JUDITH, THE Boot( OF, iS one of the most interesting of the Apocryphal books, and has called forth a greater variety of opinions amongst interpreters since the days of the Reformation, than almost any other of the Deutero-canonical productions.
1. 77tle and pasition of the Book.—The book is called Yudith,lou510, or yudeth,'Iov8710, after its heroine, whose name is described as : .%wess. St. Jerome's opinion, that it is so called because Judith was the authoress of it (Comment. in Agg., i. 6), is rightly rejected by every scholar. In the MSS. of the Alexandrine version, the Vul gate, and in Wycliff's translation, Judith is placed between Tobit and Esther. This is followed by Coverdale, the Geneva version, the Bishops' Bible, and the A. V., where, from the nature of the division, it is put between Tobit and the ,Apocry phal Esther. In the Vatican copies it is placed between Tobit and the Wisdom of Solomon ; in the Zurich Bible, between Baruch and the Apoc ryphal Esther ; whilst Luther puts it at the head of the Apocryphal books.
2. Design and contents of the Book.-The design of this book is to shew that as long as God's people walk in his commandments blamelessly, no matter how distressing the circumstances in which they may temporarily be placed, the Lord will not suffer the enemy to triumph over them, but will in due time appear for their deliverance, and cause even those who are not Jews to acknowledge that the God of Israel is the only true God. To see the development of this design, as well as to enable the reader to enter into the difficulties of the book, we give the following analysis of its contents : In the twelfth year of his reign, Nebuchadnezzar, king of Assyria in Nineveh, assisted by the nations who dwelled in the hill-country, by Euphrates, Tigris, Hydaspes, and by the plain of Arioch; king of the Elymeans, made war against Arphaxad, king of Media, who had fortified himself in Ecba tana (i. 1-7); and, despite the inhabitants of the countries of the west, Persia, Libanus, Anti-libanus, Carmel, Galaad, Galilee, Esdrtelon, Samaria, etc., refusing their aid (8-12), conquered Arphaxad, and returned home to Nineveh in the seventeenth year of his reign (1346). The following year, de termined to carry out his resolution to wreak his vengeance on those nations who refused their aid, he dispatched his chief general Holofernes, at the head of 120,000 infantry and 12,000 cavalry (ii. ' 22), who soon subdued Mesopotamia, Syria, Libya, Cilicia, and Iduma. (ii. 23 ; 8), and marched on Juchea (9, to). But the children of Israel, who had newly returned from the captivity, having heard of Holofernes' atrocities, and being afraid of his despoiling the temple, determined to resist the enemy. They at once took possession of the high mountains, and foitified villages (iv. 1-5), whilst the inhabitants of Bethulia and Betomestham, according to the command of the high-priest Joachim, guarded the passes of the mountains near Dothaim (6-8); and, having made all the necessary preparations, held a solemn fast and prayed to God for protection (9-15). Enraged at their audacity in preparing to fight against him, Holofernes made inquiries of the chiefs of Ammon and Moab who this people was (v.1-4). Achior, the leader of the
Ammonites, then gives him the history of the Jews, and tells him that no power could vanquish them unless they sin against their God (5-20. The proud army, however, becomes exceedingly angry with this statement (vi. 1-9), and Holofernes orders Achior to be thrown into the Jewish camp, in order that he may be destroyed in the general de struction which was impending over the people whom he described as invincible (10-13). The Jews pick him up, and lead him to the governor of Bethulia, to whom he relates this, and who comforts him 04-21). The next day Holofernes marches against Bethulia, takes the mountain passes, seizes all the supplies of water (vii. 1-7), and lays siege to the city (8-19), which lasts forty clays, when the famishing people urge upon the governor Ozias to surrender it, and he decides to do so unless relieved within five days (20-32). The pious widow Judith, however, denounces this de cision as tempting the Almighty (viii. 1-31), and conceives a plan for delivering the people (32-36). Having prayed to the Goil of her fathers for the overthrow of the enemy (ix. 1-14), she arrays her • self in rich attire, and, accompanied by her maid, who carries a bag of provision, goes to the camp of Holofernes (x. 1-11). The guards, seeing this beautiful woman, and hearing her story, conduct her to the general (12-23), whom she tells that the Jews would now be vanquished, because they had sinned against God in eating the victuals conse crated to the Temple (xi. 1-15) ; that she had fled from the impending destruction, and would shew him the access to the city, only requesting that she should be permitted to go out of the camp to pray in the night (16-19). Holofernes, smitten with her charms, gives her a sumptuous entertainment, and invites her to remain within the tent that night (xii. 1-2o). When heavily asleep in conse quence of having drunk too freely, Judith seizes his falchion, strikes off his head, gives it to her maid outside, who puts it in the bag which contained the provisions ; they both leave the camp as usual under the pretence of devotion, and return to Bethulia, displaying the head of Holofernes, amidst the rejoicings and thanksgivings of the people (xiii. 1-2o). Achior, hearing of this won derful deliverance, is at once converted to Judaism, whilst Judith counsels the Israelites to surprise the enemy next morning (xiv. I-10), who, being panic stricken at the loss of their general, are soon dis comfited, leaving immense spoil in the hands of the Jews (xiv. I I). The women of Israel then express their gratitude to their sister 02-13), whilst Judith bursts forth in a sublime song of praise to the God of their salvation (xvi. 1-17), whereupon all of them go up to Jerusalem to wor ship the Lord with sacrifices and feastings (18-2o). Judith afterwards returns to her native place, Bethulia, manumits her maid, and dies at the advanced age of 105 years, greatly lamented by all the nation, whose peace no enemy dared to disturb for a long time (21-25).