Judith 8 • Judith challenges the elders — Greek text and reception

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In those days Judith heard about it. She was the daughter of Merari, son of Ox, son of Joseph, son of Uzziel, son of Elkiah, son of Ananias, son of Gideon, son of Raphain, son of Ahitub, son of Elijah, son of Chelkiah, son of Eliab, son of Nathanael, son of Salamiel, son of Sarasadai, son of Israel.

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Her husband Manasseh was of her tribe and family. He died in the days of the barley harvest.

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For he was standing over those binding sheaves in the field when the burning heat struck his head. He took to his bed and died in Bethulia, his city. They buried him with his fathers in the field between Dothaim and Balamon.

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Judith had lived as a widow in her house for three years and four months.

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She made herself a tent on the roof of her house, put sackcloth around her waist, and wore the garments of her widowhood.

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She fasted all the days of her widowhood except the days before Sabbaths and the Sabbaths, the days before new moons and the new moons, and the feasts and rejoicings of the house of Israel.

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She was beautiful in form and exceedingly lovely in appearance. Her husband Manasseh had left her gold, silver, male and female slaves, livestock, and fields, and she remained in charge of them.

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No one brought an evil word against her, because she feared God greatly.

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She heard the people's bitter words against the ruler, for they had lost heart through the lack of water. Judith also heard everything Uzziah had said to them, how he had sworn to surrender the city to the Assyrians after five days.

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She sent her maid, who was in charge of all her possessions, and summoned Chabris and Charmis, the elders of her city.

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They came to her, and she said to them, “Listen to me, rulers of the inhabitants of Bethulia. The word you spoke before the people today is not right. You established this oath which you spoke between God and yourselves, and said you would surrender the city to our enemies unless the Lord turned help toward you within these days.

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Who are you now, who have tested God this very day and set yourselves above God among the sons of men?

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Now you are examining the Lord Almighty, but you will never understand anything.

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You cannot discover the depth of a human heart or grasp the reasoning of its thought. How then will you search out God, who made all these things, know His mind, and understand His purpose? By no means, brothers! Do not provoke the Lord our God to anger.

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If He does not wish to help us within the five days, He has authority to shelter us on whatever days He wishes, or even to destroy us before our enemies.

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But you must not take the counsels of the Lord our God as a pledge, because God is not like a man to be threatened, or like a son of man to be brought to arbitration.

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Therefore, as we await the salvation that comes from Him, let us call upon Him for our help. He will hear our voice if it pleases Him.

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For in our generations there has arisen no tribe, family, people, or city among us that worships gods made by hands, nor is there any today, as there was in former days.

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Because of those things our fathers were given over to the sword and to plunder, and fell in a great downfall before our enemies.

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But we have known no other god besides Him. Therefore we hope that He will not overlook us or any of our race.

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For if we are captured, all Judea will also be captured, our holy things will be plundered, and He will require their profanation from our blood.

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The murder of our brothers, the captivity of the land, and the desolation of our inheritance He will turn upon our heads among the nations wherever we become slaves. We shall be a stumbling block and a disgrace before those who own us.

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For our slavery will not turn out to our favor; the Lord our God will make it a dishonor.

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Now, brothers, let us show our brothers that their life hangs upon us, and that the holy things, the house, and the altar rest upon us.

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Besides all these things, let us give thanks to the Lord our God, who tests us as He also tested our fathers.

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Remember what He did with Abraham, how He tested Isaac, and what happened to Jacob in Mesopotamia of Syria while he shepherded the sheep of Laban, his mother's brother.

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For He has not tried us in fire as He tried them to examine their hearts, nor has He taken vengeance on us. Rather, the Lord scourges those who draw near to Him for their instruction.”

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Uzziah said to her, “Everything you have said, you have spoken with a good heart, and no one will oppose your words.

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Your wisdom has not become evident only today; from the beginning of your days all the people have known your understanding, because the disposition of your heart is good.

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But the people are exceedingly thirsty. They forced us to do as we told them and to bring upon ourselves an oath which we shall not break.

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Now pray for us, because you are a devout woman. The Lord will send rain to fill our cisterns, and we shall no longer faint.”

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Judith said to them, “Listen to me. I will do a deed that will reach the sons of our race for generation upon generation.

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You shall stand at the gate tonight, and I will go out with my maid. Within the days after which you said you would surrender the city to our enemies, the Lord will visit Israel by my hand.

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But you must not investigate my action, for I will not tell you until what I am doing has been completed.”

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Uzziah and the rulers said to her, “Go in peace, and may the Lord God be before you to take vengeance on our enemies.”

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They returned from the tent and went to their appointed posts.