five years old, and made her maid free; so she died in Bethulia: and they buried her in the cave of her husband Manasses.
24And the house of Israel lamented her seven days: and before she died, she did distribute her goods to all them that were nearest of kindred to Manasses her husband, and to them that were the nearest of her kindred.
25And there was none that made the children of Israel any more afraid in the days of Judith, nor a long time after her death.
Commentaries for Judith 16:0