8:5 And she made her a tent upon the top of her house, and put on
sackcloth upon her loins and ware her widow’s apparel.
8:6 And she fasted all the days of her widowhood, save the eves of the
sabbaths, and the sabbaths, and the eves of the new moons, and the new
moons and the feasts and solemn days of the house of Israel.
8:7 She was also of a goodly countenance, and very beautiful to behold:
and her husband Manasses had left her gold, and silver, and menservants
and maidservants, and cattle, and lands; and she remained upon them.
8:8 And there was none that gave her an ill word; for she feared God
greatly.
8:9 Now when she heard the evil words of the people against the
governor, that they fainted for lack of water; for Judith had heard all
the words that Ozias had spoken unto them, and that he had sworn to
deliver the city unto the Assyrians after five days;
8:10 Then she sent her waitingwoman, that had the government of all
things that she had, to call Ozias and Chabris and Charmis, the
ancients of the city.
8:11 And they came unto her, and she said unto them, Hear me now, O ye
governors of the inhabitants of Bethulia: for your words that ye 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 our enemies, unless within these days the Lord turn
to help you.
8:12 And now who are ye that have tempted God this day, and stand
instead of God among the children of men?
8:13 And now try the Lord Almighty, but ye shall never know any thing.
8:14 For ye cannot find the depth of the heart of man, neither can ye
perceive the things that he thinketh: then how can ye search out God,
that hath made all these things, and know his mind, or comprehend his
purpose? Nay, my brethren, provoke not the Lord our God to anger.
8:15 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.
8:16 Do not bind the counsels of the Lord our God: for God is not as
man, that he may be threatened; neither is he as the son of man, that
he should be wavering.
8:17 Therefore let us wait for salvation of him, and call upon him to
help us, and he will hear our voice, if it please him.
8:18 For there arose none in our age, neither is there any now in these
days neither tribe, nor family, nor people, nor city among us, which
worship gods made with hands, as hath been aforetime.
8:19 For the which cause our fathers were given to the sword, and for a
spoil, and had a great fall before our enemies.
8:20 But we know none other god, therefore we trust that he will not
dispise us, nor any of our nation.
8:21 For if we be taken so, all Judea shall lie waste, and our
sanctuary shall be spoiled; and he will require the profanation thereof
at our mouth.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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