Judith 8-16

Judith the God-fearing! Judith the beautiful! Judith the wise! Judith the brave! Judith the handmaiden of the Lord! 

Judith, widow of Manasseh and widely respected throughout Bethulia, calls the rulers of the city together to chastise them for placing limits on the Lord and putting Him to the test. How? By taking an oath that they will surrender to Holofernes if the Lord does not rescue them within five days. She challenges them:

You cannot plumb the depths of the human heart or grasp the workings of the human mind; how then can you fathom God, who has made all these things, discern his mind, and understand his plan?

Inspired by God, Judith promises to take matters into her own hands to deliver her people, with God's help. First, she prays to God, filled with confidence in Him:

You are the God of the lowly, the helper of the oppressed, the supporter of the weak, the protector of the forsaken, the savior of those without hope.

She abandons her widow's clothes and adorns herself as she had when her husband still lived. She leaves the city with her maid and delivers herself directly into the hands of Holofernes. Over the course of several days, Judith captivates him with her wisdom, eloquence, and beauty. She also prays fervently to God for her opportunity. 

Holofernes invites her to a feast, where he consumes great quantities of wine. A very drunk and amorous Holofernes invites her to his tent, and they are locked inside. Judith has her opportunity, and doesn't waste it. She separates Holofernes' head from his body with two chops of his sword, places it in a bag, and slips away with her maid. 

They make their way back to Bethulia, where she is welcomed warmly. Holofernes' head is displayed on a spike for all, including Achior, to see. At Judith's direction, the Israelites prepare for battle and advance to within sight of Holofernes' troops. When his officers go to Holofernes' tent to inform him of the situation, they discover his corpse. Word quickly spreads, and his troops scatter in panic. They are easily overtaken and slaughtered by the Israelites.

Judith leads the people in prayer, singing a hymn of praise to God:

A new hymn I will sing to my God. O Lord, great are you and glorious, wonderful in power and unsurpassable. Let your every creature serve you; for you spoke and they were made, you sent forth your spirit, and they were created; no one can resist your word.... But to those who fear you, you are very merciful.

Judith lives out her life among her people, remaining a widow until her death, revered by the  Israelites for generations.

Judith 1-7

The Book of Judith begins with a long explanation of the geopolitical situation in this part of the world. Nineveh is the regional superpower, and Nebuchadnezzar is its king. Holofernes is the general commanding of Nebuchadnezzar's army. At Nebuchadnezzar's direction, Holofernes sets out to conquer the other peoples of the region. Some are handily defeated in battle, while others simply surrender due to Holofernes' reputation. The Israelites lay in the path of destruction, but they cry out fervently to the Lord for deliverance. The Lord heard their cry and had regard for their distress.

Achior, leader of the Ammonites (allies of Nebuchadnezzar), tries to warn Holofernes about the strength of the Israelites' God. But he only incurs Holofernes' anger with his warning, and is exiled, with the promise that he will be killed once Holfernes conquers the Israelites. Exiled among the Israelites in Bethulia, Achior tells them what has come to pass, and they fall prostrate and worship God and call upon Him for help. Holofernes begins the siege of Bethulia, cutting off the water supply in an attempt to force the Israelites to surrender. This continues for 34 days, and all the cisterns run dry. The Israelites gather to contemplate surrender, but Uzziah, one of the rulers of Bethulia, urges them to trust the Lord and hang on for five more days. They agree to trust the Lord a little longer and wait in hope for His mercy.