1 Then Yahuḏith said to them, “Hear me now my brothers and take this head and hang it on the highest place of your walls,
2 and as soon as the morning comes and the sun comes up on the earth, everyone of you take his weapons and every brave man go out of the city. And appoint a captain over them, as though going down to the plain toward the watch of Ashshur; but do not go down.
3 “Then they shall take their weapons and go into their camp and raise up the captains of the army of Ashshur, and shall run to the tent of Holophernĕs but shall not find him. Then fear shall fall upon them and they shall flee before your face.
4 “So you and all that inhabit the coast of Yisra’ĕl shall pursue them and overthrow them as they go.
5 “But before you do these, call Aḵior the Ammonite to me, that he may see and know he who despised the house of Yisra’ĕl, and who sent him to us as if to his death.”
6 Then they called Aḵior out of the house of Uzziyah; and when he had come and saw the head of Holophernĕs in a man’s hand in the assembly of the people, he fell down on his face and his ruaḥ failed.
7 But when they had revived him, he fell at Yahuḏith’s feet, and did obeisance to her and said, “Baruḵ are you in all the tents of Yahuḏah and in all nations who hearing your name shall be astonished.
8 “Now therefore tell me all that you have done during these days.” Then Yahuḏith told him in the midst of the people all that she had done, from the day that she went out until that hour she spoke to them.
9 And when she had ended speaking, the people shouted with a loud voice and made a joyful noise in their city.
10 And when Aḵior had seen all that the Elohim of Yisra’ĕl had done, he believed in Elohim greatly and circumcised the flesh of his foreskin, and was joined to the house of Yisra’ĕl to this day.
11 And as soon as the morning dawned, they hung the head of Holophernĕs on the wall, and every man took his weapons, and they went out by bands to the narrow passes of the mountain.
12 But when Ashshur saw them, they sent to their leaders, who came to their captains and officers, and to each one of their rulers.
13 So they came to Holophernĕs’ tent and said to he who oversaw all his matters, “Wake our master now, for the slaves have been emboldened to come down against us to battle, that they may be utterly destroyed.”
14 Then Bagoas went in and knocked at the door of the tent; for he thought that he had lain with Yahuḏith.
15 But because no one answered, he opened it and went into the bedroom, and found him thrown on the floor dead, and his head was taken from him.
16 Therefore he cried with a loud voice with weeping and sighing and a mighty cry, and tore his garments.
17 Afterward he went into the tent where Yahuḏith had stayed; and when he did not find her, he leaped out to the people and cried,
18 “These slaves have dealt treacherously! One woman of the Iḇrim has brought shame upon the house of sovereign Neḇuḵaḏnetstsar; for look, Holophernĕs lies upon the ground without a head!”
19 When the captains of the army of Ashshur heard these words, they tore their garments and their minds were severely troubled, and there was a cry and a very great noise throughout the camp.