Bible Commentaries
11

Verse 1

King. Greek adds, "of all the earth."

Verse 3

Why. Greek, "And art come to us? For thou art come for thy own safety. Take courage, for thou shalt live this night and henceforth, as no one shall hurt thee, but shall do thee good, as the servants of my lord, Nabuchodonosor, the king, are treated."

Verse 4

Handmaid. Greek adds, "and I will tell no untruth to my lord this night, for," &c. --- Thing. Greek adds, "and none of the projects of my lord shall fail." (Haydock) --- All that Judith said was true in her sense, though the enemy did not understand her properly. So Josue lawfully entrapped the citizens of Hai. (St. Augustine, q. 10. in Josue viii.) (Worthington)

Verse 5

Liveth. She imitates Joseph, (Genesis xlii. 15.) and Eliseus; (4 Kings ii. 4.) and speaks the truth, as the general had subjected many to his master. (Menochius) --- Her speech was not superstitious, but shewed a civil respect. (Calmet)

Verse 7

To him. Greek intimates that she advised him to follow his counsel. "For our nation is not punished with the sword, unless they sin against their God. But now let not my lord be at a loss what to do. For death has fallen upon them, and sin has taken possession of them, so that they have irritated God by their folly," &c., ver. 10. This might also be true, though they had not fallen into idolatry (chap. viii. 18.; Haydock) at Bethulia. (Menochius)

Verse 8

Prophets. Though this had been threatened by the ancient prophets, (Haydock) we cannot pretend to specify which she means. (Calmet)

Verse 10

Famine. They might have provisions, but they would be useless, on account of excessive thirst. (Menochius)

Verse 11

Drink. Greek, "and all that God had forbidden them to eat by his laws, (Haydock) without making any distinction between the clean and unclean. (Grotius) --- Blood was prohibited even before the law, Genesis ix. 4., and Leviticus xvii. 14. (Calmet)

Verse 12

Oil. Greek may explain this. "And the first-fruits of corn, and the tithes of wine and of oil, which they had reserved as sacred for the priests, standing in Jerusalem, before our God, they had decreed to consume; though none of the people ought so much as to touch these things. Yet they have sent to obtain permission of the senate at Jerusalem, where the people have done the like. And when they shall have obtained an answer, they will fall to work, and then they will be abandoned to be destroyed by thee." (Haydock) --- She insinuates that her countrymen are in the utmost distress, and not much attached to religion; (Calmet) though in extreme want the distinction of meats is not to be enforces. (Haydock)

Verse 13

Tell. Greek, "To perform with thee a feat which will astonish all who shall hear of these things. For thy handmaid is religious, and serveth the God of heaven day and night; and now my lord, I am," &c.

Verse 14

God. Greek adds, "in the night, in the valley."

Verse 15

He will. Greek, "They shall have completed their sins." --- Tell thee. Greek adds, "and thou shalt go out with all thy forces, and none of them shall resist thee; and I will bring thee through Judea, over-against Jerusalem, and will place thy throne in the midst of it, and thou shalt drive them like sheep," &c. --- Dog. This is proverbial, Exodus xi. 7. (Calmet) --- All Israel was at rest after the death of Holofernes. Judith brought his head in triumph through the country. The promise of dominion (Haydock) was ironical, 3 Kings xxii. 15. (Menochius)

Verse 16

God. Greek, "My foreknowledge; and I was sent to inform thee." (Haydock) --- She flatters Holofernes with the idea that he is under the special care of heaven. (Calmet)

Verse 20

CHAPTER XI.

That. Greek, "To increase our strength, and to bring destruction on those who have despised my lord."

Verse 21

Because. Greek, "And now thou art comely in thy appearance, and good in thy discourse. If then thou perform what thou hast spoken, thy God shall," &c. (Haydock) --- It is hardly probable that he spoke in earnest. Perhaps he did not know that the true God allowed of no other. Being captivated with Judith’s beauty, and perceiving that she was attached to religion, he had a mind to remove all her objections to his person. (Calmet)