Open English Translation JDT Chapter 13

13 But when the evening had come, his servants hurried to depart. Bagoas shut the tent outside, and dismissed those who waited from the presence of his lord. They went away to their beds; for they were all weary, because the feast had been long. 2 But Yehudit was left alone in the tent, with Holofernes lying along on his bed; for he was drunk with wine. 3 Yehudit had said to her servant that she should stand outside her bedchamber, and wait for her to come out, as she did daily; for she said she’d go out to her prayer. She spoke to Bagoas according to the same words. 4 All went away from her presence, and none was left in the bedchamber, small or great. Yehudit, standing by his bed, said in her heart, Oh master God of all power, look in this hour on the works of my hands for the exaltation of Yerushalem (Jerusalem). 5 Because now is the time to help your inheritance, and to do the thing that I’ve purposed to the destruction of the enemies which have risen up against us. 6 She came to the bedpost which was at Holofernes’ head, and took down his sword from there. 7 She drew near to the bed, took hold of the hair of his head, and said, “Strengthen me, Oh master God of Yisrael, this day.” 8 She struck twice on his neck with all her might and cut off his head, 9 tumbled his body down from the bed, and took down the canopy from the posts. After a little while she went out, and gave Holofernes’ head to her maid; 10 and she put it in her bag of food. They both went out together to prayer, according to their custom. They passed through the camp, circled around that valley, and went up to the mountain of Betulia, and came to its gates.

11 Yehudit said afar off to the watchmen at the gates, “Open, open the gate, now. God is with us, even our god, to show his power yet in Yisrael (Israel), and his might against the enemy, as he’s done even this day.”

12 When the men of her city heard her voice, they hurried to go down to the gate of their city, and they called together the elders of the city. 13 They all ran together, both small and great, for it seemed unbelievable to them that she’d come. They opened the gate and received them, making a fire to give light, and surrounded them. 14 She said to them with a loud voice, “Praise God! Praise him! Praise God, who hasn’t taken away his mercy from the house of Yisrael, but has destroyed our enemies by my hand tonight!”

15 Then she took the head out of the bag and showed it, and said to them, “Listen, the head of Holofernes, the chief captain of Ashur’s (Assyria’s) army, and the canopy under which he laid in his drunkenness. The master struck him by a woman’s hand. 16 And as the master lives, who preserved me in my way that I went, my face deceived him to his destruction, and he didn’t commit sin with me, to defile and shame me.”

17 All the people were extremely amazed, and bowed themselves, and worshipped God, and said with one accord, “Blessed are you, Oh our god, who have this day humiliated your people’s enemies.”

18 Ozias said to her, “Blessed are you, daughter, in the sight of the Most High God, above all the women on the earth; and blessed is the master God, who created the heavens and the earth, who directed you to cut off the head of the prince of our enemies. 19 Because your hope won’t depart from the hearts of people who remember God’s strength forever. 20 May God turn these things to you for a perpetual praise, to visit you with good things, because you didn’t spare your life because of the affliction of our race, but prevented our ruin, walking a straight way before our god.”

And all the people said, “Amen! Amen!”