1 Now at that time Yahuḏith heard of this, who was the daughter of Merari, the son of Utz, the son of Yosĕph, the son of Uzzi’ĕl, the son of Elkayah, the son of Ḥananyah, the son of Giḏ’on, the son of Repha’im, the son of Aḥituḇ, the son of Elihu, the son of Eliyaḇ, the son of Nethan’ĕl, the son of Shelumi’ĕl, the son of Tsurishaddai, the son of Yisra’ĕl.
2 And Menashsheh was her husband, of her tribe and relatives, who died in the barley harvest.
3 For as he stood overseeing those who bound sheaves in the field, the heat overcame his head, and he fell on his bed and died in the city of Bĕyth Yulia, and they buried him with his fathers in the field between Dothan and Ba’al Me’on.
4 So Yahuḏith was a widow in her house three years and four months.
5 And she made herself a tent on the top of her house, and put sackcloth on her loins and wore her widow’s garments.
6 And she fasted all the days of her widowhood, except the Shabbath, and evenings of the Shabbath, and the new moons, and the evenings of the new moons and the Festivals and Appointed Times of the house of Yisra’ĕl.
7 She also had a lovely face, and very good-looking; and her husband Menashsheh had left her gold and silver, and male and female servants, and cattle and lands; and she maintaned them.
8 And no one spoke evil of her; for she greatly revered Elohim.
9 Now when she heard the evil words of the people against the governor, when they fainted for lack of water; for Yahuḏith had heard all the words that Uzziyah had spoken to them, and that he had sworn to deliver the city to Ashshur after five days;
10 then she sent her female servant who governed all that she had, to call Uzziyah and Ḥaḇriyah and Ḥeremyah, the elders of the city.
11 And they came to her, and she said to them, “Hear me now, you governors of the inhabitants of Bĕyth Yulia; for your words that you have spoken before the people this day are not right, regarding this oath which you made and pronounced between Elohim and you, and have promised to deliver the city to our enemies, unless 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 turns to help you within these days.
12 “And now who are you to try Elohim this day, and stand in place of Elohim among the children of men?
13 “And now, try 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 Elohim, but you shall never know any matter.
14 “For you cannot find the depth of the heart of man, neither can you perceive that which he thinks. How then can you search out Elohim, who has made all these, and know His mind, or understand His purpose? No my brothers! Do not provoke 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 our Elohim to anger.
15 “For if He does not help us within these five days, He has power to defend us when He desires, even every day, or to destroy us before our enemies.
16 “Do not bind the counsel of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 our Elohim; for Elohim is not like mankind, that He could be threatened; neither is He like the son of man, that He should hesitate.
17 “Therefore let us wait for deliverance from Him, and call upon Him to help us, and He shall hear our voice if it pleases Him.
18 “For none has arisen in our age, neither is there any in these days neither tribe, nor family, nor people, nor city among us, who worship mighty ones made with hands, as it was before this;
19 for which cause our fathers were given to the sword, and for a spoil, and fell greatly before our enemies.
20 “But we know no other mighty ones, therefore we trust that He shall not despise us, nor any of our nation.
21 “For if we are captured, all Yahuḏah shall lie waste, and our Qodesh Place shall be plundered; and He shall require its defilement by our mouth.
22 “And the slaughter of our brothers and the captivity of the country and the desolation of our inheritance, He shall turn upon our heads among the gentiles, wherever we are in bondage; and we shall be an insult and a reproach to all those who possess us.
23 “For our slavery shall not be directed to favour; but 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 our Elohim shall turn it to dishonour.
24 “Now therefore brothers, let us show an example to our brothers, because their hearts depend on us, and the Qodesh Place and the House and the altar rest upon us.
25 “Moreover let us give thanks to 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 our Elohim, who tries us, even as He did our fathers.
26 “Remember what He did to Aḇraham, and how He tried Yitsḥaq, and what happened to Ya’aqoḇ in Aram Naharayim of Suria, when he kept the sheep of Laḇan his mother’s brother.
27 “For He has not tried us in the fire as he did them to search their hearts, neither has He taken vengeance upon us; but 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 scourges those who come near to him, to admonish them.”
28 Then Uzziyah said to her, “All that you have spoken you have spoken with a good heart, and there is none that would refute your words.
29 “For this is not the first day in which your wisdom has been shown; but from the beginning of your days all the people have known your understanding, because the inclination of your heart is good.
30 “But the people were very thirsty, and compelled us to do for them as we have spoken, and to bring an oath upon ourselves, which we are unable break.
31 “Therefore now pray for us, because you are a righteous woman, and 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 shall send us rain to fill our cisterns, and we shall no longer be weary.”
32 Then Yahuḏith said to them, “Hear me, and I shall do that which shall go throughout all generations to the children of our nation.
33 “Tonight you shall stand in the gate, and I shall go out with my female servant; and within the days that you have promised to deliver the city to our enemies 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 shall visit Yisra’ĕl by my hand.
34 “But do not ask about my actions, for I shall not declare it to you, till that which I do is completed.”
35 Then Uzziyah and the rulers said to her, “Go in peace, and 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 Elohim go before you, to take vengeance on our enemies.”
36 So they returned from the tent, and went to their watches.