Judith's Plan
1 Then Judith said to them, “My friends, please follow my advice. In the morning, take this head and hang it on the town wall. 2 Appoint a leader for yourselves, and at sunrise have all your able-bodied men take their weapons and march out of the town with him, as if they were going down into the valley to attack the Assyrian outpost. 3 The Assyrian guards will grab their weapons and rush back to camp to wake up their officers. The officers will run to Holofernes' tent but will not find him, and the whole army will be terrified and retreat as you advance against them. 4 Then you and all the other Israelites will be able to follow them and kill them as they retreat. 5 But before you do any of this, send Achior the Ammonite to me. I want to see if he recognizes Holofernes, the man who spoke of Israel with contempt and sent Achior to us, thinking he would be killed along with the rest of us.”
Achior's Conversion
6 So they called Achior from Uzziah's house. But when he came and saw the head of Holofernes in the hands of one of the men, Achior fainted and fell to the floor. 7 When they had helped him up, Achior bowed at Judith's feet in respect. “May every family in the land of Judah praise you,” he said, “and may every nation tremble with terror when they hear your name. 8 Please tell me how you managed to do this.”
While all the people were gathered around, Judith told him everything that she had done from the day she left the town until that moment. 9 When she had finished her story, the people cheered so loudly that the whole town echoed with sounds of joy. 10 When Achior heard all that the God of Israel had done, he became a firm believer. He was circumcised and made a member of the Israelite community, as his descendants are to the present day.
Panic in Holofernes' Camp
11 The next morning the Israelites hung the head of Holofernes on the wall of the town. All of them took up their weapons and went out in companies to the slopes in front of the town. 12 When the Assyrians saw what was happening, they sent word to their officers, and these reported the matter to their superiors. 13 These men then went to Holofernes' tent and said to Bagoas, “Wake up the general! Those worthless Israelites have dared to come down from the mountain to attack us; they are just asking to be destroyed.”
14 Bagoas went in and clapped his hands in front of the sleeping quarters of the tent, thinking that Holofernes was in bed with Judith. 15 When there was no answer, he drew the curtain aside and went in, and there he found the headless body sprawled over a footstool. 16 Bagoas let out a yell. He screamed, tore his clothes, and started groaning and weeping. 17 He went into the tent where Judith had stayed, but of course he did not find her. He rushed out and shouted to the officers, 18 “They have tricked us! One Israelite woman has disgraced Nebuchadnezzar's whole kingdom. Look in there! Holofernes is lying dead on the ground and his head is gone!” 19 When the officers heard this, they tore their clothes in grief; and as the panic spread, wild cries and shouts were heard throughout the camp.
Ahiors pāriet jūdaismā
1 Judīte viņiem sacīja: “Uzklausiet mani, brāļi, ņemiet šo galvu un uzkariet to uz jūsu aizsargmūra baļķa, 2 un, līdzko ausīs rītausma un saule uzlēks virs zemes, satveriet katrs savus kara ieročus un ik spējīgs vīrs izejiet ārpus pilsētas un priekšā lieciet virsnieku, it kā jūs taisītos nokāpt līdzenumā uzbrukt asīriešu priekšpostenim, bet nenokāpiet. 3 Tad viņi, ieročus paņēmuši, dosies uz savu nometni un piecels asīriešu karaspēka komandierus, un tie visi saskries pie Holoferna telts, bet viņu neatradīs, un tiem uzkritīs bailes, un tie bēgs jums pa priekšu, 4 un jūs viņiem dzīsieties pakaļ, un visos apgabalos visi Israēla iedzīvotāji lai satriec viņus, tiem bēgot. 5 Bet, pirms jūs to darāt, pasauciet amonieti Ahioru, lai viņš uzlūko, vai pazīst to, kas nonicināja Israēla namu un sūtīja viņu pie mums it kā uz nāvi.” 6 Tie pasauca no Ozijas nama Ahioru, kā viņa bija vēlējusi. Kad viņš ieraudzīja Holoferna galvu tautas sapulcē kāda vīra rokā, viņš nokrita zemē kā pamiris, 7 bet, kad atguvās, viņš krita pie Judītes kājām un sauca: “Lai svētīta tu ik Jūdas miteklī un visā tautā, kas, dzirdot tavu vārdu, bailēs drebēs. 8 Bet dari taču man zināmu, ko tu šajās dienās esi darījusi.” Un Judīte pavēstīja viņam visas tautas vidū, ko bija darījusi kopš tās dienas, kad viņa izgāja, līdz pat brīdim, kad runāja ar viņiem. 9 Kad viņa mitējās runāt, ļaudis varenā balsī sāka kliegt un līksmi iegavilējās savā pilsētā. 10 Ahiors, redzēdams, ko Dievs Israēlam darīja, patiesi sāka ticēt Dievam, likās apgraizīties un pieķērās Israēla namam uz visiem laikiem.
Asīrieši atklāj Holoferna nāvi
11 Kad uzausa rītausma, viņi izkāra Holoferna galvu pāri mūrim; un ik vīrs sagrāba savu ieroci, un tie izgāja kaujas ierindās uz kalnu pāreju. 12 Kad asīrieši viņus ieraudzīja, tie sūtīja pie saviem vadoņiem, bet tie skrēja pie saviem pulkvežiem un ģenerāļiem un pie ikviena sava virsnieka. 13 Kad viņi nonāca līdz Holoferna teltij, tie sacīja tam, kas bija pār visiem viņa ļaudīm: “Piecel mūsu kungu, jo vergi ir uzdrošinājušies doties pret mums uzbrukumā, – lai iznīcinām tos galīgi.” 14 Bagojs iegāja un pieklauvēja pie telts durvīm, jo domāja, ka tas guļ ar Judīti. 15 Kad neviens tomēr neatbildēja, viņš atvēra telts ieeju un iegāja guļamistabā, un atrada to mirušu bez galvas nomestu zemē guļam uz sliekšņa. 16 Viņš sāka brēkt varenā balsī, raudādams, elsodams un skaļi kliegdams, un saplēsa savas drēbes. 17 Tad viņš iegāja teltī, kur Judīte mēdza atpūsties, un, viņu neatradis, izlēca pie tautas un kliedza: 18 “Vergi mūs apkrāpuši, viena ebreju sieva apkaunojusi visu ķēniņa Nebūkadnecara namu, jo, redzi, Holoferns beigts guļ zemē, un viņa galvas nav uz viņa pleciem.” 19 Kad asīriešu karaspēka virsnieki to izdzirdēja, tie saplēsa savas drēbes un viņu dvēseles sagrāba liels satraukums, un nometnes vidū atskanēja skaļa kliegšana un klaigāšana.
