"Wherefore I thy servant, knowing all this, fled away from their presence; and God sent me to work things with thee, whereat all the earth shall be astonished, even as many as shall hear it. For thy servant is religious, and serveth the God of heaven day and night: and now, my lord, I will abide with thee, and thy servant will go forth by night into the valley, and I will pray to God, and he shall tell me when they have committed their sins: and I will come and show it also to thee; and thou shalt go forth with all thy host, and there shall be none of them that shall resist thee. And I will lead thee through the midst of Judaea, until thou comest over against Jerusalem; and I will set thy seat in the midst thereof; and thou shalt drive them as sheep that have no shepherd, and a dog shall not so much as open his mouth before thee: for these things were told me according to my foreknowledge, and were declared unto me, and I was sent to tell thee."

And her words were pleasing in the sight of Holofernes and of all his servants; and they marveled at her wisdom, and said, "There is not such a woman from one end of the earth to the other, for beauty of face, and wisdom of words."

[{96}]

And Holofernes said to her, "God did well to send thee before the people, that might should be in our hands, and destruction among them that lightly regarded my lord. And now thou art beautiful in thy countenance, and wise in thy words: for if thou shalt do as thou hast spoken, thy God shall be my God, and thou shalt dwell in the house of King Nebuchadnezzar, and shalt be renowned through the whole earth."

And he commanded to bring her in where his silver vessels were set, and bade that they should prepare for her of his own meats, and that she should drink of his own wine. And Judith said, "I will not eat thereof, lest there be an offense: but provision shall be made for me of the things that are come with me."

And Holofernes said to her, "But if thy provisions should fail, whence shall we be able to give thee the like? for there is none of thy race with us."

And Judith said to him, "As thy soul liveth, my lord, thy servant shall not spend those things that be with me, until the Lord work by my hand the things that he hath determined."

And the servants of Holofernes brought her into the tent, and she slept till midnight, and she rose up toward the morning watch, and sent to Holofernes, saying, "Let my lord now command that they suffer thy servant to go forth to prayer."

And Holofernes commanded his guards that they should not stay her: and she abode in the camp three days, and went out every night into the valley of Bethulia. [{97}] and washed herself at the fountain of water in the camp. And when she came up, she besought the Lord God of Israel to direct her way to the raising up of the children of his people. And she came in, and remained in the tent, until she took her food toward evening.

Holofernes Makes a Feast.