THE BOOK OF JUDITH
Lesson 8
Chapters 14-15
Victory
"Having raised her entreaty up to
God, Judith defeated Holofernes with His help; thus did one Hebrew woman, on
her own, bring to shame the house of Nebuchadnezzar."
Origen, De oration, 13, 2
Judith 14:1-19 ~ Judith Tells Her People How to Attack the Enemy
Judith said, "Listen to me, brothers. Take this head and hang it on your battlements.
2 When morning comes and the sun is up, let every man take his arms
and every able-bodied man leave the town. Appoint a leader for them, as if you
meant to march down to the plain against the Assyrian advanced post. But you
must not do this. 3 The Assyrians will gather up their equipment,
make for their camp and wake up their commanders; they in turn will rush to the
tent of Holofernes and not be able to find him. They will then be seized with
panic and flee at your advance. 4 All you and the others who live in
the territory of Israel will have to do is to give chase and slaughter them as
they retreat. 5 But before you do this, call me Achior the Ammonite,
for him to see and identify the man who held the House of Israel in contempt,
the man who sent him to us as someone already doomed to die."
The response to Holofernes' death is set in four scenes:
In Bethulia, Judith takes charge, telling her people to hang the head of their feared enemy on the city's walls as proof of what they will hear about his death. She also tells the men to take up arms, leave town with an appointed leader, but not to march against the enemy; they are to fake an attack (compare to Gideon in Judges 7:16-22). They must wait for the enemy to flee in panic after discovering their general's death, and then pursue them, and with other Israelites united with them, strike down the enemy and drive them from their land.
This is what finally happened in a forty-year struggle (175-135 BC) when the Greek-Syrian Seleucid Empire attempted to suppress the Jewish faith, force Hellenistic (Greek) culture on Israel, and install their pagan gods. It reached a climax in 167 BC when Syrian king Antiochus IV Epiphanes brought the cult of Zeus into the Temple's sacred precincts and offered sacrifice. A Jewish priest named Mattathias sparked a revolt (1 Macc 2:23-33) that was led by his heroic sons: Judas Maccabeus (1 Macc 3-9; 2 Macc 8-15), Jonathan (1 Macc 9:23-12:53), and Simon (1 Macc 13:1-16:17). Their victory resulted in the recapture of Jerusalem and the purification and rededication of the Temple (1 Macc 4:36-61; 2 Macc 10:1-8), celebrated yearly in the Feast of Hanukkah.1
But first, Judith asks that Achior the Ammonite, whom Holofernes had sent to share the fate of the Israelites (see 6:10-14), be brought to identify Holofernes' head so there is no question concerning the death of their feared enemy and the victory God has given them. Achior had correctly identified the source of the Israelites' power (see 5:17-21), telling Holofernes that Israelite victory would be through their God (5:21).
6 So they had Achior brought from Uzziah's house. No sooner had he arrived and seen the head of Holofernes held by a member of the people's assembly than he fell on his face in a faint. 7 They lifted him up. He then threw himself at Judith's feet and, prostrate before her, exclaimed: "May you be blessed in all the tents of Judah and in every nation; those who hear your name will be seized with dread! 8 Now tell me everything that you have done in these past few days." And surrounded by the people, Judith told him everything she had done from the day she left Bethulia to the moment when she was speaking. 9 When she came to the end, the people cheered at the top of their voices until the town echoed. 10 Achior, recognizing all that the God of Israel had done, believed ardently in him and, accepting circumcision, was permanently incorporated into the House of Israel.
As soon as Achior saw what had happened to Holofernes, he responded in three ways:
Achior professed his faith in Israel's God, submitted to the rite of circumcision, and became a member of the covenant people (14:1-10). Such acceptance of a righteous Gentile into the covenant family was not unheard of. An example is Caleb the Gentile Kenizzite. In Hebrew, "caleb" means "dog" and is a derogatory term for ritually unclean pagan Gentiles who are like ritually unclean wild dogs. Caleb was probably not his birth name, but when he joined the Israelites against the Egyptians and entered the covenant, he became the Israelites' beloved (domesticated) Gentile "dog." Caleb was a hero of the Exodus and, because of his obedience, bravery, and faith, he, along with Joshua, was the only man of the Exodus generation to survive to take possession of the Promised Land (Num 14:30). And for a reward, he and his descendants received the city of Hebron (Judg 1:20). Caleb's conversion, like Achior's, reminds us that God calls all peoples into His covenant family and eternal Kingdom.
11 At daybreak they hung the head of Holofernes on the ramparts. Every man took his arms, and they all went out in groups to the slopes of the mountain. 12 Seeing this, the Assyrians sent word to their leaders, who in turn reported to the generals, the captains of thousands and all the other officers; 13 and these in their turn reported to the tent of Holofernes. Rouse our master,' they said to his major-domo, these slaves have dared to march down on us to attack "and to be wiped out to a man!' 14 Bagoas went inside and struck the curtain dividing the tent, thinking that Holofernes was sleeping with Judith. 15 But as no one seemed to hear, he drew the curtain and went into the bedroom, to find him thrown down dead on the threshold, with his head cut off. 16 He gave a great shout, wept, sobbed, shrieked, and rent his clothes. 17 He then went into the tent which Judith had occupied and could not find her either. Then, rushing out to the men, he shouted, 18 "The slaves have rebelled! A single Hebrew woman has brought shame on the House of Nebuchadnezzar. Holofernes is lying dead on the ground, without his head!" 19 When they heard this, the leaders of the Assyrian army tore their tunics in consternation, and the camp rang with their wild cries and their shouting.
Following proper procedure, their soldiers notified their commanders, who went to their general's tent to report the attack. Holofernes' aide, Bagoas, who discovered the general's headless body, also discovered that Judith and her maid were missing and then truthfully declared that a single Hebrew woman had disgraced their general and on them (14:14-17; compare with Eglon in Judg 3:24-25). When the powerful army, which had overrun many towns and threatened the covenant people, discovered their leader was dead, morale began to disintegrate (14:11-15:7).
Judith 15:1-7 ~ The Enemy Army Flees
1 When the men who were still in their tents heard the news, they were appalled.
2 Panic-stricken and trembling, no two of them could keep together, the
rout was complete, with one accord they fled along every track across the plain
or through the mountains. 3 The men who had been bivouacking in the
mountains round Bethulia were fleeing too. Then all the Israelite warriors
charged down on them. 4 Uzziah sent messengers to Betomasthaim,
Bebai, Choba, Kola, throughout the whole territory of Israel, to inform them of
what had happened and to urge them all to hurl themselves on the enemy and
annihilate them. 5 As soon as the Israelites heard the news, they
fell on them as one man and massacred them all the way to Choba. The men of
Jerusalem and the entire mountain country also rallied to them, once they had
been informed of the events in the enemy camp. Then the men of Gilead and
Galilee attacked them on the flank and struck at them fiercely till they neared
Damascus and its territory. 6 All the other inhabitants of Bethulia
fell on the Assyrian camp and looted it to their great profit. 7 The
Israelites returning from the slaughter seized what was left. The hamlets and
villages of the mountain country and the plain also captured a great deal of
booty, since there were vast stores of it.
The enemy camp responded to the Israelites' fake attack as Judith predicted, and as the enemy retreated, the Israelites charged after them. To keep the momentum going, Uzziah sent messengers throughout Israel to join them, including the towns of Betomasthaim, Bebai, Choba, Kola ... and men of Gilead and Galilee:
In other words, Uzziah called the Israelites to battle from across the entire land: north to south and east to west.
The victory is complete, and the treasure accumulated is enormous (verses 6-7).
Judith 15:8-14 ~ The People Celebrate
8 Joakim the high priest and the entire Council of Elders of Israel, who
were in Jerusalem, came to gaze on the benefits that the Lord had lavished on
Israel, and to see Judith and congratulate her. 9 On coming to her
house, they blessed her with one accord, saying: "You are the glory of
Jerusalem! You are the great pride of Israel! You are the highest honor of our
race! 10 By doing all this with your own hand you have deserved well
of Israel, and God has approved what you have done. May you be blessed by the
Lord Almighty in all the days to come!" And the people all said, "Amen!"
11 The people looted the camp for thirty days. They gave Judith the tent of
Holofernes, all his silver plate, his divans, his drinking bowls and all his
furniture. She took this, loaded her mule, harnessed her carts and heaped the
things into them. 12 All the women of Israel, hurrying to see her,
formed choirs of dancers in her honor. Judith took wands of vine-leaves in her
hand and distributed them to the women who accompanied her; 13 she
and her companions put on wreaths of olive. Then she took her place at the head
of the procession and led the women as they danced. All the men of Israel,
armed and garlanded, followed them, singing hymns. 14 With all
Israel round her, Judith broke into this song of thanksgiving and the whole
people sang this hymn:
The Temple's high priest Joakim and the elders arrive in Bethulia from Jerusalem to see the results of the victory for themselves, the benefits the Lord had lavished on Israel, and to see Judith, to congratulate her, and give her their blessing (verses 8-10). They officially recognize God as the source of the victory and Judith as His instrument. They sang another hymn of praise, to which all the people respond, "Amen!" Then they looted the enemy's camp and divided up the wealth, giving Judith a hearty portion of the loot from Holofernes' tent. She became a celebrity and took her place leading a procession, leading the women in singing and dancing, and joining with the whole people in a hymn of thanksgiving on the way to Jerusalem.
Judith 16:1-20 ~ The Covenant People Sing a Hymn of Thanksgiving
1 "Break into song for my God, to
the tambourine, sing in honor of the Lord, to the cymbal, let psalm and
canticle mingle for him, extol his name, invoke it! 2 For the Lord
is a God who breaks battle-lines; he has pitched his camp in the middle of his
people to deliver me from the hands of my oppressors. 3 Assyria came
down from the mountains of the north, came with tens of thousands of his army.
Their multitude blocked the ravines; their horses covered the hills. 4 He
threatened to burn up my country, destroy my young men with the sword, dash my
sucklings to the ground, make prey of my little ones, carry off my maidens;
5 but the Lord Almighty has thwarted them by a woman's hand. 6 For
their hero did not fall at the young men's hands, it was not the sons of Titans
who struck him down, no proud giants made that attack, but Judith, the daughter
of Merari, who disarmed him with the beauty of her face. 7 She laid
aside her widow's dress to raise up those who were oppressed in Israel; she
anointed her face with perfume, 8 bound her hair under a turban, put
on a linen gown to seduce him. 9 Her sandal ravished his eye, her
beauty took his soul prisoner, and the scimitar cut through his neck! 10 The
Persians trembled at her boldness, the Medes were daunted by her daring.
11 These were struck with fear when my lowly ones raised the war cry, these
were seized with terror when my weak ones shouted, and when they raised their
voices these gave ground. 12 The children of mere girls ran them
through, pierced them like the offspring of deserters. They perished in the
battle of my Lord! 13 I shall sing a new song to my God. Lord, you
are great, you are glorious, wonderfully strong, unconquerable. 14 May
your whole creation serve you! For you spoke and things came into being, you
sent your breath, and they were put together, and no one can resist your voice.
15 Should mountains be tossed from their foundations to mingle with
the waves, should rocks melt like wax before your face, to those who fear you,
you would still be merciful. 16 A little thing indeed is a sweetly
smelling sacrifice, still less the fat burned for you in burnt offering; but
whoever fears the Lord is great for ever. 17 Woe to the nations who
rise against my race! The Lord Almighty will punish them on judgment day. He
will send fire and worms in their flesh, and they will weep with pain for
evermore."
In verses 6-9, the people sang: >"For their hero did not fall at the young men's hands, it was not the sons of Titans who struck him down, no proud giants made that attack, but Judith, the daughter of Merari, who disarmed him with the beauty of her face... 9 Her sandal ravished his eye, her beauty took his soul prisoner, and the scimitar cut through his neck!"
The word "beauty," referring to Judith's God-given weapon to take down the enemy, appears five times in the Book of Judith (10:7, 19, 23; 16:6, 9). In Scripture, the number 5 represents power and divine grace. Examples of fives in Scripture:
Judith's hymn of praise to God and thanksgiving for her people's deliverance is set within the victory celebration of all her people, united as one (15:11-12; 16:18-20).
18 When they reached Jerusalem, they fell on their faces before God and, once the people had been purified, they presented their burnt offerings, voluntary offerings and gifts. 19 All Holofernes' property given her by the people, and the canopy she herself had stripped from his bed, Judith vowed to God as a dedicated offering. 20 For three months the people gave themselves up to rejoicing in front of the Temple in Jerusalem, where Judith stayed with them.
The hymn that the people sing identifies what has been evident throughout the entire story. Judith is a "type" of her people. Her fidelity, trust in God, and commitment to obedience in faith symbolize what God wants from His covenant people. Therefore, her victory as an agent of Yahweh is the victory of the whole people. The entire story sends the message of hope in God, who guides the course of His people's history. God is pleased with Judith and with her people, and therefore His blessing is called down upon them all. God will protect them and win their victories from oppression if they remain faithful to Him. Judith and the people give the material treasures from the victory to God at the Temple in Jerusalem. The spiritual results of the victory are also returned to God as they remain in Jerusalem for three months.
The celebration is reminiscent of other victory celebrations, like Miriam, Moses and Aaron's sister, leading the Israelites of the Exodus in song and dancing after crossing the Red Sea in Exodus 15:20-21. And Judith's hymn can also be compared to Deborah's victory song in Judges 5. In Judith's hymn, as in Deborah's, the song of praise is led by a woman whom Yahweh used to bring deliverance (Judg 5:24-27 and 16:5-9).
Judith 16:21-25 ~ Judith Lives to Old Age
21 When this was over, everyone returned home. Judith went back to Bethulia
and lived on her property; as long as she lived, she enjoyed a great reputation
throughout the country. 22 She had many suitors, but all her days,
from the time her husband Manasseh died and was gathered to his people, she
never gave herself to another man. 23 Her fame spread more and more,
the older she grew in her husband's house; she lived to the age of one hundred
and five. She emancipated her maid, then died in Bethulia and was buried in the
cave where Manasseh her husband lay. 24 The House of Israel mourned
her for seven days. Before her death she had distributed her property among her
own relations and those of her husband Manasseh. 25 Never again
during the lifetime of Judith, nor indeed for a long time after her death, did
anyone trouble the Israelites.
The message of the Book of Judith is that those who are true to their commitments to God can always count on His fidelity to them. The entire story sends a message of hope in Yahweh, the One True God, who guides the course of His covenant people's history. The book ends with an exultation of God's agent, Judith. After going up to Jerusalem with all her people, she dedicates her share of the enemy's booty to God. Then she returns to Bethulia, where she spends the rest of her long life as a contented widow, honored and esteemed by all her people (15:8-16:25).
Many Biblical scholars have dismissed the Book of Judith as a fable. However, Saint Robert Bellarmine, among other respected Catholic scholars, defended it. Saint Robert Bellarmine entered the newly formed Society of Jesus in 1560 and, after his ordination, taught at Louvain (1570-1576), where he became famous for his Latin sermons. In 1576, he was appointed to the chair of controversial theology at the Roman College, becoming Rector in 1592; he later became Provincial of Naples in 1594 and Cardinal in 1598. During his years of service, Saint Robert Bellarmine defended the Book of Judith's place in the canon of Sacred Scripture in Controversiae de Controversiis Christianae Fidei (1586-93) as sacred and canonical Scripture, countering Protestant objections that it is merely "holy" but not of full authority for doctrinal teaching.
Saint Bellarmine cited Saint Jerome's preface to Judith, which records that among Hebrew scholars the book was considered holy but not suitable for confirming dogmas of faith. He then countered this by pointing to the First Council of Nicaea (AD 325), which included Judith in the sacred books and judged it appropriate for doctrinal teaching (Sensus Fidelium). Jerome also referred to Julius Africanus (De Partibus Legis Divinae) and Isidore of Seville (Etymologies), both of whom list Judith among the divine books taught by the Church (Sensus Fidelium).
A major Protestant objection was that the Book of Judith's history seemed to conflict with known historical events. The book's narrative begins with the Assyrian king called Nebuchadnezzar fighting Arphaxad of the Medes, but Nebuchadnezzar was not the king of the Assyrians; he was king of the Babylonians and an ally of the Medes. In addition, the Jews returned from the Babylonian captivity later, under Cyrus or Darius, not Nebuchadnezzar II. Saint Bellarmine acknowledged this difficulty but noted other scholarly responses: Bishops Eusebius and Augustine, and Bede, Lyranus, and John Driedo placed the events in Judith after the Babylonian captivity, identifying the foreign enemy Nebuchadnezzar II as symbolically representing Cambyses or Darius (Sensus Fidelium). Other Biblical scholars, including Severus Sulpicius, Gerard Mercator, and Artaxerxes Ochus, argued that the story predates the captivity (Sensus Fidelium). Saint Bellarmine argued that the historical details are not essential to the book's doctrinal value; the Church accepts it as inspired Scripture regardless of minor chronological disputes.
Bellarmine places Judith alongside other deuterocanonical books, including Tobit, Wisdom, Ecclesiasticus, 1 and 2 Maccabees, in the canon of Sacred Scripture as defined by the Third Council of Carthage (AD 419), the Council of Trent (AD 1545-63), and papal decrees such as those of Innocent I and Gelasius I (Sensus Fidelium). He emphasized that the heretics deny its doctrinal authority, but the Church holds it as sacred and infallible in truth (Sensus Fidelium). In short, Bellarmine's defense rests on ecclesiastical tradition, the Council of Nicaea's endorsement, and the teachings of the Church Fathers. He acknowledges historical inconsistencies but strongly affirms the book's doctrinal standing (Sensus Fidelium).
The Church Fathers have seen the Book of Judith (among other Old Testament narratives) as an example of God's Providence.2 He never leaves his covenant people unprotected. The inspired writers, including the writer of the Book of Judith, are very aware of God's preference for what is humble and weak, and for what seems of no account, to bring to nothing that which seems to be very strong. In the Book of Judith, a mere woman, who is weaker than a man as far as physical strength, proves to be stronger because of her bravery and reliance on God (Clement of Rome, Ad Corinthios, 55, 3-5; St. Ambrose, De viduis, 38ff). Judith also models other virtues: courage, chastity, trust in prayer, and, through her firmness in rejecting possible suitors, a model for widows who decide to dedicate their lives to God.
Endnotes:
1. Hanukkah,
also called the Feast of Lights, celebrates the rededication of the Jerusalem
Temple in 164 BC after it had been defiled by Antiochus IV Epiphanes
(1 Macc 4:56;
Jesus also celebrated it in John 10:22).
Return to Lesson
2. God's Providence is His continuous sovereign guidance, care, and governance over all His creation in directing everything according to His wisdom, purpose, and divine will. Nothing happens by chance because God knows every detail of the natural world and human actions. While God's Providence affirms His sovereign authority, it also allows for human responsibility and the expression of free will. Humans can make choices, but God can use those choices to accomplish His purposes.
There are three main aspects of God's Providence:
Some Scripture references about God's Providence (NABRE):
Michal E Hunt, Copyright © 2026 Agape Bible Study. Permissions All Rights Reserved.