Judith 4
1 Now the children of Israel, that
dwelt in Judea, heard all that Holofernes the chief captain of Nabuchodonosor
king of the Assyrians had done to the nations, and after what manner he had
spoiled all their temples, and brought them to nought.
2 Therefore they were exceedingly
afraid of him, and were troubled for Jerusalem, and for the temple of the Lord
their God: 3 for they were newly
returned from the captivity, and all the people of Judea were lately gathered
together: and the vessels, and the altar, and the house, were sanctified after
the profanation. 4 Therefore they sent
into all the coasts of Samaria, and the villages, and to Bethoron, and Belmen,
and Jericho, and to Choba, and Esora, and to the valley of Salem:
5 and possessed themselves beforehand
of all the tops of the high mountains, and fortified the villages that were in
them, and laid up victuals for the provision of war: for their fields were of
late reaped.
6 Also Joacim the high priest, which
was in those days in Jerusalem, wrote to them that dwelt in Bethulia, and
Betomestham, which is over against Esdraelon toward the open country, near to
Dothaim, 7 charging them to keep the
passages of the hill country: for by them there was an entrance into Judea,
and it was easy to stop them that would come up, because the passage was
strait, for two men at the most. 8 And
the children of Israel did as Joacim the high priest had commanded them, with
the ancients of all the people of Israel, which dwelt at Jerusalem.
9 Then every man of Israel cried to
God with great fervency, and with great vehemency did they humble their souls:
10 both they, and their wives, and
their children, and their cattle, and every stranger and hireling, and their
servants bought with money, put sackcloth upon their loins.
11 Thus every man and woman, and the
little children, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, fell before the temple, and
cast ashes upon their heads, and spread out their sackcloth before the face of
the Lord: also they put sackcloth about the altar,
12 and cried to the God of Israel all
with one consent earnestly, that he would not give their children for a prey,
and their wives for a spoil, and the cities of their inheritance to
destruction, and the sanctuary to profanation and reproach, and for the
nations to rejoice at.
13 So God heard their prayers, and
looked upon their afflictions: for the people fasted many days in all Judea
and Jerusalem before the sanctuary of the Lord Almighty.
14 And Joacim the high priest, and
all the priests that stood before the Lord, and they which ministered unto the
Lord, had their loins girt with sackcloth, and offered the daily burnt
offerings, with the vows and free gifts of the people,
15 and had ashes on their mitres, and
cried unto the Lord with all their power, that he would look upon all the
house of Israel graciously.