Judith 10

NEW JERUSALEM	KING JAMES BIBLE
1 Thus Judith called on the God of Israel. When she had finished praying,	1 Now after that she had ceased to cry unto the God of Israel, and bad made an end of all these words.
2 she got up from the floor, summoned her maid and went down into the rooms which she used onSabbath days and festivals.	2 She rose where she had fallen down, and called her maid, and went down into the house in the which she abode in the sabbath days, and in her feast days,
3 There she removed the sackcloth she was wearing and taking off her widow's dress, she washed alover, anointed herself plentiful y with perfumes, dressed her hair, wrapped a turban round it and put on the robeof joy she used to wear when her husband Manasseh was alive.	3 And pulled off the sackcloth which she had on, and put off the garments of her widowhood, and washed her body all over with water, and anointed herself with precious ointment, and braided the hair of her head, and put on a tire upon it, and put on her garments of gladness, wherewith she was clad during the life of Manasses her husband.
4 She put sandals on her feet, put on her necklaces, bracelets, rings, earrings and al her jewel ery, andmade herself beautiful enough to beguile the eye of any man who saw her.	4 And she took sandals upon her feet, and put about her her bracelets, and her chains, and her rings, and her earrings, and all her ornaments, and decked herself bravely, to allure the eyes of all men that should see her.
5 Then she handed her maid a skin of wine and a flask of oil, fil ed a bag with barley girdle-cakes, cakesof dried fruit and pure loaves, and wrapping all these provisions up gave them to her as wel .	5 Then she gave her maid a bottle of wine, and a cruse of oil, and filled a bag with parched corn, and lumps of figs, and with fine bread; so she folded all these things together, and laid them upon her.
6 They then went out, making for the town gate of Bethulia. There they found Uzziah waiting with the twoelders of the town, Chabris and Charmis.	6 Thus they went forth to the gate of the city of Bethulia, and found standing there Ozias and the ancients of the city, Chabris and Charmis.
7 When they saw Judith, her face so changed and her clothes so different, they were lost in admiration ofher beauty. They said to her:	7 And when they saw her, that her countenance was altered, and her apparel was changed, they wondered at her beauty very greatly, and said unto her.
8 May the God of our ancestors keep you in his favour! May he crown your designs with success to theglory of the children of Israel, to the greater glory of Jerusalem!	8 The God, the God of our fathers give thee favour, and accomplish thine enterprizes to the glory of the children of Israel, and to the exaltation of Jerusalem. Then they worshipped God.
9 Judith worshipped God, and then she said, 'Have the town gate opened for me so that I can go out andfulfil all the wishes you expressed to me.' They did as she asked and gave orders to the young men to open thegate for her.	9 And she said unto them, Command the gates of the city to be opened unto me, that I may go forth to accomplish the things whereof ye have spoken with me. So they commanded the young men to open unto her, as she had spoken.
10 This done, Judith went out accompanied by her maid, while the men of the town watched her al theway down the mountain and across the valley, until they lost sight of her.	10 And when they had done so, Judith went out, she, and her maid with her; and the men of the city looked after her, until she was gone down the mountain, and till she had passed the valley, and could see her no more.
11 As the women were making straight through the valley, an advance unit of Assyrians interceptedthem,	11 Thus they went straight forth in the valley: and the first watch of the Assyrians met her,
12 and, seizing Judith, began to question her. 'Which side are you on? Where do you come from? Whereare you going?' 'I am a daughter of the Hebrews,' she replied, 'and I am fleeing from them since they wil soon beyour prey.	12 And took her, and asked her, Of what people art thou? and whence comest thou? and whither goest thou? And she said, I am a woman of the Hebrews, and am fled from them: for they shall be given you to be consumed:
13 I am on my way to see Holofernes, the general of your army, to give him trustworthy information. Ishall show him the road to take if he wants to capture all the hil -country without losing one man or one life.'	13 And I am coming before Holofernes the chief captain of your army, to declare words of truth; and I will shew him a way, whereby he shall go, and win all the hill country, without losing the body or life of any one of his men.
14 As the men listened to what she was saying, they stared in astonishment at the sight of such abeautiful woman.	14 Now when the men heard her words, and beheld her countenance, they wondered greatly at her beauty, and said unto her,
15 'It wil prove the saving of you,' they said to her, 'coming down to see our master of your own accord.You had better go to his tent; some of our men wil escort you and hand you over to him.	15 Thou hast saved thy life, in that thou hast hasted to come down to the presence of our lord: now therefore come to his tent, and some of us shall conduct thee, until they have delivered thee to his hands.
16 Once you are in his presence do not be afraid. Tel him what you have just told us and you wil be weltreated.'	16 And when thou standest before him, be not afraid in thine heart, but shew unto him according to thy word; and he will entreat thee well.
17 They then detailed a hundred of their men as escort for herself and her attendant, and these led themto the tent of Holofernes.	17 Then they chose out of them an hundred men to accompany her and her maid; and they brought her to the tent of Holofernes.
18 News of her coming had already spread through the tents, and there was a general stir in the camp.She was still outside the tent of Holofernes waiting to be announced, when a crowd began forming round her.	18 Then was there a concourse throughout all the camp: for her coming was noised among the tents, and they came about her, as she stood without the tent of Holofernes, till they told him of her.
19 They were immediately impressed by her beauty and impressed with the Israelites because of her.'Who could despise a people who have women like this?' they kept saying. 'Better not leave one of them alive;let any go and they could twist the whole world round their fingers!'	19 And they wondered at her beauty, and admired the children of Israel because of her, and every one said to his neighbour, Who would despise this people, that have among them such women? surely it is not good that one man of them be left who being let go might deceive the whole earth.
20 The bodyguard and adjutants of Holofernes then came out and led Judith into the tent.	20 And they that lay near Holofernes went out, and all his servants and they brought her into the tent.
21 Holofernes was resting on his bed under a canopy of purple and gold studded with emeralds andprecious stones.	21 Now Holofernes rested upon his bed under a canopy, which was woven with purple, and gold, and emeralds, and precious stones.
22 The men announced her and he came out to the entrance to the tent, with silver torches carriedbefore him.	22 So they shewed him of her; and he came out before his tent with silver lamps going before him.
23 When Judith confronted the general and his adjutant, the beauty of her face astonished them al . Shefel on her face and did homage to him, but his servants raised her from the ground.	23 And when Judith was come before him and his servants they all marvelled at the beauty of her countenance; and she fell down upon her face, and did reverence unto him: and his servants took her up.