Глава 13

1–3. Judith is left alone with the intoxicated Holofernes. 4–9. Murder of Holofernes. 10–12. Safe exit from the enemy camp. 13–16. Arrival in Vetiluya and a story about the feat. 17–20. The delight of the people and Uzziah. Judith.13:1 When it became late, his servants hastened to leave, and Vahoi, dismissing those who stood before his master, shut the tent outside, and they went to their beds, since they were all tired from the duration of the feast. 1. “His (Holofernes) slaves hastened to leave, and Vagoi, having dismissed those who stood before his master, closed the tent from the outside.” The “slaves” of Holofernes mentioned here and “those who stood before him”, apparently, are the same persons, and not different. This is clear from a parallel passage in Judith. 6:10, where we read: “and Holofernes ordered his servants who stood in his tent to take Ahiora." Judith.13:2 Judith alone remained in the tent with Holofernes, who fell on his bed because he was full of wine. Judith.13:3 Judith told her maid to stand outside her bedroom and wait for her to go out, as she did every day, saying that she would go out to pray. She said the same thing to Vagoy. 3. The order to Judith's servant to stand outside her bedroom and wait for her exit was given by Judith, of course, even earlier, before the start of the feast (Judith. 12:15), about which she prudently warned Vagoi. Judith.13:4 When everyone had left her and there was no one left in the bedroom, neither small nor great, Judith, standing at the bedside of Holofernes, said in her heart: Lord, God of all power! look in this hour upon the works of my hands to the exaltation of Jerusalem, 4. “There remained neither small nor great” - Greek: άπο μικρού έως μεγάλου - “from small to large”, as translated further, Judith. 12:13 Art. “She said in her heart” - cf. 1 Sam. 1:13 “Hannah (Samuel’s mother) spoke in her heart, but her lips only moved, and her voice was not heard.” The Vulgate adds that Judith’s prayer was also accompanied by tears: cum lacrymis et labiorum motu in silentio. Judith 13:5 For now is the time to defend Your inheritance and to fulfill my purpose, to defeat the enemies who have risen up against us. Judith.13:6 Then, going up to the bedpost that stood at the head of Holofernes, she took his sword from him Judith 13:7 And approaching the bed, she grabbed the hair of his head and said: Lord God of Israel! strengthen me this day. 7. “She grabbed the hair of his head” - lit.: “she took it by the handful” (εδράζατο, from the root δράζ - “handful”), in order to more conveniently and surely strike. Judith 13:8 And with all her strength she struck Holofernes twice on the neck and took off his head Judith 13:9 And throwing his body from the bed, she took the curtain from the pillars. After a while she came out and gave the head of Holofernes to her maid, Judith 13:10 And this one put it in a bag with provisions, and both went out together, according to their custom, to pray. Having passed the camp, they went around the gorge, climbed Mount Bethului and went to its gates. 9–10. “Throwing his body out of bed.” - From what follows (Judith. 14:15) we see that this body even ended up at the threshold, where Judith dragged and threw it for greater shame and contempt, taking with her the head as a brilliant trophy of “her victory.” “She took a curtain from the pillars” to wrap her head in it and hide the blood oozing from it. “After a while she came out.” Some delay in completing her work was necessary for Judith, who, according to the ideas of those who left her in the tent with Holofernes, of course, could not have been so hastily released by him. Apparently, Judith managed to pass completely unnoticed by anyone, so that even Vagoi, when it was already morning, thought that Holofernes was still sleeping with Judith, and did not immediately decide to look into the tent (Judith. 14:14–15). If the guards, perhaps, saw her leaving the camp, then they looked at her calmly this time, as if she were going out to pray as usual, without any suspicion, especially since many people hardly even knew about the feast at Holofernes, since it took place with the participation of only a few close confidantes of Holofernes. Judith 13:11 Judith shouted from afar to those who were guarding the gate: Open, open the gate! God, our God, is with us to give more strength to Israel and victory over their enemies, as He has given today. Judith 13:12 As soon as the men of the city heard her voice, they hastened to come to the city gate and called the elders of the city. Judith 13:13 And they all ran together, from the smallest to the greatest, since her coming was beyond their expectation, and opening the gates, they received them, and, lighting a fire for illumination, surrounded them. 11–13. Deep night reigned over the earth not only at the time when Judith was working in the tent and while she was passing through the camp - as they used to think when going to prayer, but also at the moment when she was already far from her enemies and was approaching the gates of her hometown. Night time explains that Judith, from afar, shouts to the guards of the city gates so that they open them and, recognizing her by her voice, do not mistake her for the enemy. Of course, the desire to quickly share a joyful feeling with fellow countrymen (as well as the fear of pursuit) was not of secondary importance here, especially since the procedure for opening the gates required the indispensable convening and presence of the city elders. While the elders were notified and with the multitude of people, who, with the speed of lightning, the news of Judith’s arrival had spread around, ran to the gate (“everyone, from the least to the greatest”), Judith was already at the gate. It was still so dark that she was greeted by “lighting a fire for illumination.” Judith 13:14 And she said unto them with a loud voice, Praise ye the Lord, praise ye, praise the Lord, because he hath not withdrawn his kindness from the house of Israel, but this night hath crushed our enemies by my hand. Judith 13:15 And taking the head out of the bag, she showed it and said to them: Here is the head of Holofernes, the leader of the Assyrian army, and here is his curtain, behind which he lay in drunkenness - and the Lord struck him with the hand of a woman. Judith 13:16 As the Lord lives, he kept me in the way I went! for my face deceived Holofernes to his destruction, but he did not commit a nasty and shameful sin with me. 14–16. “Praise the Lord, praise, praise the Lord...” is an expression of the most rapturous joy and the highest greatness of what has happened. “On this night (the Lord) crushed our enemies with my hand.” The death of Holofernes Judith here (and above, Judith 13:5 and cf. also 17 v.) represents the defeat of the entire multitude of the enemies of Israel, who now, even with superior strength, could not continue the war, consumed by shame and disgrace for their leader who died so ingloriously. The head of Holofernes in the hands of Judith and the curtain “behind which he lay intoxicated” hinted to the people at the possibility of a terrible price, which, apparently, was the only way Judith could obtain such brilliant trophies (the possibility of sacrificing chastity). Anticipating these suspicions, Judith solemnly assures with an oath that God preserved her unharmed in her chastity, and all her self-sacrifice was limited only to enduring the lustful glances of the voluptuary on her face, the seduction of which brought him death. Judith 13:17 All the people were exceedingly astonished; fell, worshiped God and unanimously said: Blessed are You, our God, who today humiliated the enemies of Your people! 17. “The whole people were extremely amazed” - on the one hand - at the extremely subtle and skillful plan of Judith, on the other - at the fact that it came true for her so easily and successfully, despite all its extreme riskiness and courage. Judith 13:18 And Uzziah said to her, Blessed are you, daughter, by the Most High God more than all the women on earth, and blessed is the Lord God, who made the heavens and the earth and taught you to smite the head of the chief of our enemies; 18. After the people, Uzziah especially glorifies God and blesses Judith, as the main representative of the people, and calls her “daughter,” showing a particularly affectionate and friendly address. Judith 13:19 For your hope will not depart from the hearts of people who remember the power of God until forever. 19. “For your hope will not depart from the hearts of people who remember the power of God forever,” i.e. Your hope in God, which so inspired you in this amazing feat, will never cease to be the subject of a living, heartfelt, grateful memory of all who treasure the memories of every manifestation of the power of God. Judith 13:20 May God count this to you for eternal glory and reward you with blessings for the fact that you did not spare your life during the humiliation of our race, but came forward when we fell, you who walked rightly with our God. And all the people said: let it be, let it be! 20. “You did not spare your life during the humiliation of our race.” – The greatness of the risk and the terrible danger really made Judith’s feat a truly heroic mercilessness of life, although happiness returned this life voluntarily given up to death to its former safety and integrity. The people seal Uzziah's blessing on Judith with a final "Amen, Amen!" - as in other cases of similar importance, for example, Judith. 15:10 (cf. also 2 Ezra 9:47, etc.).