Book of Judith

In Scripture

The Book of Judith is a sixteen-chapter work preserved in the Septuagint (the Greek Old Testament). It appears in Catholic Bibles and in the Korean Common Translation, but not in Protestant Bibles such as the New Korean Revised Version.

In chapters 1–7, Nebuchadnezzar, described as "king of the Assyrians," reigns in Nineveh and sends his general Holofernes to conquer the peoples of the west. Bethulia, a town in the hill country of Judah, is besieged and its water supply cut off, and the inhabitants agree to surrender if no deliverance comes within five days. During these events, Achior the Ammonite bears witness to Holofernes about the God of Israel and is driven out.

Chapters 8–16 introduce Judith, a devout widow. Judith rebukes the leaders for putting God to the test, prays, and then enters the enemy camp with her maidservant. After a banquet, she beheads the drunken Holofernes and returns, and the enemy army, having lost its commander, scatters. Achior undergoes circumcision and joins Israel, and the book closes with Judith's hymn in chapter 16.

Background

The name "Judith" comes from the Hebrew Yehudit, meaning "Jewish woman." The book's history and geography diverge from the historical record in many places; for example, it calls Nebuchadnezzar, who was in fact a Babylonian king, the king of Assyria. For this reason, scholars generally read the book as a didactic story rather than a historical record. Many date its composition to the intertestamental period, particularly the second or first century BC, though the question remains unsettled. The location of Bethulia has likewise not been identified.

Significance in Scripture as a Whole

The New Testament does not quote the Book of Judith directly. Its theme of God delivering His people through the hand of a weak woman is often compared with the story of Deborah and Jael in Judges 4–5 and with the story of Esther, who saved her people in a foreign land. The book is also marked by its emphasis on fasting, prayer, and piety expressed through observance of the Law.

Interpretation and Issues

The central issue concerning this book is whether it is recognized as canon.

• Judaism: Does not include it in the Hebrew Bible.
• Catholic Church: Defined it as canonical at the Council of Trent in 1546. It is called "deuterocanonical," meaning a book of the Old Testament canon that was recognized as Scripture at a later stage.
• Eastern Orthodox Church: Includes it in the Old Testament.
• Lutheranism: Martin Luther placed this book separately in the Apocrypha section of his German Bible. Luther regarded the Apocrypha as books that do not share the authority of Scripture but are profitable to read.
• Anglicanism: Article VI of the Thirty-Nine Articles lists Judith among the books read for example of life and instruction of manners but not applied to establish any doctrine.
• Presbyterian and other Reformed churches: Chapter 1 of the Westminster Confession of Faith confesses that the Apocrypha are not canonical and have no authority beyond that of other human writings.

The ethics of Judith's use of deception and seduction to kill the enemy commander has also long been debated by interpreters.

In the Korean Church

The Catholic Church includes the book under the title Yudit-gi in its Korean Bible, Seonggyeong, and the Common Translation also contains it. The Anglican Church of Korea is known to have used the Common Translation. Most Protestant denominations do not use the Book of Judith as a preaching text or as a basis for doctrine, mentioning it only when introducing the Apocrypha or explaining the formation of the canon.