Judith 12

CHAPTER 12

1Then Holofernes commanded her to enter, where his treasures were kept, and he commanded her to dwell there; and he ordained, what should be given to her of his feast.

2To whom Judith answered, and said, Now I may not eat of these things, which thou commandedest to be given to me, lest offence come on me; but I shall eat of these things, which I have brought with me.

3To whom Holofernes said, If these things fail, which thou hast brought with thee, what shall we then do to thee?

4And Judith said, Lord, thy soul liveth, for thine handmaid shall not spend all these things, till [or to the time that] God shall do in mine hands these things which I have thought to do . And his servants led her into the tabernacle, wither he had commanded.

5And she asked of Holofernes , while she entered, that freedom should be given to her to go out to prayer, in the night, and before the light of the day came , to beseech the Lord.

6And he commanded to his chamberlains, that, as it pleased her, she should go out, and enter [or come] in, for to pray her God by three days.

7And she went out or went forth in nights into the valley of Bethulia, and washed herself in a well of water.

8And as she went up there , she prayed the Lord God of Israel, that he would dress [or govern] her way to the deliverance of his people.

9And she entered in, and dwelled clean in the tabernacle, till that she took her meat in the eventide.

10And it was done in the fourth day, Holofernes made a supper to his servants, and he said to Bagoas, the chamberlain [or gelding] , Go thou, and counsel [or sweetly move] that Hebrew woman, that she consent willfully to dwell with me.

11For it is a foul thing with men of Assyria, if a woman scorn a man, in her doing, and that she pass free from him.

12Then Bagoas entered in to Judith, and said, A good damsel be not ashamed to enter in to my lord, that she be honoured before his face, and that she eat with him, and drink wine with gladness.

13To whom Judith answered, Who am I, that I against-say my lord?

14I shall do all things, that shall be good and best before his eyes. And whatever thing pleaseth him, this thing shall be best to me in all the days of my life.

15And she rose up, and adorned herself with her clothes, and entered, and stood before the face of Holofernes.

16And the heart of Holofernes was stirred to lust ; for he was burning in fleshly covetousness [or lust] of her.

17And Holofernes said to her, Drink thou now, and take meat in gladness [or Drink now, and sit down in joy] ; for thou hast found grace before me.

18And Judith said, Lord, I shall drink, for my soul is magnified today before all the days of my life.

19And she took, and ate, and drank before him those things, which her handmaid had made ready to her.

20And Holofernes was made glad [or merry] towards her, and he drank full much wine, how much he had never drank in one day in his life.

Wycliffe’s Bible with Modern Spelling ©2017 Wycliffe’s Apocrypha ©2013, 2015 Wycliffe’s Bible © 2012, 2015 Wycliffe’s New Testament ©2001, 2011 Wycliffe’s Old Testament ©2001, 2010 
Published by: Terence P. Noble