Judith Leaves Bethulia

1After Judith finished praying to the God of Israel, 2she got up and called for her servant woman. Then Judith left her rooftop shelter and went down into her house, where she stayed on Sabbath days and during religious festivals. 3After taking off her widow's clothes and the pieces of sackcloth, she took a bath. She put on expensive perfume, then brushed her hair and put on a fancy headband. Judith dressed in the beautiful clothes she had worn for celebrations when her husband Manasseh was alive. 4She put on sandals and all kinds of jewelry, including rings and earrings, as well as bracelets for her ankles and wrists. Judith made sure she was beautiful enough to get the attention of every man who saw her.

5Judith gave her servant a leather bottle of wine and a small jar of olive oil, then filled a bag with roasted grain, dried figs, and her best bread. Finally, she carefully wrapped up her dishes and gave them to the servant.

6Together the two women left the house and walked to the gate of Bethulia, where they found Uzziah, the town leader, with Chabris and Charmis, the other two leaders. 7When these men saw Judith dressed this way and wearing make-up, they were amazed at her beauty, and said, 8"We will be praying that the God of our ancestors will help you carry out your plans, so that the people of Israel will be blessed and the city of Jerusalem will be honored."

Judith bowed in prayer, 9then replied, "Tell someone to open the town gate, so that I can do all these things."

They told some young men to open the gate, 10and Judith and her servant walked down the hill and into the valley. The young men watched them until they were out of sight.

Judith Is Taken to the Assyrian Camp

11As Judith and her servant woman were walking through the valley near Bethulia, they were seen by a group of Assyrian soldiers patrolling the area. 12The soldiers arrested Judith and asked, "What nationality are you? Tell us where you're coming from and where you're going."

She said, "I am a Hebrew from Bethulia. But I am running away, because your army is about to completely wipe out my hometown! 13I'm on my way to tell General Holofernes how to invade the hill country of Israel and capture every town, without letting any of his soldiers be captured or killed."

14The men noticed that Judith was very beautiful. So after she finished talking, they said, 15"You have saved your life by being eager to talk to General Holofernes. Some of us will take you to his tent and arrange for you to see him. 16When you meet him, don't be afraid. Tell him exactly what you told us, and he will be kind to you."

17One hundred men were assigned to take Judith and her servant to the tent of Holofernes. 18Soon everyone in the Assyrian camp wanted to see Judith. Soldiers gathered around her as she stood outside the tent, waiting to see Holofernes. 19She was so beautiful that they stared at her and said to each other, "If every Israelite woman is this lovely, no one would want to destroy their nation. We need to be sure to kill all the Israelite men, so that they won't be able to use their beautiful women to trick and defeat the whole world."

Judith Meets with Holofernes

20The bodyguards and servants with General Holofernes came out of his tent and led Judith inside. 21Holofernes was lying on his bed under a mosquito net made of purple thread and decorated with gold and emeralds and other precious stones.

22When Holofernes was told that Judith was there, he walked out to the front part of his tent, with servants carrying silver lamps in front of him. 23As Judith came forward to meet Holofernes, he and his servants could hardly believe she was so beautiful. Judith bowed low to the ground to honor him, but his servants helped her to her feet.