Judith 15

When the men in the tents heard, they were amazed at what had been done.

1And when they that were in the tents heard, they were astonished at the thing that was done.

NoteThe tents are the Assyrian army's camp outside Bethulia. What the soldiers had just heard was that their commander Holofernes had been found dead in his own tent, beheaded by Judith during the night.

2Fear and trembling came over them, so that no man dared to stay any longer where his neighbor could see him. Instead they all rushed out together and fled by every road across the plain and through the hill country.

2And fear and trembling fell upon them, so that there was no man that durst abide in the sight of his neighbour, but rushing out all together, they fled into every way of the plain, and of the hill country.

3The ones who had camped in the mountains around Bethulia also fled. Then the people of Israel, every man among them who was a fighter, rushed out after them.

3They also that had camped in the mountains round about Bethulia fled away. Then the children of Israel, every one that was a warrior among them, rushed out upon them.

NoteBethulia is the Israelite hill town whose siege the book has been describing; taking it would have opened the mountain passes to the invading army. The site cannot be identified and may belong to the story rather than the map.

4Then Ozias sent men to Betomasthem, and to Bebai, and Chobai, and Cola, and to all the borders of Israel, to tell what had been done, and to say that everyone should rush out on their enemies and destroy them.

4Then sent Ozias to Betomasthem, and to Bebai, and Chobai, and Cola and to all the coasts of Israel, such as should tell the things that were done, and that all should rush forth upon their enemies to destroy them.

NoteOzias was the chief magistrate of Bethulia, its leading civil official. "Coasts" in the King James means borders or territory generally, not seashore, so "all the coasts of Israel" means the whole extent of the land. None of the four towns named here can be located with confidence today.

5When the people of Israel heard it, they all fell on them together and struck them down as far as Chobai. In the same way, men came from Jerusalem and from all the hill country, since they had been told what had happened in the enemy's camp. And the men in Galaad and in Galilee attacked them on the flank and killed great numbers of them, until they had gone past Damascus and its borders.

5Now when the children of Israel heard it, they all fell upon them with one consent, and slew them unto Chobai: likewise also they that came from Jerusalem, and from all the hill country, (for men had told them what things were done in the camp of their enemies) and they that were in Galaad, and in Galilee, chased them with a great slaughter, until they were past Damascus and the borders thereof.

Note"Galaad" is the King James spelling, by way of Greek, of Gilead, the region east of the Jordan; Galilee is the north of the country. Damascus lies well beyond Israel's northern border, so the pursuit is described as running the whole length of the land and out the far side of it.

6The rest of the people who lived in Bethulia fell on the camp of Assur and plundered it, and they became very rich.

6And the residue that dwelt at Bethulia, fell upon the camp of Assur, and spoiled them, and were greatly enriched.

Note"Assur" is the Greek and King James form of Asshur, that is, Assyria; the camp of Assur is the Assyrian army's camp. "Spoiled" in the King James means plundered or stripped of goods, not ruined.

7The people of Israel who came back from the killing took what was left. The villages and the cities that were in the mountains and in the plain took many spoils, for there was a very large amount of it.

7And the children of Israel that returned from the slaughter had that which remained; and the villages and the cities, that were in the mountains and in the plain, gat many spoils: for the multitude was very great.

NoteSpoils are the goods taken from a defeated enemy. By long custom the possessions of a routed army belonged to whoever seized them, which is why the outlying villages and cities join in rather than only the soldiers who did the fighting.

8Then Joacim the high priest, and the elders of the people of Israel who lived in Jerusalem, came to see the good things God had shown to Israel, and to see Judith and greet her.

8Then Joacim the high priest, and the ancients of the children of Israel that dwelt in Jerusalem, came to behold the good things that God had shewed to Israel, and to see Judith, and to salute her.

NoteThe high priest was the chief official of the temple in Jerusalem; the elders were heads of leading families who governed alongside him. "Salute" in the King James means simply to greet.

9When they came to her, they blessed her all together and said to her, "You are the pride of Jerusalem. You are the great glory of Israel. You are the great joy of our nation.

9And when they came unto her, they blessed her with one accord, and said unto her, Thou art the exaltation of Jerusalem, thou art the great glory of Israel, thou art the great rejoicing of our nation:

10You have done all these things with your own hand. You have done much good for Israel, and God is pleased with it. May the Almighty Lord bless you forever." And all the people said, "So be it."

10Thou hast done all these things by thine hand: thou hast done much good to Israel, and God is pleased therewith: blessed be thou of the Almighty Lord for evermore. And all the people said, So be it.

Note"So be it" renders the Hebrew word amen, the formal answer by which a crowd took a blessing or an oath as its own.

11The people plundered the camp for thirty days. They gave Judith the tent of Holofernes, and all his silver dishes, his beds, his bowls, and all his household goods. She took them and loaded them on her mule, and she got her carts ready and piled the things on them.

11And the people spoiled the camp the space of thirty days: and they gave unto Judith Holofernes his tent, and all his plate, and beds, and vessels, and all his stuff: and she took it and laid it on her mule; and made ready her carts, and laid them thereon.

NoteThirty days of stripping one camp is a way of stating how large the army had been. "Plate" in the King James means vessels of silver or gold, tableware rather than flat dishes, and "stuff" means household goods and furnishings, without any suggestion of junk.

12Then all the women of Israel ran together to see her, and they blessed her and danced in her honor. She took branches in her hand and gave some to the women who were with her.

12Then all the women of Israel ran together to see her, and blessed her, and made a dance among them for her: and she took branches in her hand, and gave also to the women that were with her.

NoteMeeting returning victors with dancing and song was the customary public welcome for an army; compare Miriam and the women after the crossing of the sea, and the women who came out to meet Saul and David. The branches are for waving in the procession.

13She and the women with her put on wreaths of olive branches, and she went ahead of all the people in the dance, leading all the women. All the men of Israel followed in their armor, wearing wreaths and singing.

13And they put a garland of olive upon her and her maid that was with her, and she went before all the people in the dance, leading all the women: and all the men of Israel followed in their armour with garlands, and with songs in their mouths.

NoteA wreath of olive was the Greek badge of a victor, the prize at athletic games and the ordinary ornament of a celebration, and the detail reflects the Greek-speaking world in which this book was written. The men follow in armor with wreaths and songs: this is a victory parade, not a march to battle.