Yudit (Judith) — 14

Yudit’s Counsel

1 Then Yudit said to them, “Listen to me, my brethren, and take this head and hang it upon the parapet of your wall. 

2 And as soon as morning comes and the sun rises, let every valiant man take his weapons and go out of the city, and set a captain over them, as if you were going down to the plain against the Assyrian outpost; only do not go down. 

3 Then they will seize their arms and go into the camp and rouse the officers of the Assyrian army; and they will rush into the tent of Hulufarnas, and will not find him. Then fear will come over them, and they will flee before you, 

4 and you and all who live within the borders of Yashar'AL shall pursue them and cut them down as they flee. 

5 But before you do all this, bring Achiur the Ammunites to me, and let him see and recognize the man who despised the house of Yashar'AL and sent him to us as if to his death.”

6 So they summoned Achiur from the house of Uzzyahu, and when he came and saw the head of Hulufarnas in the hand of one of the men at the gathering of the people, he fell down on his face and his spirit failed him. 

7 And when they raised him up he fell at Yudit’s feet, and knelt before her, and said, “Baraked are you in every tent of Yahudah! In every nation those who hear your name will be alarmed. 

8 Now tell me what you have done during these days.” Then Yudit described to him in the presence of the people all that she had done, from the day she left until the moment of her speaking to them. 

9 And when she had finished, the people raised a great shout and made a joyful noise in their city. 

10 And when Achiur saw all that the 𐤀𐤋𐤅𐤄_ALUAH of Yashar'AL had done, he believed firmly in 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH, and was circumcised, and joined the house of Yashar'AL, remaining so life.

Hulufarnas Death Is Discovered

11 As soon as it was dawn they hung the head of Hulufarnas on the wall, and every man took his weapons, and they went out in companies to the passes in the mountains. 

12 And when the Assyrians saw them they sent word to their commanders, and they went to the generals and the captains and to all their officers. 

13 So they came to Hulufarnas tent and said to the steward in charge of all his personal affairs, “Wake up our master, for the slaves have been so bold as to come down against us to give battle, in order to be destroyed completely.”

14 So Baguas went in and knocked at the door of the tent, for he supposed that he was sleeping with Yudit. 

15 But when no one answered, he opened it and went into the bedchamber and found him thrown down on the platform dead, with his head cut off and missing. 

16 And he cried out with a loud voice and wept and groaned and shouted, and rent his garments. 

17 Then he went to the tent where Yudit had stayed, and when he did not find her he rushed out to the people and shouted, 

18 “The slaves have tricked us! One Abarym (Hebrew) woman has brought dishonor upon the house of King Nabuchadnazzar! For look, here is Hulufarnas lying on the ground, and his head is not on him!”

19 When the leaders of the Assyrian army heard this, they rent their tunics and were greatly dismayed, and their loud cries and shouts arose in the midst of the camp.