Holofernes Offers Food to Judith

1Holofernes commanded his servants to lead Judith to the table that had been set with his silver dinnerware and to serve her some of his own special food and wine. 2 But Judith said, "God's Law will not allow me to eat your food, so I brought enough of my own."

3Holofernes replied, "But what if you run out of your food supply? There aren't any of your people in this camp, and we won't be able to get you more food."

4Judith answered, "Sir, as surely as you live, I have plenty of food to last until the Lord has finished using me to do what he has planned."

5After that, Holofernes' servants took Judith to her tent, where she went to sleep. Then just before dawn, she got up 6and sent a message to Holofernes, asking if she could go into the valley to pray. 7Holofernes ordered his guards to let Judith leave the camp.

The same thing happened for the next three days: Judith went into the valley near Bethulia each night and washed herself in the spring water. 8After bathing, she prayed to the Lord God of Israel and asked him to show her the best way to rescue the Israelites. 9Judith then returned to her tent, completely clean, and stayed there until it was time for her evening meal.

Holofernes' Banquet

10On Judith's fourth day in the Assyrian camp, Holofernes held a banquet for only his personal servants--none of his military officers were invited. 11Bagoas was the servant in charge of his personal business, and Holofernes said to him, "Since you are the one taking care of the Hebrew woman, I want you to talk her into coming to the banquet, so she can eat and drink with us. 12It would be a shame not to sleep with such a beautiful woman. I'm sure she would laugh at us, if I didn't at least try to talk her into it."

13Bagoas left and went to see Judith. He said, "You are such a beautiful woman that General Holofernes has invited you to his tent to drink wine with him. You will be his honored guest and will be treated like the Assyrian women who serve in King Nebuchadnezzar's palace."

14Judith answered, "It would be foolish to refuse such an invitation. I will gladly go to his tent, and I will remember this night for as long as I live."

15At once, Judith put on her finest clothes. Her servant woman then went to Holofernes' tent and placed at his feet the piece of lambskin that Bagoas had given Judith to sit on while she ate.

16Judith then entered the tent and sat down on the lambskin. Holofernes was very excited to be with Judith and wanted to sleep with her right away. In fact, he had been waiting for this opportunity since he first saw her. 17He said, "Have some wine, Judith. Enjoy yourself!"

18She replied, "I'd love to, sir. This is the happiest day of my life." 19But Judith ate and drank only what her own servant had brought for her. 20Holofernes was enjoying being with Judith so much, that he drank more wine at one meal than he ever had in any one day of his whole life.