The Koine Bible

And as evening came, his servants hurried to depart, and Bagoas shut the tent from outside and locked out those standing before his master; and they went away to their beds, for they were all wearied because the drinking had gone on for more than long enough.

But Judith was left alone in the tent, and Holofernes, having fallen forward upon his couch, was, for the wine had been poured out upon him.

And Judith said to her maid to stand outside her sleeping chamber and to watch her going out, as every day; for, she said, she would go out for her prayer. And she spoke to Bagoas according to these words.

And they all went away from his presence, and no one was left in the bedchamber, from small to great; and Judith, having stood by his bed, said in her heart, Lord, God of all power, look in this hour upon the works of my hands for the lifting up of Jerusalem

For now it is time to take hold of your inheritance and to make my undertaking into the breaking in pieces of the enemies who have risen up against us

And coming near to the rail of the couch, which was at Holofernes’ head, she took down his dagger from him

And drawing near to the bed, she grasped the hair of his head and said, Strengthen me, Lord, God of Israel, in this day.

and she struck his neck twice in her strength and took his head away from him

And she rolled his body away from the couch and took away the canopy from the pillars, and after a little while she went out and gave Holofernes’ head to her servant girl.

And she put it into the bag of her food, and the two went out together, according to their custom, for prayer, and having passed through the camp they went around that ravine and went up Mount Bethulia, and they came to its gates

And Judith said from far off to those guarding at the gates, Open, open indeed the gate for us; God, our God, has still done strength in Israel and might against the enemies, as also today he has done.

And it came to pass, when the men of her city heard her voice, they hastened to go down to the gate of their city, and they summoned the elders of the city.

And they all ran together, from small to great, because her coming was astonishing to them, and they opened the gate and received them, and, kindling fire for light, they surrounded them.

And she said to them with a loud voice, Praise God, praise, praise God, who did not withdraw his mercy from the house of Israel, but broke our enemies by my hand in this night.

And having taken out the head from the bag, she showed it and said to them, Behold the head of Holofernes, commander-in-chief of the force of Assur, and behold the canopy in which he lay in his drunkenness, and the Lord struck him by the hand of a woman.

And the Lord lives, who preserved me in my way in which I went, because my face deceived him for his destruction, and he did not commit sin with me for defilement and shame.

And all the people were greatly astonished, and bowing down they worshiped God and said with one accord, Blessed are you, our God, who has brought low on this very day the enemies of your people.

And Ozias said to her, Blessed are you, daughter, by God Most High, above all the women on the earth, and blessed is the Lord God, who created the heavens and the earth, who guided you to the wound of the head of the ruler of our enemies.

For your hope shall not depart from the heart of men remembering the power of God forever

And may God make them for you unto an everlasting height, to visit you with good things, because you did not spare your life on account of the humiliation of our kindred, but went against our downfall, walking straight before our God. And all the people said, May it be, may it be.