Judith's Plan To Defeat the Assyrians

1Judith said:

Listen to this plan, my friends. Take the head of Holofernes and hang it from the top of the town wall. 2Then as soon as the sun comes up tomorrow morning, all of you strong men choose a leader for yourselves. Take your weapons and march out of town, as if you were going into the valley to attack the Assyrian guards on duty there. 3When they see you, they will grab their weapons and run back to their camp and wake up their officers, who will rush to the tent of General Holofernes. They will panic when they find his dead body, and the entire Assyrian army will run from you in terror. 4Then you and everyone else in Israel will kill them as they run away.

5But before you do any of this, bring Achior the Ammonite here. I want him to see the head of the man who insulted the nation of Israel and who sent him to Bethulia to be killed along with the rest of us.

6Achior was brought from Uzziah's house, and when he saw the head of Holofernes in the hands of one of the men, he fainted and collapsed on the ground. 7Achior was helped to his feet, and at once he bowed down to show his respect for Judith. He said, "Every family in Judea thanks you, and I pray that all nations will shake with fear when your name is mentioned. 8Please tell me how you did it."

Judith told Achior and the crowd everything that had happened from the day she left Bethulia until she returned. 9As soon as she finished her story, the people of the town celebrated with shouts of joy.

10After Achior had listened to what the God of Israel had done, he completely put his faith in God. Then he was circumcised and became an Israelite. And from that day on, he and his descendants worshiped God.

The Assyrians Panic

11Early the next morning, the Israelites hung the head of Holofernes on the town wall. The men armed themselves with weapons, then went out in groups and stood on the hills around Bethulia.

12As soon as the Assyrian guards saw what was happening, they reported it to their commanders, who made sure every Assyrian officer was alerted. 13The highest-ranking officers went to Holofernes' tent and said to Bagoas, "You need to wake General Holofernes and tell him those Israelites had the nerve to march out of Bethulia to attack us. They may think we can be defeated, but we will wipe out every one of them."

14So Bagoas went inside and shook the curtain that separated Holofernes' bedroom from the rest of the tent. Bagoas waited, because he thought Judith was still with Holofernes. 15No one answered, and so Bagoas opened the curtain and walked in. He saw the headless body of Holofernes lying on the floor, 16and he began moaning and crying and tearing his clothes in sorrow. 17Bagoas ran quickly to Judith's tent and saw that it was empty. Then he ran back out and shouted to the officers, 18"We've been tricked. King Nebuchadnezzar's entire kingdom has been disgraced by one woman. Look! There's Holofernes lying dead on the ground--and his head is gone!"

19As soon as the Assyrian officers learned what had happened, they tore their uniforms in sorrow. Loud crying and moaning was heard everywhere in camp.