Judith 5 • Achior recounts Israel's history — Greek text and reception

Greek–English Saints Priority

It was reported to Holofernes, commander-in-chief of the army of Asshur, that the sons of Israel had prepared for war, closed the passages through the hill country, fortified every high mountain summit, and placed obstacles in the plains.

Greek–English Saints Priority

He became exceedingly furious and called all the rulers of Moab, the generals of Ammon, and all the satraps of the coast.

Greek–English Saints Priority

He said to them, “Tell me now, sons of Canaan, who is this people dwelling in the hill country? What cities do they inhabit? How numerous is their army? In what do their might and strength consist? Who has arisen as king over them, leading their army?

Greek–English Saints Priority

Why, unlike all the inhabitants of the west, have they turned their backs and refused to come and meet me?”

Greek–English Saints Priority

Achior, the leader of all the sons of Ammon, said to him, “Let my lord hear a word from the mouth of your servant. I will tell you the truth about this people who inhabit this hill country near where you are staying. No falsehood shall come from your servant's mouth.

Greek–English Saints Priority

This people are descendants of the Chaldeans.

Greek–English Saints Priority

They formerly lived as aliens in Mesopotamia, because they were unwilling to follow the gods of their fathers, who had been in the land of the Chaldeans.

Greek–English Saints Priority

They departed from the way of their parents and worshiped the God of heaven, the God whom they had come to know. So people drove them away from the presence of their gods, and they fled to Mesopotamia and lived there as aliens for many days.

Greek–English Saints Priority

Their God told them to leave the place where they lived as aliens and go to the land of Canaan. They settled there and grew rich in gold, silver, and exceedingly much livestock.

Greek–English Saints Priority

They went down to Egypt, for famine covered the face of the land of Canaan, and lived there as aliens while they were sustained. There they became a great multitude, and their race could not be numbered.

Greek–English Saints Priority

The king of Egypt rose against them and dealt craftily with them through toil and brickmaking. The Egyptians humbled them and made them slaves.

Greek–English Saints Priority

They cried out to their God, and He struck the whole land of Egypt with plagues for which there was no healing. The Egyptians drove them out of their presence.

Greek–English Saints Priority

God dried up the Red Sea before them

Greek–English Saints Priority

and led them on the way of Sinai and Kadesh-barnea. They drove out all who inhabited the wilderness,

Greek–English Saints Priority

settled in the land of the Amorites, and destroyed all the people of Heshbon by their strength. After crossing the Jordan, they inherited the entire hill country

Greek–English Saints Priority

and drove out before them the Canaanite, the Perizzite, the Jebusite, Shechem, and all the Gergesites. They lived in it for many days.

Greek–English Saints Priority

As long as they did not sin before their God, good things were with them, because a God who hates injustice is with them.

Greek–English Saints Priority

But when they departed from the way He had ordained for them, they were destroyed very severely in many wars and taken captive to a land not their own. The temple of their God was razed to the ground, and their cities were seized by their adversaries.

Greek–English Saints Priority

Now, having returned to their God, they have come up from the dispersion where they were scattered, taken possession of Jerusalem, where their sanctuary is, and settled in the hill country, because it was deserted.

Greek–English Saints Priority

And now, master and lord, if there is an offense in this people and they are sinning against their God, and we discover that this stumbling block is among them, then we shall go up and wage war against them.

Greek–English Saints Priority

But if there is no lawlessness in their nation, let my lord pass them by, lest their Lord and God shield them and we become a disgrace before the whole earth.”

Greek–English Saints Priority

When Achior finished speaking these words, all the people standing around the tent grumbled, and Holofernes' nobles, together with all the inhabitants of the coast and Moab, called for him to be cut to pieces.

Greek–English Saints Priority

“For we shall not fear the sons of Israel! Look, they are a people without force or power for a strong battle line.

Greek–English Saints Priority

Therefore we shall go up, and they will be food for your entire army, master Holofernes.”