Judith, a widow of three years, was a beautiful, holy woman of Israel who opposed the Israeli plan to surrender to the pagan enemies. After hearing the rumors, Judith approached the elders of the city with a plan to save her people: “Listen to me,” she told the men. “…Stand at the city gate tonight, and I will go out with my maid; and within the days after which you have promised to surrender the city to our enemies, the Lord will deliver Israel by my hand. Only, do not try to find out what I plan; for I will not tell you until I have finished what I am about to do” (Judith 8:32-34).
Judith, receiving approval from the elders, proceeded to prepare herself. She asked God for his protection, and then changed out of her black, mourning outfit into festive apparel that augmented her beauty. Judith left her people and approached the Assyrians.
When questioned by the Assyrians, Judith explained that she was fleeing Israel before it would fall into the hands of the Assyrians, and that she wanted to advise Holofernes on how he could best win victory over the Israelites.
Things went as planned. Judith was granted permission to speak with Holofernes, and he, overcome by her great beauty, readily listened to her plans. The days passed, Judith retreating every day to pray and discern if the time had come for Holofernes to attack the Israelites. One day, Holofernes invited Judith to a banquet, for his “heart was ravished with her and he was moved with great desire to possess her” (Judith 12:16). Judith attended the banquet, and at the end of the night, was left alone in the tent with Holofernes. Now, Holofernes lay, passed out on his bed, since he had consumed more wine that night than any other night in his entire life (Judith 12:20). Judith knew the time had come.
Beseeching God’s blessing, Judith procured Holofernes’ sword. Breathing a prayer for strength, she heaved the sword above her head and let it fall into Holofernes’ neck. Unable to completely sever his head from his body, Judith raised the sword again. This time, the blade sliced through. Rolling Holofernes’ body out of sight, Judith took his head and left the tent, giving the head to her maidservant, who hid it in a food bag. Then the two retreated from the camp, to pray, as was their custom. Having evaded the Assyrians, Judith and her maidservant returned to the Israelite dwelling.
All of Israel rejoiced when they saw Judith and Holofernes’ head. Then they prepared to fight the Assyrians, knowing that when the Assyrians would seek Holofernes’ council the following day and find him dead, they would flee in terror, handing the victory to the Israelites. All went as planned, and the Israelites sang praises to God. Judith rejoiced, saying:
“The Assyrians came down from the mountains of the north; he came with myriads of his warriors…But the Lord Almighty has foiled them by the hand of a woman” (Judith 16:4a, 6).
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I am simply amazed by the strength and courage Judith possesses. She is not forced to deceived and decapitate Holofernes, but instead, choses, on her own accord, to risk her life, deceive her enemies, and kill their commander. And yet, she does all this without a second thought.
Furthermore, she does this as a woman. So often, we women hear that we are weaker than men and that we need to become like men to prove our strength. Judith does not try to be a man in order to save her people; she saved them by being a woman, by charming Holofernes with her sweetness and beauty. She didn’t even have the strength to kill Holofernes with one blow; she had to strike him twice! And yet, Judith took up the sword fearlessly and did what she had to do.
We as women may be physically weaker than men in a certain sense, having less muscle mass and blood than men. Yet we are also strong also, and do not need to become like men in order to prove our strength. Ladies, we must embrace our femininity and the gifts and strength particular to us as women. Use your beauty, your sensitivity, your intellect; do not be ashamed of these gifts. God has blessed you with them. Use them. And you will find, that God will foil our enemies.
-Margaret
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