7:17. We call to witness this day heaven and earth, and the God of our fathers, who taketh vengeance upon us according to our sins, conjuring you to deliver now the city into the hand of the army of Holofernes, that our end may be short by the edge of the sword, which is made longer by the drought of thirst. 7:18. And when they had said these things, there was great weeping and lamentation of all in the assembly, and for many hours with one voice they cried to God, saying: 7:19. We have sinned with our fathers, we have done unjustly, we have committed iniquity: 7:20. Have thou mercy on us, because thou art good, or punish our iniquities by chastising us thyself, and deliver not them that trust in thee to a people that knoweth not thee, 7:21. That they may not say among the Gentiles: Where is their God? 7:22. And when being wearied with these cries, and tired with these weepings, they held their peace, 7:23. Ozias rising up all in tears, said: Be of good courage, my brethren, and let us wait these five days for mercy from the Lord. 7:24. For perhaps he will put a stop to his indignation, and will give glory to his own name. 7:25. But if after five days be past there come no aid, we will do the things which you have spoken. Judith Chapter 8 The character of Judith: her discourse to the ancients. 8:1. Now it came to pass, when Judith a widow had heard these words, who was the daughter of Merari, the son of Idox, the son of Joseph, the son of Ozias, the son of Elai, the son of Jamnor, the son of Gedeon, the son of Raphaim, the son of Achitob, the son of Melchias, the son of Enan, the son of Nathanias, the son of Salathiel, the son of Simeon, the son of Ruben: Simeon the son of Ruben... In the Greek, it is the son of Israel. For Simeon the patriarch, from whom Judith descended, was not the son, but the brother of Ruben. It seems more probable that the Simeon and the Ruben here mentioned are not the patriarchs: but two of the descendants of the patriarch Simeon: and that the genealogy of Judith, recorded in this place, is not carried up so high as the patriarchs. No more than that of Elcana the father of Samuel, 1 Kings 1.1, and that of king Saul, 1 Kings 9.1. 8:2. And her husband was Manasses, who died in the time of the barley harvest: 8:3. For he was standing over them that bound sheaves in the field; and the heat came upon his head, and he died in Bethulia his own city, and was buried there with his fathers. 8:4. And Judith his relict was a widow now three years and six months. 8:5. And she made herself a private chamber in the upper part of her house, in which she abode shut up with her maids. 8:6. And she wore haircloth upon her loins, and fasted all the days of her life, except the sabbaths, and new moons, and the feasts of the house of Israel. 8:7. And she was exceedingly beautiful, and her husband left her great riches, and very many servants, and large possessions of herds of oxen, and flocks of sheep.