What sequence and claims does Judith Chapter 10 record?

Atlas of Saints · Chapter summary

Judith prepares her appearance and provisions, then leaves through the gate with her maid. She tells watchmen she has fled and can guide their commander; the edition separately qualifies the truthfulness of her statements. The watchmen escort her to Holofernes, who is sitting beneath his canopy; she prostrates herself and is raised.

Chapter breakdown

When she finished her prayer before the Lord, Judith arose from the floor of her oratory, summoned her maid, and went down into the living quarters of her house. Setting aside the coarse haircloth and garments of her widowhood, she washed and anointed herself with the finest perfumes. She plaited her hair, crowned her head with a festive bonnet, put on the elegant attire of her joyful days, and fastened sandals upon her feet. Adorning herself with bracelets, lilies, earlets, rings, and all her finest jewelry, she prepared for her mission. The Lord bestowed an even greater radiance upon her natural beauty because her adornment depended on virtue rather than sensuality, causing her to appear incomparably lovely to all observers. Providing her maid with a vessel of wine, a jar of oil, parched corn, dried figs, bread, and cheese, Judith set out. Arriving at the city gate, they met Ozias and the elders waiting for them; stunned by her dazzling appearance, the leaders marveled at her beauty without questioning her purpose. Blessing her that the God of their fathers might grant her favor and fulfill all the designs of her heart for the glory of Jerusalem, they answered with one voice, "So be it, so be it." Praying to the Lord, Judith and her maid passed through the gates.

As dawn began to break while they descended the mountainside, a patrol of Assyrian watchmen intercepted them and demanded to know their identity and destination. Judith replied that she was a daughter of the Hebrews who had fled from her people saying that they would become prey, explaining that her fellow citizens had insolently refused to surrender voluntarily to obtain mercy. She declared that she was traveling directly to the supreme commander Holofernes to disclose their hidden vulnerabilities and reveal a route by which his army could capture the stronghold without the loss of a single soldier. Astonished by her persuasive words, the soldiers gazed upon her face in utter bewilderment at her captivating beauty. Assuring her that she had preserved her life by seeking refuge with their lord and promising that Holofernes would receive her with high honor, the watchmen escorted her directly through the camp to the general's tent.

As soon as Judith entered the commander's pavilion, Holofernes was caught by his eyes at her beauty. His surrounding officers remarked among themselves that no one could reasonably despise the Hebrew nation when its women possessed such extraordinary elegance, declaring it well worth going to war for their sake. Looking upon the general, Judith observed Holofernes sitting beneath an opulent canopy woven of purple and gold, with emeralds and precious stones. Meeting his gaze, she bowed low and prostrated herself upon the ground in homage, whereupon the attendants raised her to her feet at their master's command.

The edition separately remarks that Judith’s statements seem hard to reconcile with truth. It cautions that Scripture does not approve everything its characters do, and that even saints may slip into venial sins.

The story inside

Opening conditions: Judith prepares her appearance and provisions, then leaves through the gate with her maid. Development: She tells watchmen she has fled and can guide their commander; the edition separately qualifies the truthfulness of her statements. Chapter ending: The watchmen escort her to Holofernes, who is sitting beneath his canopy; she prostrates herself and is raised.

Lessons worth keeping

1
Judith prepares her appearance and provisions, then leaves through the gate with her maid.
2
She tells watchmen she has fled and can guide their commander; the edition separately qualifies the truthfulness of her statements.
3
The watchmen escort her to Holofernes, who is sitting beneath his canopy; she prostrates herself and is raised.

Test your recall

Which events are narrated, and which statements belong to the named speakers?

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 52436–52439
And the Lord also gave her more beauty: because all this dressing up did not proceed from sensuality, but from virtue: and therefore the Lord increased this her beauty, so that she appeared to all men’s eyes incomparably lovely.
Lines 52466–52470
And she answered: I am a daughter of the Hebrews, and I am fled from them, because I knew they would be made a prey to you, because they despised you, and would not of their own accord yield themselves, that they might find mercy in your sight.
Lines 52493–52495
And when she was come into his presence, forthwith Holofernes was caught by his eyes.