Yudit (Judith) — 12

Yudit as a Guest of Hulufarnas

1 Then he commanded them to bring her in where his silver dishes were kept, and ordered them to set a table for her with some of his own food and to serve her with his own wine. 

2 But Yudit said, “I cannot eat it, lest it be an offense; but I will be provided from the things I have brought with me.” 

3 Hulufarnas said to her, “If your supply runs out, where can we get more like it for you? For none of your people is here with us.” 

4 Yudit replied, “As your soul lives, my master, your servant will not use up the things I have with me before  𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH carries out by my hand what he has determined to do.”

5 Then the servants of Hulufarnas brought her into the tent, and she slept until midnight. Along toward the morning watch she arose 

6 and sent to Hulufarnas and said, “Let my master now command that your servant be permitted to go out and pray.” 

7 So Hulufarnas commanded his guards not to hinder her. And she remained in the camp for three days, and went out each night to the valley of Bathulia, and bathed at the spring in the camp. 

8 When she came up from the spring she prayed to 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH the  𐤀𐤋𐤅𐤄_ALUAH of Yashar'AL to direct her way for the raising up of her people. 

9 So she returned clean and stayed in the tent until she ate her food toward evening.

Yudit Attends Hulufarnas Banquet

10 On the fourth day Hulufarnas held a banquet for his slaves only, and did not invite any of his officers. 

11 And he said to Bagoas, the eunuch who had charge of all his personal affairs, “Go now and persuade the Abarym (Hebrew) woman who is in your care to join us and eat and drink with us. 

12 For it will be a dishonor if we let such a woman go without enjoying her company, for if we do not embrace her she will laugh at us.” 

13 So Bagoas went out from the presence of Hulufarnas, and approached her and said, beautiful maidservant will you please come to my master and be honored in his presence, and drink wine and be merry with us, and become today like one of the daughters of the Assyrians who serve in the house of Nabuchadnezzar.” 

14 And Yudit said, “Who am I, to refuse my master? Surely whatever pleases him I will do at once, and it will be a joy to me until the day of my death!” 

15 So she got up and arrayed herself in all her woman’s finery, and her maid went and spread on the ground for her before Hulufarnas the soft fleeces which she had received from Baguas for her daily use, so that she might recline on them when she ate.

16 Then Yudit came in and lay down, and Hulufarnas heart was ravished with her and he was moved with great desire to possess her; for he had been waiting for an opportunity to deceive her, ever since the day he first saw her. 

17 So Hulufarnas said to her, “Drink now, and be merry with us!” 

18 Yudith said, “I will drink now, my master, because my life means more to me today than in all the days since I was born.” 

19 Then she took and ate and drank before him what her maid had prepared. 

20 And Hulufarnas was greatly pleased with her, and drank a great quantity of wine, much more than he had ever drunk in one day since he was born.