Deuterocanonical Books of the Bible Part 67

Jdt 8:26 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.

Jdt 8:27 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.

Jdt 8:28 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.

Jdt 8:29 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.

Jdt 8:30 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.

Jdt 8:31 Therefore now pray thou for us, because thou art a G.o.dly woman, and the Lord will send us rain to fill our cisterns, and we shall faint no more.

Jdt 8:32 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.

Jdt 8:33 Ye shall stand this night in the gate, and I will go forth with my waitingwoman: and within the days that ye have promised to deliver the city to our enemies the Lord will visit Israel by mine hand.

Jdt 8:34 But enquire not ye of mine act: for I will not declare it unto you, till the things be finished that I do.

Jdt 8:35 Then said Ozias and the princes unto her, Go in peace, and the Lord G.o.d be before thee, to take vengeance on our enemies.

Jdt 8:36 So they returned from the tent, and went to their wards.

Jdt 9:1 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,

Jdt 9:2 O Lord G.o.d 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:

Jdt 9:3 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;

Jdt 9:4 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 G.o.d, O my G.o.d, hear me also a widow.

Jdt 9:5 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.

Jdt 9:6 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.

Jdt 9:7 For, behold, the a.s.syrians are multiplied in their power; they are exalted with horse and man; they glory in the strength of their footmen; they trust in s.h.i.+eld, and spear, and bow, and sling; and know not that thou art the Lord that breakest the battles: the Lord is thy name.

Jdt 9:8 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.

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

Jdt 9:10 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.

Jdt 9:11 For thy power standeth not in mult.i.tude nor thy might in strong men: for thou art a G.o.d 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.

Jdt 9:12 I pray thee, I pray thee, O G.o.d of my father, and G.o.d of the inheritance of Israel, Lord of the heavens and earth, Creator of the waters, king of every creature, hear thou my prayer:

Jdt 9:13 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.

Jdt 9:14 And make every nation and tribe to acknowledge that thou art the G.o.d of all power and might, and that there is none other that protecteth the people of Israel but thou.

Jdt 10:1 Now after that she had ceased to cry unto the G.o.d of Israel, and bad made an end of all these words.

Jdt 10:2 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,

Jdt 10:3 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 Mana.s.ses her husband.

Jdt 10:4 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.

Jdt 10:5 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.

Jdt 10:6 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.

Jdt 10:7 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.

Jdt 10:8 The G.o.d, the G.o.d 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 wors.h.i.+pped G.o.d.

Jdt 10:9 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.

Jdt 10:10 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 pa.s.sed the valley, and could see her no more.

Jdt 10:11 Thus they went straight forth in the valley: and the first watch of the a.s.syrians met her,

Jdt 10:12 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:

Jdt 10:13 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.

Jdt 10:14 Now when the men heard her words, and beheld her countenance, they wondered greatly at her beauty, and said unto her,

Jdt 10:15 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.

Jdt 10:16 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.

Jdt 10:17 Then they chose out of them an hundred men to accompany her and her maid; and they brought her to the tent of Holofernes.

Jdt 10:18 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.

Jdt 10:19 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.

Jdt 10:20 And they that lay near Holofernes went out, and all his servants and they brought her into the tent.

Jdt 10:21 Now Holofernes rested upon his bed under a canopy, which was woven with purple, and gold, and emeralds, and precious stones.

Jdt 10:22 So they shewed him of her; and he came out before his tent with silver lamps going before him.

Jdt 10:23 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.

Jdt 11:1 Then said Holofernes unto her, Woman, be of good comfort, fear not in thine heart: for I never hurt any that was willing to serve Nabuchodonosor, the king of all the earth.