1 Now after she had ceased crying out to the Elohim of Yisra’ĕl, and had made an end of all these words,
2 she rose from where she had fallen and called her female servant, and went down to the house in the which she stayed on the Shabbath days, and on her Feast days,
3 and pulled off the sackcloth which she wore and took off the garments of her widowhood and washed her body all over with water and anointed herself with precious oil and braided the hair of her head and put on a head-dress and put on her festival garments with which she was dressed during the life of Menashsheh her husband.
4 And she put sandals on her feet, and put on her bracelets, and her chains, and her rings, and her earrings, and all her ornaments, and adorned herself splendidly, to allure the eyes of all men that should see her.
5 Then she gave her female servant a bottle of wine and a flask of oil and a bag filled with roasted grain and cakes of figs and with fine bread; so she wrapped all these together, and laid them upon her.
6 So they went out to the gate of the city of Bĕyth Yulia, and found Uzziyah and the elders of the city, Ḥabriyah and Ḥeremyah standing there.
7 And when they saw her, that her face was changed, and her garments were changed, they marvelled greatly at her loveliness, and said to her.
8 “𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄, the Elohim of our fathers give you favour and accomplish Your purposes to the esteem of the children of Yisra’ĕl and to the exaltation of Yerushalayim.” Then they worshipped Elohim.
9 And she said to them, “Command the gates of the city to be opened for me, that I may go out to accomplish that which you have spoken with me.” So they commanded the young men to open for her as she had spoken.
10 And when they had done so, Yahuḏith went out, she and her female servant with her; and the men of the city watched after her until she had gone down the mountain and till she had passed the valley and could see her no more.
11 So they went straight ahead in the valley; and the first watch of Ashshur met her,
12 and took her and asked her, “Of what people are you, and where do you come from, and where are you going?” And she said, “I am a woman of the Iḇrim, and have fled from them, for they shall be given to you to be consumed.
13 And I am coming before Holophernĕs the chief captain of your army to declare words of truth; and I shall show him a way by which he shall go and win all the hill country without losing the body or life of any one of his men.”
14 Now when the men heard her words and saw her face, they marvelled greatly at her loveliness and said to her,
15 “You have saved your life, in that you have hurried to come down to the presence of our master; now therefore come to his tent, and some of us shall accompany you until they have delivered you to his hands.
16 “And when you stand before him, do not be afraid in your heart, but show him according to your word; and he shall treat you well.”
17 Then they chose from among them one hundred men to accompany her and her female servant; and they brought her to the tent of Holophernĕs.
18 Then there was a thronging throughout the entire camp; for her coming was reported among the tents, and they gathered around her as she stood outside the tent of Holophernĕs, till they told him of her.
19 And they marvelled at her loveliness and admired the children of Yisra’ĕl because of her, and each one said to his neighbour, “Who would despise these people who have such women among them? Surely it is not good that one man of them be left, whom being released might deceive the whole earth.”
20 And those who stood near Holophernĕs and all his servants went out, and they brought her into the tent.
21 Now Holophernĕs was resting on his bed under a canopy which was woven with purple and gold and emeralds and precious stones.
22 So they informed him about her, and he came to the front of his tent with silver lamps going before him.
23 And when Yahuḏith had come before him and his servants they all marvelled at the loveliness of her face. And she fell down upon her face, and did obeisance to him; and his servants raised her up.