JUDETH 7 & 8

Judeth 7

Olosernes doed nrdirhr Nryhulis. 8 The counsel of the Idumeans and other against the Israelites. 23 The Bethulians murmur against their government for lack of water.

THE next day, Olosernes commanded all his army and all his people, which were come to take his part, that they should remove their camps against Bethulia, and that they should take all the streets of the hill, and to make war against the children of Israel.

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

And they camped in the plain near unto Bethulia, by the fountain, and they spread abroad toward Dothaim unto Belbaim, and in length from Bethulia unto Ciamon, which is over against Esdraelom.

Now the children of Israel, when they saw the multitude, were greatly troubled, and said every one to his neighbor, Now will they lift up all the whole earth: for neither of the high mountains nor the valleys, nor the hills are able to abide their burden.

Then every one took his weapons of war, and burning fires in their towers, they remained and watched all that night.

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

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

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

Let our captain now hear a word, lest an inconvenience come in thine army.

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.

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

Remain in thy camp, and keep all the men of thine army, and let thy men keep still the water of the country, that comes forth at the foot of the mountain.

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

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.

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

And these words pleased Olosernes and all his soldiers, and he appointed to do as they had spoken.

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.

Then the children of Esau went up with the children of Ammon, and camped in the mountains over against Dothaim, and they sent some of themselves toward the South, and toward the East, over against Rebel, which is near unto Chusi, that is upon the river Mochmur: and the rest of the army of the Assyrians camped in the field, and covered the whole land: for their tents and their baggage were pitched in a wonderful great place.

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

Thus all the company of Assur remained about them, both their footmen, chariots and horsemen, four and thirty days: so that even all the places of their waters failed all the inhabitants of Bethulia.

And the cisterns were empty, and they had not water enough to drink for one day: for they gave them to drink by measure.

Therefore their children swooned, and their wives and young men failed for thirst, and fell down in the streets of the city, and by the passages of the gates, and there was no strength in them.

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.

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

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

Now therefore cll them together, and deliver the whole city for a spoil and the people of Olosernes, and to all his army.

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

We take to witness against you the heaven and the earth, and our God and Lord of our fathers, which punishes us, according to our sins and the sins of our fathers, that he lay not these things to our charge.

Then there was a great cry of all with one consent in the midst of the assembly, and they cried unto the Lord God with a loud voice.

Then said Ozias to them, Brethren, be of good courage: let us wait yet five days, in the which space the Lord our God may turn his mercy towards their city, and sent their wives and their children into their houses, and they were very low brought in the city.

Judeth 8

The parentage, life and conversation of Judeth. 11 She rebukes the faintness of the governors. 12 She shows that they should not tempt God, but wait upon him for succor. 33 Her enterprise against the enemies.

NOW at that time, Judeth heard thereof, which was the daughter of Merari the son of Ox, the son of Joseph, the son of Oziel, the son of Elcia, the son of Ananias, the son of Gideon, the son of Raphaim, the son of Acito, the son of Eliu, the sons of Eliab, the son of Nathanael, the son of Samael, every son of Salasadai, the son of Israel.

And Manasses was her husband, of her stock and kindred, who die din the barley harvest.

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

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

And she made her a tent upon her house, and put on sackcloth on her loins, and wore her widows apparel.

And she fasted all the days of her widowhood, save the day before the Sabbath and the Sabbaths, and the day before the new moons, and in the feats and solemn days of the house of Israel.

She was also of a goodly countenance and very beautiful to behold: and her husband Manasses had left her gold and silver, and men servants, and maid servants, and cattle, and possessions, where she feared God greatly.

Now when she heard the evil words of the people against the governor, because they fainted for lack of waters (for Judeth had heard all the words that Ozias had spoken unto them, and that he had sworn unto them to deliver the city unto the Assyrians within five days)

Then she sent her maid that had the government of all things that she had, to call Ozias and Chabris and Charmis the Ancients of the City.

And they came unto her, and she said unto them, Hear me, o ye governors of the inhabitants of Bethulia: for your words that you 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 the enemies, unless within these days the Lord turn to help you.

And now who are you that have tempted God this day, and set yourselves in the place of God among the children of men?

So now you seek the Lord almighty, but you shall never know anything.

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

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.

Do not you therefore bind the counsels of the Lord our God: for God is not as man that he may be threatened, neither as the son of man to be brought to judgement.

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

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

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

But we know none other God: therefore we trust that he will not despise us, nor any of our lineage.

Neither when we shall be taken, shall Judea be so famous: for our Sanctuary shall be spoiled, and he will require the prophanacion thereof at our mouth,

And the fear 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 offense and a reproach to all them that possess us.

For our servitude shall not be directed by favor, but the Lord our God shall turn it to dishonor.

Now therefore, o brethren, let us show an example to our brethren, because their hearts depend upon us, and the Sanctuary, and the House, and the altar rest upon us.

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

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

For he has not tried us as he did them to the examination of their hearts, neither does he take vengeance on us, but the Lord punishes for instruction them that come near to him.

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

For it is not to day that thy wisdom is known, but from the beginning of thy life all the people have known thy wisdom: for the device of thine heart is good.

But the people were very thirsty, and compelled us to do unto them, as we have spoken, and have brought us to an oath which we may not transgress.

Therefore now pray for us, because thou art an holy woman, that the Lord may send us rain to fill our cisterns, and that we may faint no more.

Then said Judeth unto them, Hear me, and I will do a thing, which shall be declared in all generations, to the children of our nation.

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

But inquire not you of mine act: for I will not declare it unto you, til the things be finished that I do.

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

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