| Plot Summary |
And in the fourth day Holofernes made a feast to his own servants only, and called none of the officers to the banquet. Then he said to Bagoas the eunuch, who had charge over all that he had, "Go now, and persuade this Hebrew woman which is with thee, that she come unto us, and eat and drink with us." Then went Bagoas from the presence of Holofernes and came to her, and he said, let not his fair damsel fear to come to my Lord, and to be honored in his presence and drink wine, and be merry with us, and be made this day as one of the daughters of the Assyrians, which serve in the house of Nebuchadnezzar. Then said Judith unto him, who am I now, that I should gainsay my Lord? Surely whatsoever pleaseth him I will do speedily, and it shall be my joy unto the day of my death. So she arose, and decked herself with her apparel and all her woman's attire. Now, when Judith came in and sat down, Holofernes' heart was ravished with her. Then said Holofernes unto her, drink now, and be merry with us. So Judith said, I will drink now, my Lord, because my life is magnified in me this day more than all the days since I was born. Then, she took and ate and drank before him what her maid had prepared. And Holofernes took great delight in her, and drank much more win than he had drank at any time in one day since he was born. Now, when the evening was come, his servants made haste to depart, for they were all weary, because the feast had been long. And Judith was left alone in the tent, and Holofernes lying alone upon his bed; for he was filled with wine. And none was left in the bedchamber, neither little nor great. Then Judith, standing by his bed, said in her heart. O! Lord, God of all power, look at this present upon the works of mine hands for the exaltation of Jerusalem. For now is the time to help thine inheritance, and to execute mine enterprises to the destruction of the enemies which are risen against us. Then she cam to the pillar of the bed, which was at Holofernes' head, and took down his fanchion from thence, and approached to his bed, and took hold of the hair of his head, and said, Strengthen me, O! Lord, God of Israel, this day. And she smote twice upon his neck with all her might, and she took away his head from him, and tumbled his body down from the bed, and pulled down the canopy from the pillars; and anon she went forth, and gave Holofernes, his head, to her maid; and she put it in her bag of meat; so they twain went together according to their custom unto prayer; and when they passed the camp, they compassed the valley, and went up the mountain of Bethulia, and came to the gates thereof. Then said Judith afar off to the watchman at the gate, Open, open now the gate; God, even our God, is with us, to show his power yet in Jerusalem, and his forces against the enemy as he hath even done this day. Now, when the men of the city heard her voice, they made haste to go down to the gate of their city, and they called the elders of the city. And then they all ran together, both small and great, for it was strange unto them that she was come; so they opened the gate, and received them, and made a fire for a light, and stood round about them. Then she said to them with a loud voice, "Praise, praise God, praise God, I say, for he hath not taken away his mercy from the house of Israel, but hath destroyed our enemies to mine hands this night."
Written by Moving Picture World synopsis
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