And she arose, and decked herself with her apparel and all her woman's
attire; and her servant went and laid rugs of soft skins on the ground
for her over against Holofernes, which she had received of the officer
for her daily use, that she might sit and eat upon them. And {98}
Judith came in and sat down, and Holofernes' heart was ravished with
her, and his soul was moved, and he desired exceedingly her company.

And Holofernes said to her, "Drink now, and be merry with us."

And 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."

And she ate and drank before him what her servant had prepared. And
Holofernes took great delight in her, and drank exceedingly much wine,
more than he had drunk at any time in one day since he was born.

But when the evening was come, his servants made haste to depart, and
his officer shut the tent without, and dismissed them that waited from
the presence of his lord; and they went away to their beds: for they
were all weary, because the feast had been long. But Judith was left
alone in the tent, and Holofernes lying along upon his bed: for he was
drunk with wine. And Judith had commanded her servant to stand without
her bedchamber, and wait for her coming forth, as she did daily: for
she said she would go forth to her prayer; and she spoke to the
officer according to the same words.

_Judith Kills the Great Captain_.

And all went away from her presence, and none was left in the
bedchamber, neither small nor great. And Judith, standing by his bed,
said in her heart, "O Lord God of all power, look in this hour upon
the works of my {99} hands for the exaltation of Jerusalem. For now is
the time to help thine inheritance, and to do the thing that I have
purposed to the destruction of the enemies which are risen up against
us."

And she came to the rail of the bed, which was at Holofernes' head,
and took down his scimitar from thence; and she drew near unto the
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 took away
his head from him, and tumbled his body down from the bed, and took
down the canopy from the pillars; and after a little while she went
forth, and gave Holofernes' head to her maid; and she put it in her
bag of victuals: and they two went forth together unto prayer,
according to thei