Yudit (Judith) — 15

The Assyrians Flee in Panic

1 When the men in the tents heard it, they were amazed at what had happened. 

2 Fear and trembling came over them, so that they did not wait for one another, but with one impulse all rushed out and fled by every path across the plain and through the hill country. 

3 Those who had camped in the hills around Bathulia also took to flight. Then the men of Yashar'AL, every one that was a soldier, rushed out upon them. 

4 And Uzzyahu sent men to Batumasthaim and Babai and Chuba and Kula, and to all the frontiers of Yashar'AL, to tell what had taken place and to urge all to rush out upon their enemies to destroy them. 

5 And when the Yasharalym heard it, with one accord they fell upon the enemy, and cut them down as far as Chuba. Those in Yahushalam and all the hill country also came, for they were told what had happened in the camp of the enemy; and those in Gilaad and in Galily out flanked them with great slaughter, even beyond Damascus and its borders. 

6 The rest of the people of Bathulia fell upon the Assyrian camp and plundered it, and were greatly enriched. 

7 And the Yasharalym, when they returned from the slaughter, took possession of what remained, and the villages and towns in the hill country and in the plain got a great amount of booty, for there was a vast quantity of it.

The Yasharalym Celebrate Their Victory

8 Then Yuakim the high Kuhan, and the senate of the people of Yashar'AL who lived at Yahushalam, came to witness the good things which 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH had done for Yashar'AL, and to see Yudit and to greet her. 

9 And when they met her they all baraked her with one accord and said to her, “You are the exaltation of Yahushalam, you are the great beauty of Yashar'AL, you are the great pride of our nation! 

10 You have done all this single handed; you have done great good to Yashar'AL, and 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH is well pleased with it. May 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH Barak you for ever!” And all the people said, “So be it!”

11 So all the people plundered the camp for thirty days. They gave Yudit the tent of Hulufarnas and all his silver dishes and his beds and his bowls and all his furniture; and she took them and loaded her mule and hitched up her carts and piled the things on them.

12 Then all the women of Yashar'AL gathered to see her, and baraked her, and some of them performed a dance for her; and she took branches in her hands and gave them to the women who were with her; 

13 and they crowned themselves with olive wreaths, she and those who were with her; and she went before all the people in the dance, leading all the women, while all the men of Yashar'AL followed, bearing their arms and wearing garlands and with songs on their lips.