in his
city Bethulia. And Judith was a widow in her house three years and
four months. And she made her a tent upon the top of her house, and
put on sackcloth; and the garments of her widowhood were upon her.

And she was of a goodly countenance, and exceeding beautiful to
behold: and her husband Manasses had left her gold, and silver, and
menservants, and maidservants, and cattle and lands. And there was
none that gave her an evil word; for she feared God exceedingly.

And she heard the evil words of the people against the governor,
because they fainted for lack of water; and {87} Judith heard all the
words that Ozias spoke unto them, how he swore to them that he would
deliver the city unto the Assyrians after five days. And she sent her
maid, who was over all things that she had, to call Ozias and the
elders of her city. And they came to her, and she said to them,--

"Hear me now, O ye rulers of the inhabitants of Bethulia: for your
word that ye have spoken before the people this day is not right, and
ye have set the oath which ye have pronounced between God and you, and
have promised to deliver the city to our enemies, unless within these
days the Lord turn to help you. And now who are ye that have tempted
God this day, and stand instead of God among the children of men? And
now try the Lord Almighty and ye shall never know anything. For ye
cannot find the depth of the heart of man, and ye cannot perceive the
things that he thinketh: and how can ye search out God, which hath
made all these things, and know his mind, and comprehend his purpose?
Nay, my brethren, provoke not the Lord our God to anger. For if he be
not minded to help us within these five days, he hath power to defend
us when he will, or to destroy us before the face of our enemies. But
do not ye pledge the counsels of the Lord our God: for God is not as
man, that he should be threatened; neither as the son of man, that he
should be turned by intreaty. Wherefore let us wait for the salvation
that cometh from him, and call upon him to help us, and he will hear
our voice, if it please him. For there arose none in our age, neither
is there any of us to-day, {88} tribe, or kindred, or family, or city,
which worship gods made with hands, as it was in the former days; for
which cause our fathers were given to the sword, and for a spoil, and
fell with a great fall before our enemies. But we know no other god
beside him, wherefore we hope that he will not des