Judith 16 - Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (RSVCE)

Judith Offers Her Hymn of Praise

16 Then Judith began this thanksgiving before all Israel, and all the people loudly sang this song of praise. 2 And Judith said,

Begin a song to my God with tambourines,
sing to my Lord with cymbals.
Raise to him a new psalm;[a]
exalt him, and call upon his name.
3 For God is the Lord who crushes wars;
for he has delivered me out of the hands of my pursuers,
and brought me to his camp, in the midst of the people.

4 The Assyrian came down from the mountains of the north;
he came with myriads of his warriors;
their multitude blocked up the valleys,
their cavalry covered the hills.
5 He boasted that he would burn up my territory,
and kill my young men with the sword,
and dash my infants to the ground
and seize my children as prey,
and take my virgins as booty.

6 But the Lord Almighty has foiled them
by the hand of a woman.
7 For their mighty one did not fall by the hands of the young men,
nor did the sons of the Titans smite him,
nor did tall giants set upon him;
but Judith the daughter of Merar′i undid him
with the beauty of her countenance.

8 For she took off her widow’s mourning
to exalt the oppressed in Israel.
She anointed her face with ointment
and fastened her hair with a tiara
and put on a linen gown to deceive him.
9 Her sandal ravished his eyes,
her beauty captivated his mind,
and the sword severed his neck.
10 The Persians trembled at her boldness,
the Medes were daunted at her daring.

11 Then my oppressed people shouted for joy;
my weak people shouted[b] and the enemy[c] trembled;
they lifted up their voices, and the enemy[d] were turned back.
12 The sons of maidservants have pierced them through;
they were wounded like the children of fugitives,
they perished before the army of my Lord.

13 I will sing to my God a new song:
O Lord, thou are great and glorious,
wonderful in strength, invincible.
14 Let all thy creatures serve thee,
for thou didst speak, and they were made.
Thou didst send forth thy Spirit,[e] and it formed them;
there is none that can resist thy voice.
15 For the mountains shall be shaken to their foundations with the waters;
at thy presence the rocks shall melt like wax,
but to those who fear thee
thou wilt continue to show mercy.
16 For every sacrifice as a fragrant offering is a small thing,
and all fat for burnt offerings to thee is a very little thing,
but he who fears the Lord shall be great for ever.

17 Woe to the nations that rise up against my people!
The Lord Almighty will take vengeance on them in the day of judgment;
fire and worms he will give to their flesh;
they shall weep in pain for ever.

18 When they arrived at Jerusalem they worshiped God. As soon as the people were purified, they offered their burnt offerings, their freewill offerings, and their gifts. 19 Judith also dedicated to God all the vessels of Holofer′nes, which the people had given her; and the canopy which she took for herself from his bedchamber she gave as a votive offering to the Lord. 20 So the people continued feasting in Jerusalem before the sanctuary for three months, and Judith remained with them.

The Renown and Death of Judith

21 After this every one returned home to his own inheritance, and Judith went to Bethu′lia, and remained on her estate, and was honored in her time throughout the whole country. 22 Many desired to marry her, but she remained a widow all the days of her life after Manas′seh her husband died and was gathered to his people. 23 She became more and more famous, and grew old in her husband’s house, until she was one hundred and five years old. She set her maid free. She died in Bethu′lia, and they buried her in the cave of her husband Manas′seh, 24 and the house of Israel mourned for her seven days. Before she died she distributed her property to all those who were next of kin to her husband Manas′seh, and to her own nearest kindred. 25 And no one ever again spread terror among the people of Israel in the days of Judith, or for a long time after her death.[f]

Footnotes

  1. Judith 16:2 Other authorities read a psalm and praise
  2. Judith 16:11 Other authorities read feared
  3. Judith 16:11 Gk they
  4. Judith 16:11 Gk they
  5. Judith 16:14 Or breath
  6. 16.25 Vulgate adds (verse 31): “31 But the day of the festivity of this victory is received by the Hebrews in the number of holy days, and is religiously observed by the Jews from that time until this day.”

You Might Also Like:

Judith 16 - Wycliffe Bible (WYC)

16 Then Judith sang this song to the Lord, 2 and said, Begin ye to praise God in (or with) tympans; sing ye to the Lord in (or with) cymbals; sing ye sweetly a new psalm to him; fully make ye joy, and inwardly call ye his name. [saying, Beginneth in timbrels; singeth to the Lord in cymbals; mannerly...
Read More

Judith 16 - Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (RSVCE)

Judith Offers Her Hymn of Praise16 Then Judith began this thanksgiving before all Israel, and all the people loudly sang this song of praise. 2 And Judith said,Begin a song to my God with tambourines, sing to my Lord with cymbals.Raise to him a new psalm;[a] exalt him, and call upon his name.3 For ...
Read More

Judith 16 - Revised Standard Version (RSV)

Judith Offers Her Hymn of Praise16 Then Judith began this thanksgiving before all Israel, and all the people loudly sang this song of praise. 2 And Judith said,Begin a song to my God with tambourines, sing to my Lord with cymbals.Raise to him a new psalm;[a] exalt him, and call upon his name.3 For ...
Read More

Judith 16 - New Revised Standard Version, Anglicised (NRSVA)

16 1 And Judith said,Begin a song to my God with tambourines, sing to my Lord with cymbals.Raise to him a new psalm;[a] exalt him, and call upon his name.2 For the Lord is a God who crushes wars; he sets up his camp among his people; he delivered me from the hands of my pursuers.3 The Assyrian came...
Read More

Judith 16 - New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

16 1 And Judith said,“Begin a song to my God with tambourines; sing to my Lord with cymbals.Raise to him a new psalm;[a] exalt him and call upon his name.(A)2 For the Lord is a God who crushes wars; he sets up his camp among his people; he delivered me from the hands of my pursuers.(B)3 The Assyrian...
Read More

Judith 16 - New Catholic Bible (NCB)

Chapter 161 “Break into song to my God with tambourines, sing to the Lord with cymbals.Offer to him a psalm of praise, exalt him and invoke his name.2 For the Lord is a God who crushes warfare and establishes his camp in the midst of his people; he delivered me from the hands of my oppressors.3 “The...
Read More

Judith 16 - New American Bible (Revised Edition) (NABRE)

Chapter 16Judith’s Hymn of Deliverance1 And Judith sang:“Strike up a song to my God with tambourines,(A) sing to the Lord with cymbals;Improvise for him a new song, exalt and acclaim his name.2 For the Lord is a God who crushes wars;(B) he sets his encampment among his people; he delivered me from t...
Read More

Judith 16 - Good News Translation (GNT)

Judith's Song of Praise16 Then Judith sang a song of thanksgiving there with all Israel present, and the people joined in this song of praise. 2 She sang,Praise my God and sing to him; praise the Lord with drums and cymbals; play a new song for him.Praise him and call on him for help.3 The Lord is a...
Read More

Judith 16 - Douay-Rheims 1899 American Edition (DRA)

16 Then Judith sung this canticle to the Lord, saying: 2 Begin ye to the Lord with timbrels, sing ye to the Lord with cymbals, tune unto him a new psalm, extol and call upon his name. 3 The Lord putteth an end to wars, the Lord is his name. 4 He hath set his camp in the midst of his people, to deliv...
Read More

Judith 16 - Common English Bible (CEB)

Song of Judith16 Judith said:Begin to praise my God with drums; sing to the Lord with cymbals.Adapt a psalm for him; lift up your praise, and call upon his name.2 The Lord is a God who crushes wars. He rescued me from the hand of my oppressors, and brought me into his camp in the midst of his people...
Read More