Chapter 6
Holofernes’s Answer. 1 When the uproar of the crowd surrounding the council had subsided, Holofernes, the commander-in-chief of the Assyrian army, said to Achior in the presence of the whole contingent of the coastland peoples, of the Moabites, and of the Ammonite mercenaries: 2 “Who do you think you are, Achior, you and your Ephraimite mercenaries, to prophesy among us as you have done today and to attempt to convince us not to make war against the people of Israel because their God will protect them? What god is there besides Nebuchadnezzar? He will send his forces and wipe them off the face of the earth. Their God will not save them.
3 “We, the servants of Nebuchadnezzar, will destroy them as easily as if they were one man. They will not be able to withstand the strength of our cavalry. 4 We will tread them underfoot, their mountains will be drunk with their blood, and their plains will be filled with their corpses. They cannot possibly withstand us and will perish without a trace. Thus says King Nebuchadnezzar, lord of all the earth. He has spoken, and none of his words will prove to be unfulfilled.
5 “As for you, Achior, you Ammonite mercenary, you have said these things in a moment of perversity. Therefore, you will not see my face again from this day until I have taken revenge on this brood of fugitives from Egypt. 6 Then when I return, the sword of my army or the spear of my servants will pierce your sides, and you will fall among the wounded. 7 My servants will now take you back into the hill country and leave you at one of the towns along the mountain passes. 8 You will not die until you perish together with them. 9 If you are truly confident that they will not fall into our hands, then there is no need for you to look so downcast. However, I have spoken, and none of my words will prove false in any respect.”
10 Achior in Bethulia. Then Holofernes ordered his servants who were standing by in his tent to seize Achior, transport him to Bethulia, and leave him for the Israelites. 11 And so the servants took him into custody and escorted him out of the camp into the plain, and from there into the hill country, until they arrived at the springs below Bethulia. 12 As soon as the men of the town saw them, they took up their weapons and ran out of the town to the top of the hill, and all the slingers prevented them from ascending by hurling stones on them. 13 Therefore, taking shelter below the hill, they bound Achior and left him lying at the foot of the hill. Then they returned to their master.
14 When the Israelites came down from their town and found him, they untied him and led him into Bethulia. They brought him before the magistrates of the town, 15 who at that time were Uzziah, son of Micah of the tribe of Simeon, Chabris, son of Gothoniel, and Charmis, son of Melchiel. 16 Then they summoned all the elders of the town, and all the young men and women also hurried to the assembly. They had Achior stand in the midst of all the people, and Uzziah interrogated him about what had happened. 17 In reply he told them what had taken place at the council of Holofernes, what he himself had said in the presence of the Assyrian leaders, and all that Holofernes had boasted he would do to the house of Israel.
18 On hearing this, the people fell prostrate in worship of God and cried out, 19 “O Lord, God of heaven, behold their arrogance. Have pity on our people in their humiliation, and look kindly this day on those who are consecrated[a] to you.” 20 Then they reassured Achior and praised him warmly. 21 Uzziah brought him from the assembly to his home, where he gave a banquet for the elders. All that night they called upon the God of Israel for assistance.
Footnotes
- Judith 6:19 Consecrated: the holy people, set apart for the kingdom of God (see Ex 19:6; Dan 7:27; 8:24). The Vulgate (Jud 6:15) gives a longer form of this prayer: “O Lord, God of heaven and earth, behold their pride; see our lowliness and look favorably upon your holy ones. Show that you do not forsake those who trust in you, but that you bring low those who trust in themselves and glory in their own strength.”