Judith

c. 7th or 6th century BC

The story of Judith, a humble, virtuous, and brave heroine from Old Testament times, is found in the Deuterocanonical book of Judith. Similar to the story of Esther, Judith singlehandedly saved her people from destruction by the will and power of the Lord. Like David, Judith was an underdog who faced and defeated a prideful and dangerous leader. In the Vulgate, Jerome asserts translating an Aramaic text of the account. The oldest fragment of the book is from the third century source and is written in Greek. The story does correlate with the geographical and historical events of the time, as well as Jewish religious customs of the time. There is scholarly debate on whether the story is didactic fiction or factual history, but the impact of the story of Judith culturally and artistically cannot be underestimated.

Judith’s story is set in 587 BCE in a small town near Samaria. The people are under attack by the Assyrians for thirty-four days until Judith intervenes. Like many Old Testament accounts, these events speak to God’s sovereignty over Israel. Judith is a faithful widow still actively mourning the loss of her husband with a life of prayer and fasting. The leaders of the town are attempting to test God and force his hand in relenting to destroy their sinful ways. Judith is angered and sends for the leaders to reprimand them. They recognize her wisdom and understanding. She declares that “she is about to do something that will go down through all generations,” and that “the Lord will deliver Israel by my hand” (Judith 8:32, 33b).

She immediately prostrates herself before the Lord in a time of prayer and fasting before she takes any action. She calls out, “For your strength does not depend on numbers, nor your might on the powerful. But you are the God of the lowly, helper of the oppressor, upholder of the weak, protector of the forsaken, and savior of those without hope.” (9:11) Judith dresses in her finest attire and jewelry, puts on a tiara, and makes herself irresistible to any men who see her. The men of the town watch her leave the town to attempt what they were not courageous enough to consider. Judith and her maid are “captured” by the Assyrians, and their commander Holofernes is taken in with beauty. He plans to seduce her, but drinks too much and passes out after his guards leave his tent. Judith grabs his sword, severs his head, puts it into a food bag with the help of her maid, carries it back to her town, and announces the victory and their deliverance. She gives all of the glory to God, and leads her town in a rousing hymn of praise that bears numerous resemblances to other victory hymns by women in Scripture such as Miriam, Deborah, and even Mary’s Magnificat.

Resources:

Apostolos-Cappadona, Diane. Dictionary of Women in Religious Art. New York, Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1998.
Brine, Kevin R., Elena Ciletti, and Henrike Lahnemann, eds. The Sword of Judith: Judith Studies Across the Disciplines. Cambridge, UNITED KINGDOM: Open Book Publishers, 2010.
“Smarthistory – Artemisia Gentileschi, Judith Slaying Holofernes.” Accessed April 1, 2025. https://smarthistory.org/gentileschi-judith-slaying-holofernes/.
Uffizi Galleries. “Judith by Cristofano Allori.” Accessed April 1, 2025. https://www.uffizi.it/en/artworks/judith-with-the-head-of-holofernes.