Context No. 39 of 4322 · Judith

Judith 8:1-8: in context

1In those days Judith heard about this. She was the daughter of Merari, the son of Ox, the son of Joseph, the son of Oziel, the son of Elkiah, the son of Ananias, the son of Gideon, the son of Raphaim, the son of Ahitub, the son of Elihu, the son of Eliab, the son of Nathanael, the son of Salamiel, the son of Salasadai, the son of Israel. 2Her husband was Manasses, of her tribe and of her family. He died in the days of barley harvest. 3For he stood over those who bound sheaves in the field, and was overcome by the burning heat, and he fell on his bed, and died in his city Bethulia. So they buried him with his fathers in the field which is between Dothaim and Balamon. 4Judith was a widow in her house three years and four months. 5She made herself a tent upon the roof of her house, and put on sackcloth upon her loins. The garments of her widowhood were upon her. 6And she fasted all the days of her widowhood, except the eves of the Sabbaths, the Sabbaths, the eves of the new moons, the new moons, and the feasts and joyful days of the house of Israel. 7She was beautiful in appearance, and lovely to behold. Her husband Manasses had left her gold, silver, menservants, maidservants, cattle, and lands. She remained on those lands. 8No one said anything evil about her, for she feared God exceedingly.

Six chapters into the book of Judith, the town of Bethulia is under siege, the water has been cut off, and the elders have promised to surrender in five days if God does not act. This passage is where the book finally introduces the woman it is named for.

It starts with a genealogy sixteen names deep, running back to Israel himself, which is unusual for a woman in these books. Then the details. Her husband Manasses had died of sunstroke while supervising the barley harvest, and she has been a widow three years and four months. She lives in a shelter on her roof, wears sackcloth, fasts nearly every day, and is beautiful, wealthy, and well spoken of by everyone. She has managed his estate since his death and answers to no one.

The picture is deliberate. A widow in that world was among the least protected people there were, and this widow has money, standing, a long pedigree, and a discipline of prayer and fasting behind her. The town's leaders have already given God a deadline. She is the one who will call that arrogance and act. Who around me has been quietly preparing for years in a role I have read as a small one?

Sources

Judith 7: the siege of Bethulia and the cut water supply, the crisis she is introduced into
Judith 8:11-27: her rebuke of the elders for setting God a five-day deadline
Judith's genealogy of sixteen names back to Israel, unusually long for a woman in these books