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 Manasses her husband.
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.
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.
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.
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.
10:8 The God, the God 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 worshipped God.
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.
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 passed the valley, and could see
her no more.
10:11 Thus they went straight forth in the valley: and the first watch
of the Assyrians met her,
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:
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.
10:14 Now when the men heard her words, and beheld her countenance,
they wondered greatly at her beauty, and said unto her,
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.
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.
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.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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