Day 172 · Part 10: The Return
Judith’s Song
In the Story
In context
Judith, in Catholic and Orthodox Bibles, eats only the food she brought into Holofernes’ camp, and for three nights goes out to the valley to pray (Judith 12:1–9). It is a hard reading: at a feast, with Holofernes drunk and alone, she takes down his own sword and kills him, and brings his head back to Bethulia (13:1–10).
She tells her town, “Praise God, who has not taken away his mercy from the house of Israel” (13:14). When Achior sees what the God of Israel has done, he believes, is circumcised and joins the house of Israel (14:10). The Assyrians flee when they find their captain dead, and Israel pursues them (14:14–15:7).
Ozias blesses her “above all the women upon the earth” (13:18). She leads the women in a dance and all Israel in a song: “The Almighty Lord brought them to nothing by the hand of a woman” (16:6). She lives in Bethulia to one hundred five, and “There was no one who made the children of Israel afraid any more in the days of Judith” (16:21–25).
Sing to Yahweh a new song! Sing to Yahweh, all the earth. Sing to Yahweh! Bless his name! Proclaim his salvation from day to day!
Psalms 96:1–2 · Judith sang, “I will sing to my God a new song”; the psalm calls, “Sing to Yahweh a new song,” and “Proclaim his salvation from day to day.”
For families
Judith grew old “in her husband’s house” and lived to one hundred five. Before she died she set her maid free and gave her goods to her husband’s nearest kin and to her own (Judith 16:23–24).
Judith passed her things on to family before she died. What is something in your family that has been passed down?
In the Bible
World English Bible, as published by eBible.org (public domain).
Judith 11
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Judith 12
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Judith 13
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Judith 14
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Judith 15
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Judith 16:1–9
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Judith 16:13–25
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A hymn for today
To God Be the Glory · words by Fanny J. Crosby
- To God be the glory, great things He hath done;So loved He the world that He gave us His Son,Who yielded His life an atonement for sin,And opened the life-gate that all may go in.RefrainPraise the Lord, praise the Lord,Let the earth hear His voice!Praise the Lord, praise the Lord,Let the people rejoice!O come to the Father, through Jesus the Son,And give Him the glory, great things He hath done.
- O perfect redemption, the purchase of blood,To every believer the promise of God;The vilest offender who truly believes,That moment from Jesus a pardon receives.RefrainPraise the Lord, praise the Lord,Let the earth hear His voice!Praise the Lord, praise the Lord,Let the people rejoice!O come to the Father, through Jesus the Son,And give Him the glory, great things He hath done.
- Great things He hath taught us, great things He hath done,And great our rejoicing through Jesus the Son;But purer, and higher, and greater will beOur wonder, our transport, when Jesus we see.RefrainPraise the Lord, praise the Lord,Let the earth hear His voice!Praise the Lord, praise the Lord,Let the people rejoice!O come to the Father, through Jesus the Son,And give Him the glory, great things He hath done.