What does Judith Chapter 6 record?

Atlas of Saints · Chapter summary

Holofernes orders Achior delivered to Bethulia; servants leave him tied after meeting slingers. The Israelites free him and hear his report, then pray and comfort him. Ozias hosts a supper after the fast, and the people later pray all night in their meeting place.

Chapter breakdown

Furious that Achior had proclaimed Israel was protected by their God, Holofernes asserted that there was no god but Nebuchadnezzar. He vowed that when the Assyrian sword annihilated Israel as one man, Achior would perish among their slain, sharing the vengeance Holofernes threatened. To unite Achior's fate with the people he defended, Holofernes commanded his servants to march him to Bethulia and deliver him to the Israelites. Escorting Achior across the plains, the soldiers encountered mountain slingers as they neared the heights, prompting them to turn aside, bind Achior hand and foot with ropes to a tree by the side of the mountain, and return to their master.

Men of Israel descended from Bethulia, untied Achior, and brought him into the city. Set in the midst of the people, Achior was asked why the Assyrians had abandoned him bound. The rulers at that time were Ozias son of Micha of the tribe of Simeon, and Charmi, also called Gothoniel. In the presence of the elders and the entire assembly, Achior recounted everything he had spoken in response to Holofernes, how the imperial officers had sought his death, and how Holofernes had condemned him to share Israel's destruction and torture for stating that the God of heaven was their defender.

Hearing Achior's report, all the people fell upon their faces in adoration, weeping and pouring out their prayers to the Lord God of heaven and earth. They begged God to behold the enemy's pride, regard the humility of His saints, and demonstrate that He never abandons those who trust in Him while abasing those who boast in their own might. Following a day of continuous prayer and weeping, the community comforted Achior, assuring him that the God of their fathers, whose glory he had proclaimed, would permit him to witness the destruction of their foes, inviting him to dwell among them in freedom whenever God granted deliverance.

When the assembly concluded, Ozias welcomed Achior into his house and prepared a great banquet for him and the elders, who broke their day-long fast together in fellowship. Afterwards, the entire population was summoned again, spending the whole night in prayer within their assembly hall, which a textual annotation explains was a synagogue or place where they met for prayer, imploring the God of Israel for deliverance.

The story inside

Context and action: Holofernes orders Achior delivered to Bethulia; servants leave him tied after meeting slingers. Response: The Israelites free him and hear his report, then pray and comfort him. Recorded continuation: Ozias hosts a supper after the fast, and the people later pray all night in their meeting place.

Lessons worth keeping

1
Holofernes orders Achior delivered to Bethulia; servants leave him tied after meeting slingers.
2
The Israelites free him and hear his report, then pray and comfort him.
3
Ozias hosts a supper after the fast, and the people later pray all night in their meeting place.

Test your recall

How does the encounter with slingers change what the servants do?

Source edition and notes

Douay–Rheims, revised by Richard Challoner (1749–1752). Project Gutenberg no. 1581. Locators refer to lines in the admitted pg1581.txt edition. Source notes may include Challoner commentary.

Lines 52010–52016
6:2. Because thou hast prophesied unto us, saying: That the nation of Israel is defended by their God, to shew thee that there is no God, but Nabuchodonosor: 6:3. When we shall slay them all as one man, then thou also shalt die with them by the sword of the Assyrians, and all Israel shall perish with thee:
Lines 52040–52047
6:9. Then turning out of the way by the side of the mountain, they tied Achior to a tree hand and foot, and so left him bound with ropes, and returned to their master. 6:10. And the children of Israel coming down from Bethulia, came to him, and loosing him they brought him to Bethulia, and setting him in the midst of the people, asked him what was the matter that the Assyrians had left him bound.
Lines 52068–52072
6:15. Saying: O Lord God of heaven and earth, behold their pride, and look on our low condition, and have regard to the face of thy saints, and shew that thou forsakest not them that trust on thee, and that thou humblest them that presume of themselves, and glory in their own strength.
Lines 52091–52096
6:21. And afterwards all the people were called together, and they prayed all the night long within the church, desiring help of the God of Israel. The church.... That is, the synagogue or place where they met for prayer.