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Tyndale Open Bible Dictionary

JUDITH, Book of

A deuterocanonical book, named from its leading character. There is general agreement that the book was originally written in Hebrew, but it never was admitted into the Hebrew canon, although it was recognized as canonical by the third Council of Carthage (AD 397) and also by the Council of Trent (AD 1545).

The Maccabean era, and more specifically the persecutions by Antiochus Epiphanes (175–164 BC), are thought to have been the occasion most likely to have produced literature of this kind. The book is an attempt by a Palestinian Jew to encourage his fellow Jews in resisting their enemies and in continuing to observe the law of God faithfully. Judith, the heroine, is blest with the happy combination of a rigorous observance of the law and a cunning bravery amidst great danger.

The book recounts that when Nebuchadnezzar sought to enlist the forces of Persia, Cilicia, Damascus, Lebanon, Antilebanon, all those who lived along the seacoast, Palestine, and Egypt to assist him in war against the Medes, they refused to respond (Jdt 1:7-11). Consequently, he vowed to avenge himself on the whole territory (v 12). After defeating King Arphaxad of the Medes and overthrowing his army, he conquered Ecbatana, killed Arphaxad, and returned to Nineveh to celebrate his victory for four months (vv 12-16) and to recoup his military strength. Nebuchadnezzar commissioned Holofernes to lead a great army of 120,000 foot soldiers and 12,000 cavalry and contingents from other nations (ch 2) against the nations who disobeyed him. The seacoast cities surrendered unconditionally and the Assyrians destroyed local shrines, insisting that all the subjugated peoples should henceforth worship Nebuchadnezzar alone as god (ch 3). When the people of Israel in Judea heard of the devastation being wrought by Holofernes, they determined to thwart his advance against Jerusalem by mobilizing forces and setting up supply depots at strategic passes in the hills north of Jerusalem. At the same time, they sought divine favor (4:1-15). Holofernes, enraged because the people of Israel prepared to fight against him, inquired of the chiefs of Moab and Ammon who these people were (5:1-4) and was informed by Achior, the leader of the Ammonites, of their history and of their invincibility so long as they do not sin against their God (vv 5-21). In anger, Holofernes ordered Achior to be bound and abandoned near the Jewish camp so that he might be destroyed with the nation he had said was invincible (5:22–6:9). Achior was found by the men of the city of Bethulia; Uzziah, the chief ruler of the city, treated him kindly and the Jews continued to call on the God of Israel for help (6:10-21). The next day Holofernes moved his entire army into the valley near Bethulia, terrifying the inhabitants. He decided to cut off the water supply and wait until famine forced the Jews to surrender (7:1-18). Uzziah, after a siege of 34 days, was asked by the elders to surrender to the Assyrians, but he pled with them to hold out for five more days, agreeing that he would capitulate if help was not forthcoming within that time (vv 19-32).

Judith was a wealthy and beautiful widow who was also deeply pious. She reproached the leaders for limiting God and inspired them to believe that God would deliver them by her hand (8:2-36). Judith prepared herself by earnest prayer and dressing in elaborate finery. She packed some kosher food, and with her maid went into the valley toward the camp of the enemy. When she told the Assyrian patrol that she was a Jewess fleeing from the impending fall of the city and that she would show Holofernes how to take the hill country without losing a man (10:11-13), Holofernes assured Judith that she had nothing to fear and encouraged her to tell what her mission was (10:14–11:4). With persuasive words and expressions that had a double meaning, she indicated that her people were about to sin, disobeying the law because of the rigors of the siege. She promised to inform Holofernes when the people had committed their sins so that he might have an easy conquest of all Judea (11:11-19).

Holofernes ordered food and wine for her, but she explained that she must conform to the dietary laws of the Jews. On the fourth night after her arrival a banquet was staged and Holofernes lay drunk after all the servants had been dismissed (12:5–13:2). With a prayer for strength, she drew his sword and with two powerful strokes severed his head from his body. Putting the head in her bag, she went out calmly, as on previous nights, into the darkness beyond the borders of the camp and came to the gates of Bethulia (13:3-11). Unbounded joy greeted Judith as the people learned what she had done. Uzziah and all the people gave thanks to God and praised Judith for her daring exploit (13:12-20). They arranged for the Jews to make an attack on the morrow (14:1-4). When Achior was summoned and shown the head of Holofernes, he converted to Judaism (vv 5-10). When the Assyrians realized that their general was murdered, they fled in terror and utter confusion, while the Jews pursued them beyond Damascus (14:11–15:7). The high priest Joakim and the members of the Sanhedrin came from Jerusalem to pay homage to Judith for her bravery, and all joined in praising her in song and dance (15:8-13). Judith responded in a hymn of praise to God for granting them deliverance (16:1-17), after which all the people went up to Jerusalem to worship the Lord with sacrifices and feasting for three months (vv 18-20). The book closes with the account of Judith’s return to Bethulia, where at the age of 105 she died and was buried with her husband and was mourned for seven days (vv 21-25).