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1Then Holofernes said to Judith, “Take courage and don’t be afraid. I have never hurt anyone who was willing to serve Nebuchadnezzar, king of all the earth.
2If your people from the hill country had not resisted me, I would never have attacked them. They have brought this on themselves.
3But tell me why you fled from them and came over to us. In any event, you have come to safety. Take courage! You will live tonight and ever after.
4No one will hurt you. In fact, everyone will treat you well, just as they treat all the servants of my lord, King Nebuchadnezzar.”
5Judith replied, “I am your servant. Please let me speak to you, and I will not lie to you.
6If you follow my advice, God will accomplish great things through you, and you will achieve your goals.
7For I swear this by Nebuchadnezzar, king of all the earth, and by his great power, which he has given you to bring order to every living being. And because of you, not only people serve him, but even the wild animals, the livestock, and the birds live under Nebuchadnezzar’s rule.
8We have all heard of your wisdom and skill, and everyone throughout the whole world knows that you alone are the most capable man in the whole kingdom, the most knowledgeable and brilliant in military strategy.
9“We have heard about what Achior said at your council meeting, for the people of Bethulia spared him, and he told them what he told you.
10Lord and master, do not disregard what he said, for it is true. Indeed, our nation cannot be punished, nor can the sword conquer the people if they have not sinned against their God.
11“But as it is now, my lord will not be defeated by them. Death will surely fall on them, for they have been overtaken by sin and provoked the anger of their God.
12Since their food supply is depleted and their water is almost gone, they have planned to kill their livestock and eat all the parts that God has forbidden them to eat.
13And they have decided to eat the first part of the grain harvest and the tithes of the wine and oil, which they had dedicated and set aside for the priests in Jerusalem who minister in the presence of our God. It is not lawful for any of the people to even touch these things.
14But the elders of our town have sent men to Jerusalem (where they have been doing the same thing) to get permission from the high council of elders there.[#11:14 Greek lacks high council.]
15When they get this permission and act upon it, on that very day they will be handed over to you to be destroyed.
16“When I, your slave, learned all this, I fled from them. God has sent me to accomplish with you things that will astonish everyone in the world who hears about them.
17I revere and serve the God of heaven night and day. So, my lord, I would like to remain with you, but every night I must go out into the valley and pray to God. He will let me know when my people have committed their sins.
18Then I will come and tell you so that you may go out with your whole army, and not one of the Israelites will be able to stand against you.
19Then I will guide you through Judea until you reach Jerusalem, where you will be enthroned. You will round up the people like sheep without a shepherd, and no dog will so much as bark at you. I was sent to tell you all this, which has been shown to me before it even happens.”
20Judith’s words pleased Holofernes and all his servants. They were amazed at her wisdom and said,
21“No other woman on earth looks so beautiful or speaks so wisely!”
22Then Holofernes said to her, “God has done well to send you ahead of the others. This strengthens our hands to bring destruction on those who have insulted my lord.
23You are as wise as you are beautiful. If you do as you have said, your God will be my God, and you will live in the palace of King Nebuchadnezzar and be famous throughout the whole world.”