Yudit (Judith) — 10

Yudit Prepares to Go to Hulufarnas 

1 When Yudit had ceased crying out to the 𐤀𐤋𐤅𐤄_ALUAH of Yashar'AL, and had ended all these words, 

2 she rose from where she lay prostrate and called her maid and went down into the house where she lived on shabbats and on her feast days; 

3 and she removed the sackcloth which she had been wearing, and took off her widow’s garments, and bathed her body with water, and anointed herself with precious ointment, and combed her hair and put on a tiara, and arrayed herself in her attractive apparel, which she used to wear while her husband Manassah was living. 

4 And she put sandals on her feet, and put on her anklets and bracelets and rings, and her earrings and all her ornaments, and made herself very beautiful, to entice the eyes of all men who might see her. 

5 And she gave her maid a bottle of wine and a flask of oil, and filled a bag with parched grain and a cake of dried fruit and fine bread; and she wrapped up all her vessels and gave them to her to carry.

6 Then they went out to the city gate of Bathulia, and found Uzzyahu standing there with the elders of the city, Chabris and Charmis. 

7 When they saw her, and noticed how her face was altered and her clothing changed, they greatly admired her beauty, and said to her, 

8 “May the 𐤀𐤋𐤅𐤄_ALUAH of our fathers grant you favor and fulfil your plans, that the people of Yashar'AL and Yahushalam may be exalted.” And she worshiped 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH.

9 Then she said to them, “Order the gate of the city to be opened for me, and I will go out and accomplish the things about which you spoke with me.” So they ordered the young men to open the gate for her, as she had said. 

10 When they had done this, Yudit went out, she and her maid with her; and the men of the city watched her until she had gone down the mountain and passed through the valley and they could no longer see her.

Yudit Is Captured

11 The women went straight on through the valley; and an Assyrian patrol met her 

12 and took her into custody, and asked her, “To what people do you belong, and where are you coming from, and where are you going?” She replied, “I am a daughter of the Abarym (Hebrews), but I am fleeing from them, for they are about to be handed over to you to be devoured. 

13 I am on my way to the presence of Hulufarnas the commander of your army, to give him a true report; and I will show him a way by which he can go and capture all the hill country without losing one of his men, captured or slain.”

14 When the men heard her words, and observed her face, she was in their eyes marvelously beautiful, they said to her, 

15 “You have saved your life by hurrying down to the presence of our master. Go at once to his tent; some of us will escort you and hand you over to him. 

16 And when you stand before him, do not be afraid in your heart, but tell him just what you have said, and he will treat you well.”

17 They chose from their number a hundred men to accompany her and her maid, and they brought them to the tent of Hulufarnas. 

18 There was great excitement in the whole camp, for her arrival was reported from tent to tent, and they came and stood around her as she waited outside the tent of Hulufarnas while they told him about her. 

19 And they marveled at her beauty, and admired the Yasharalym, judging them by her, and every one said to his neighbor, “Who can despise these people, who have women like this among them? Surely not a man of them had better be left alive, for if we let them go they will be able to ensnare the whole world!”

Yudit Is Brought before Hulufarnas

20 Then Hulufarnas companions and all his servants came out and led her into the tent. 

21 Hulufarnas was resting on his bed, under a canopy which was woven with purple and gold and emeralds and precious stones. 

22 When they told him of her he came forward to the front of the tent, with silver lamps carried before him. 

23 And when Yudit came into the presence of Hulufarnas and his servants, they all marveled at the beauty of her face; and she prostrated herself and made obeisance to him, and his slaves raised her up.