Catholic Commentary on Judith 14

"When the Assyrians heard it, they sent word to their commanders; and they went to the tent of Holofernes and found him lying dead on the floor." (Judith 14:17)

The Assyrian Camp in Disarray

Judith instructs the people: hang Holofernes's head on the parapet; at dawn, take up your weapons and go out to the valley; when the Assyrians see you, they will go to wake their general; they will not find him, and panic will seize them. Achior is brought in and identifies Holofernes's head. He faints with recognition; when he comes to, he bows down before Judith and praises the God of Israel. He is circumcised and joins the house of Israel. At dawn the army arms and attacks. The Assyrians go to rouse Holofernes; his attendant calls into the tent; he goes in and finds the headless body on the floor. When the Assyrians heard it, they sent word to their commanders; and they went to the tent of Holofernes and found him lying dead on the floor. Panic spreads through the Assyrian camp and they flee.

The Catechism draws from Achior's conversion the principle that the miraculous deliverance of the covenant community is a testimony to the nations that draws the Gentile into the covenant (CCC 57).

Living the Word

Brothers and sisters, the head that appeared on the parapet at dawn was enough. The testimony of what God had done overnight was sufficient to produce the panic in the enemy and the conversion of Achior. Display what God has done. The evidence of the night's work is the morning's evangelism.

Prayer

Lord God, let the evidence of your overnight victories be the testimony that converts the Achiors and panics the enemies. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

14
1 And Judith said to all the people: Hear me, my brethren, hang ye up this head upon our walls. 2 And as soon as the sun shall rise, let every man take his arms, and rush ye out, not as going down beneath, but as making an assault. 3 Then the watchmen must needs run to awake their prince for the battle. 4 And when the captains of them shall run to the tent of Holofernes, and shall find him without his head wallowing in his blood, fear shall fall upon them. 5 And when you shall know that they are fleeing, go after them securely, for the Lord will destroy them under your feet. 6 Then Achior seeing the power that the God of Israel had wrought, leaving the religion of the gentiles, he believed God, and circumcised the flesh of his foreskin, and was joined to the people of Israel, with all the succession of his kindred until this present day. 7 And immediately at break of day, they hung up the head of Holofernes upon the walls, and every man took his arms, and they sent out with a great noise and shouting. 8 And the watchmen seeing this, ran to the tent of Holofernes. 9 And they that were in the tent came, and made a noise before the door of the chamber to awake him, endeavouring by art to break his rest, that Holofernes might awake, not by their calling him, but by their noise. 10 For no man durst knock, or open and go into the chamber of the general of the Assyrians. 11 But when his captains and tribunes were come, and all the chiefs of the army of the king of the Assyrians, they said to the chamberlains: 12 Go in, and awake him, for the mice coming out of their holes, have presumed to challenge us to fight. 13 Then Vagao going into his chamber, stood before the curtain, and made a clapping with his hands: for he thought that he was sleeping with Judith. 14 But when with hearkening, he perceived no motion of one lying, he came near to the curtain, and lifting it up, and seeing the body of Holofernes, lying upon the ground, without the head, sweltering in his blood, he cried out with a loud voice, with weeping, and rent his garments. 15 And he went into the tent of Judith, and not finding her, he ran out to the people, 16 And said: One Hebrew woman hath made confusion in the house of king Nabuchodonosor: for behold Holofernes lieth upon the ground, and his head is not upon him. 17 Now when the chiefs of the army of the Assyrians had heard this, they all rent their garments, and an intolerable fear and dread fell upon them, and their minds were troubled exceedingly. 18 And there was a very great cry in the midst of their camp.

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