JDT

Judith 8 - Summary

Summary

Read Judith Chapter 8 Summary

Judith, daughter of Merari, has been a widow for three years and four months since her husband Manasses died of sunstroke at the barley harvest. She lives in a tent on her roof, fasts, wears sackcloth and fears God so greatly that no one speaks ill of her. Hearing of Ozias's oath, she summons the elders and rebukes them: 'who are ye that have tempted God this day?' God cannot be bound by a deadline; he tests his people as he tested Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Ozias asks her to pray for rain; instead she announces that she will go out that night with her maid, without saying why.

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Characters in This Chapter

Judith
Judith

Devout widow of Bethulia who rebukes the elders and beheads Holofernes

Holofernes
Holofernes

Assyrian general who besieges Bethulia and is killed by Judith

Joseph of Arimathea
Joseph of Arimathea

The One Who Buried Jesus

Ananias of Damascus
Ananias of Damascus

Disciple who Healed Paul

Abraham
Abraham

Father of Many Nations

Isaac
Isaac

Son of Abraham

Jacob
Jacob

Father of the Twelve Tribes of Israel

Laban
Laban

Father of Rachel and Leah

Places in This Chapter

Nineveh
Nineveh

Capital from which Nabuchodonosor rules and sends Holofernes to conquer the west

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Jerusalem
Jerusalem

City whose temple Bethulia's resistance protects, where the people give thanks and Judith dedicates the spoil

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Dothan
Dothan

Dothaim, near Bethulia, where the Assyrian army spreads its camp to besiege the town

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Bethulia
Bethulia

Besieged hill town of Judith, saved when she kills Holofernes; its site is uncertain

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Judea
Judea

Judea was the southern region of Israel, centered on Jerusalem. It was the heart of the ancient kingdom of Judah. Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, was crucified in Jerusalem, and the early church spread from Judea to the ends of the earth.

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Position in Book

The Campaign of NabuchodonosorChapters 1-3
Bethulia Under SiegeChapters 4-7
Judith's Rebuke and PrayerChapters 8-9

The widow Judith reproaches the elders for testing God, announces a plan she will not explain, and asks God to strike the proud by a woman's hand.

In the Enemy CampChapters 10-12
The Night of DeliveranceChapters 13
The Assyrian RoutChapters 14-15
Judith's Song and Last YearsChapters 16