WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:03.100 Welcome to the Deep Dive. Today, we're really 00:00:03.100 --> 00:00:05.599 getting into a fascinating ancient story, the 00:00:05.599 --> 00:00:07.280 story of Judith. Yeah, it's quite something. 00:00:07.500 --> 00:00:10.019 We'll be looking at her, well, incredibly bold 00:00:10.019 --> 00:00:12.839 actions to save her city, Bethulia. Exactly. 00:00:13.279 --> 00:00:16.100 It was under siege by this really powerful Assyrian 00:00:16.100 --> 00:00:19.199 general, Holofernes. And the situation is... 00:00:19.500 --> 00:00:21.339 Pretty grim when we start, but Thule is surrounded. 00:00:21.800 --> 00:00:24.179 The Assyrians, led by Holofernes, have cut off 00:00:24.179 --> 00:00:27.059 their water. No water. That's critical. Absolutely. 00:00:27.339 --> 00:00:29.039 People are desperate. Really on the verge of 00:00:29.039 --> 00:00:30.699 surrender. It looks like there's, you know, no 00:00:30.699 --> 00:00:32.799 way out. Right. And then just when everything 00:00:32.799 --> 00:00:37.280 seems lost, Judith emerges. The text introduces 00:00:37.280 --> 00:00:40.280 her carefully. Daughter of Marari, her lineage 00:00:40.280 --> 00:00:43.899 traced back, which was... Quite significant culturally 00:00:43.899 --> 00:00:45.780 back then. She's a widow, right. Been widowed 00:00:45.780 --> 00:00:47.600 for what, three years or so? Three years and 00:00:47.600 --> 00:00:50.380 four months, specifically. And she's wealthy, 00:00:50.780 --> 00:00:53.579 but also deeply, deeply pious. Yeah, the text 00:00:53.579 --> 00:00:55.960 really emphasizes that devotion. Things like 00:00:55.960 --> 00:00:59.179 fasting, wearing sackcloth. Which was, you know, 00:00:59.399 --> 00:01:01.780 a sign of mourning repentance. Yeah. Really shows 00:01:01.780 --> 00:01:04.319 her state of mind, her piety. But despite all 00:01:04.319 --> 00:01:07.939 that, she's also known for her, well, beauty. 00:01:08.409 --> 00:01:10.950 and her characters. Highly respected. Says no 00:01:10.950 --> 00:01:12.730 one had a bad word to say about her, for she 00:01:12.730 --> 00:01:15.849 feared God greatly. And that deep faith, it isn't 00:01:15.849 --> 00:01:18.709 just personal, it becomes really the foundation 00:01:18.709 --> 00:01:21.489 for everything she does next. Her courage. Definitely. 00:01:22.090 --> 00:01:24.670 So you've got this city teetering desperate people. 00:01:25.530 --> 00:01:28.569 And then Judith, this woman of incredible faith 00:01:28.569 --> 00:01:30.349 stepping up. Oh, it's striking right from the 00:01:30.349 --> 00:01:32.849 get -go is how she immediately challenges the 00:01:32.849 --> 00:01:35.109 city leadership, the elders. Yeah, she hears 00:01:35.109 --> 00:01:38.069 about their plan, this five -day ultimatum to 00:01:38.069 --> 00:01:40.010 God. Exactly. She finds out they've sworn an 00:01:40.010 --> 00:01:41.930 oath. If God doesn't save them in five days, 00:01:42.269 --> 00:01:44.709 they'll surrender Bethulia. And Judith is just 00:01:44.709 --> 00:01:48.609 not having it. So she calls them in Uzziah, Chabras, 00:01:49.129 --> 00:01:51.829 Germis. She summons them. And she really lays 00:01:51.829 --> 00:01:53.810 out her case against their plan. Okay, let's 00:01:53.810 --> 00:01:55.730 unpack that. What's her argument? She doesn't 00:01:55.730 --> 00:01:58.230 mince words, I gather. Not at all. It's multi 00:01:58.230 --> 00:02:00.650 -layered, all rooted in her faith. First off, 00:02:00.950 --> 00:02:04.950 she questions their right to, um, basically test 00:02:04.950 --> 00:02:07.890 God, to put a deadline on Him. Like, who are 00:02:07.890 --> 00:02:11.129 you to tell God when He has to act? Precisely. 00:02:11.650 --> 00:02:14.169 God's power isn't bound by our schedules, our 00:02:14.169 --> 00:02:17.050 desperation. She warns them, you know, don't 00:02:17.050 --> 00:02:19.189 provoke God's anger with this lack of faith. 00:02:19.430 --> 00:02:22.009 Makes sense. Don't try to force God's hand. And 00:02:22.009 --> 00:02:24.129 she doesn't just stop at theology. She brings 00:02:24.129 --> 00:02:27.009 up history. Remember our ancestors, she says. 00:02:27.409 --> 00:02:29.389 Remember when they turned to idols? They were 00:02:29.389 --> 00:02:32.110 handed over to their enemies. Ah, so the implication 00:02:32.110 --> 00:02:34.789 is we're faithful now unlike them, so we should 00:02:34.789 --> 00:02:37.449 have hope. Exactly. Our current faithfulness 00:02:37.449 --> 00:02:39.750 should be a reason not to despair. And she points 00:02:39.750 --> 00:02:42.250 out the bigger picture too, if Bethulia falls. 00:02:42.650 --> 00:02:45.409 It affects all of Judea, the sanctuary. Right, 00:02:45.650 --> 00:02:47.949 it's not just about their city. It's about everyone, 00:02:48.270 --> 00:02:50.349 their whole religious center. They need to be 00:02:50.349 --> 00:02:53.030 an example, she urges them. Not given. And she 00:02:53.030 --> 00:02:55.110 mentions Abraham, Isaac, Jacob too. Why bring 00:02:55.110 --> 00:02:58.409 them up? To remind them that God tests those 00:02:58.409 --> 00:03:02.050 he loves. Their forefathers face trials not because 00:03:02.050 --> 00:03:06.509 God abandoned them, but maybe to correct them, 00:03:06.909 --> 00:03:10.009 refine them. Maybe this siege is a test, not 00:03:10.009 --> 00:03:13.110 a punishment. Wow. That's a powerful case she's 00:03:13.110 --> 00:03:15.849 making. How did the elders take it? Well, they 00:03:15.849 --> 00:03:18.090 actually acknowledge her wisdom. They recognize 00:03:18.090 --> 00:03:20.469 she's right. But there's always a but. But they're 00:03:20.469 --> 00:03:23.080 caught. The people are literally dying of thirst. 00:03:23.240 --> 00:03:25.639 They made this oath under extreme pressure. They 00:03:25.639 --> 00:03:28.240 feel bound by it, even while seeing the truth 00:03:28.240 --> 00:03:31.419 in her words. So a real dilemma, practical desperation 00:03:31.419 --> 00:03:34.979 versus deep faith. What's Judith's next move? 00:03:35.139 --> 00:03:38.240 She announces her own plan. Something daring. 00:03:38.759 --> 00:03:40.419 She says she's going to perform a deed, something 00:03:40.419 --> 00:03:42.099 they'll be remembered for generations. Okay. 00:03:42.580 --> 00:03:44.340 And she promises deliverance within their five 00:03:44.340 --> 00:03:47.819 -day deadline. She just asks for one thing. let 00:03:47.819 --> 00:03:49.979 her and her maid leave the city that night. Just 00:03:49.979 --> 00:03:51.860 like that. Leave the safety of the walls. That's 00:03:51.860 --> 00:03:54.300 incredibly bold. It really is. It's this moment 00:03:54.300 --> 00:03:56.639 where individual conviction just cuts through 00:03:56.639 --> 00:03:58.620 the collective despair. What do the elders say? 00:03:58.719 --> 00:04:01.259 They must be stunned. They seem to be. Maybe 00:04:01.259 --> 00:04:04.479 a mix of hope, maybe desperation, maybe seeing 00:04:04.479 --> 00:04:07.580 no other option. They agree. They grant her a 00:04:07.580 --> 00:04:09.719 request. They give her their blessing. Yes, they 00:04:09.719 --> 00:04:13.219 bless her mission, hoping God guides her to, 00:04:13.240 --> 00:04:15.639 you know, strike back at their enemies. They 00:04:15.639 --> 00:04:17.920 put their trust in her. Okay, so she has permission. 00:04:18.199 --> 00:04:19.939 What's the first thing she does? Preparation. 00:04:20.199 --> 00:04:23.399 Yes, and it starts with prayer. A really intense, 00:04:23.459 --> 00:04:26.680 personal prayer. She prostrates herself, ashes 00:04:26.680 --> 00:04:29.360 on her head, calling on God. Does she invoke 00:04:29.360 --> 00:04:32.279 anything specific? She does. The story is Simeon's 00:04:32.279 --> 00:04:36.459 revenge for his sister Dinah being defiled. It's 00:04:36.459 --> 00:04:38.459 about to hind justice, protecting the vulnerable. 00:04:39.019 --> 00:04:41.300 She pleads for God's power against those threatening 00:04:41.300 --> 00:04:44.269 the sanctuary. And she asks for strength. and 00:04:44.269 --> 00:04:46.649 something else. Yes. Significantly, she asks 00:04:46.649 --> 00:04:50.990 God to grant her a deceitful way, deceitful words 00:04:50.990 --> 00:04:53.810 to strike down the enemy. Deceitful? That really 00:04:53.810 --> 00:04:55.910 stands out. It suggests her plan isn't exactly 00:04:55.910 --> 00:04:58.829 straightforward warfare. Not at all. And straight 00:04:58.829 --> 00:05:02.069 after the prayer, she transforms herself. Physically, 00:05:02.490 --> 00:05:04.850 symbolically. She takes off her widow's sackcloth, 00:05:05.689 --> 00:05:08.939 bathes. uses expensive oils, does her hair, puts 00:05:08.939 --> 00:05:11.620 on a diadem like a ground or headband. So changing 00:05:11.620 --> 00:05:14.319 her appearance completely. Completely. She puts 00:05:14.319 --> 00:05:16.459 on her best festive clothes, the ones from her 00:05:16.459 --> 00:05:19.420 marriage, all her jewelry. She makes herself 00:05:19.420 --> 00:05:22.000 well exceptionally beautiful. It's a deliberate 00:05:22.000 --> 00:05:26.079 shift from morning widow to something else. It 00:05:26.079 --> 00:05:28.639 sounds calculated, using her appearance as part 00:05:28.639 --> 00:05:31.040 of the strategy. Exactly, it seems very intentional. 00:05:31.480 --> 00:05:34.339 Moving from someone pitiable or overlooked to 00:05:34.339 --> 00:05:37.290 someone captivating. Disarming, perhaps. And 00:05:37.290 --> 00:05:40.470 practicalities. Food, drink. Yes, she prepares 00:05:40.470 --> 00:05:43.990 provisions too. Wine, oil, roasted grain, fig 00:05:43.990 --> 00:05:46.829 cakes, bread. Basic needs for the journey which 00:05:46.829 --> 00:05:48.589 her maid carries. Right, then they head for the 00:05:48.589 --> 00:05:51.050 gate. What's the reaction there? The elders seeing 00:05:51.050 --> 00:05:53.629 her transformed are astonished. Her beauty strikes 00:05:53.629 --> 00:05:56.189 them. They bless her again, wishing her success 00:05:56.189 --> 00:05:58.870 for Israel, for Jerusalem. And they let her go. 00:05:59.170 --> 00:06:01.569 They open the gate. She and her maid leave and 00:06:01.569 --> 00:06:03.389 the text mentions the men watch them go down 00:06:03.389 --> 00:06:05.629 the mountain into the valley until they can't 00:06:05.629 --> 00:06:07.790 see them anymore. Now they're outside the walls 00:06:07.790 --> 00:06:10.490 in enemy territory. How long until they run into 00:06:10.490 --> 00:06:12.930 trouble? Not long as they're crossing the valley 00:06:12.930 --> 00:06:16.050 and a Syrian patrol spots them and stops them. 00:06:16.170 --> 00:06:19.189 Okay first test. What does she tell them? This 00:06:19.189 --> 00:06:22.790 is where the deceitful way begins. She spins 00:06:22.790 --> 00:06:25.550 a story. She claims she's a Hebrew woman fleeing 00:06:25.550 --> 00:06:27.709 because her people are about to be defeated. 00:06:28.139 --> 00:06:30.399 doomed, basically. Laying on their expectations. 00:06:30.579 --> 00:06:34.079 Exactly. And she offers Holofernes crucial intelligence. 00:06:34.620 --> 00:06:36.819 She says she can guide him, show him how to take 00:06:36.819 --> 00:06:38.800 the whole hill country without losing a single 00:06:38.800 --> 00:06:42.500 man or horse. Wow. Attempting offer for any commander, 00:06:42.980 --> 00:06:45.500 an easy, bloodless victory. And the soldiers. 00:06:46.199 --> 00:06:48.259 They're completely taken in. They're captivated 00:06:48.259 --> 00:06:50.699 by her beauty, first off. And her story sounds 00:06:50.699 --> 00:06:53.300 plausible, advantageous, they don't see a threat. 00:06:53.399 --> 00:06:55.600 They see an asset. Totally. Someone who can help 00:06:55.600 --> 00:06:58.079 them win. So they agree to escort her directly 00:06:58.079 --> 00:07:00.360 to Holofernes. They're literally leading her 00:07:00.360 --> 00:07:02.220 into the heart of their own camp. Her beauty 00:07:02.220 --> 00:07:05.579 and her lie are her passport. So what's the scene 00:07:05.579 --> 00:07:07.399 like when she actually arrives at Holofernes 00:07:07.399 --> 00:07:10.259 tent? Words spreads like wildfire through the 00:07:10.259 --> 00:07:13.560 camp. Soldiers gather, marveling at her beauty. 00:07:14.180 --> 00:07:16.579 Some apparently even mutter about whether they 00:07:16.579 --> 00:07:18.939 should leave any Israelites alive if their women 00:07:18.939 --> 00:07:21.839 are like this. That's quite a reaction. It is. 00:07:22.160 --> 00:07:24.060 She's brought to Holoferney's tent, described 00:07:24.060 --> 00:07:27.660 as lavish, him reclining under this grand canopy, 00:07:27.839 --> 00:07:30.339 a real display of power. And his reaction is 00:07:30.339 --> 00:07:33.060 he is impressed as his men. Instantly. He and 00:07:33.060 --> 00:07:36.220 his attendants are awestruck by her appearance. 00:07:36.639 --> 00:07:39.019 She shows deference, prostrates herself, they 00:07:39.019 --> 00:07:41.490 lift her up. What does he say? Does he try to 00:07:41.490 --> 00:07:43.389 put her at ease? He does. He gives a little speech 00:07:43.389 --> 00:07:45.850 about how he never harmed servants of Nebuchadnezzar, 00:07:46.029 --> 00:07:47.769 claims he only attacked because the Israelites 00:07:47.769 --> 00:07:50.310 insulted him. Then he asks the key question. 00:07:51.209 --> 00:07:53.629 Why have you come here? Okay, moment of truth, 00:07:54.029 --> 00:07:55.930 or rather, moment of deception. What's her story 00:07:55.930 --> 00:07:58.810 for him? It's brilliant, really. A mix of flattery 00:07:58.810 --> 00:08:01.509 and carefully crafted lies. She tells him God 00:08:01.509 --> 00:08:03.430 will achieve great things through him if he just 00:08:03.430 --> 00:08:06.189 listens to her. Stroking his ego. Absolutely. 00:08:06.550 --> 00:08:09.209 She mentions his wisdom, then cleverly brings 00:08:09.209 --> 00:08:13.110 up Acure's warning the guy who did warn Holofernes 00:08:13.110 --> 00:08:17.370 not to attack if Israel was faithful. She twisted. 00:08:17.550 --> 00:08:19.569 How does she twist it? She implies Acure was 00:08:19.569 --> 00:08:22.430 right then, but things have changed. She claims 00:08:22.430 --> 00:08:25.110 the Israelites, out of sheer desperation from 00:08:25.110 --> 00:08:28.560 the siege, are now planning to sin. grievously. 00:08:28.839 --> 00:08:31.259 What kind of sins? Consuming forbidden things, 00:08:31.420 --> 00:08:33.539 eating their livestock, planning to use food 00:08:33.539 --> 00:08:36.379 reserved only for God, even things like first 00:08:36.379 --> 00:08:38.799 fruits and tithes meant for the priests in Jerusalem. 00:08:39.600 --> 00:08:42.019 Things strictly forbidden. So things that would 00:08:42.019 --> 00:08:44.340 definitely provoke God's anger according to their 00:08:44.340 --> 00:08:47.580 beliefs. Exactly. And she adds this detail. They've 00:08:47.580 --> 00:08:50.139 sent messengers to Jerusalem right now to get 00:08:50.139 --> 00:08:52.299 official permission for these sacrilegious acts. 00:08:52.440 --> 00:08:54.889 Ah, so it's imminent. and the hook is the hook 00:08:54.889 --> 00:08:56.470 is once they get that permission and actually 00:08:56.470 --> 00:08:58.870 do these things God will abandon them they'll 00:08:58.870 --> 00:09:01.110 be ripe for conquest and she positions herself 00:09:01.110 --> 00:09:04.169 as a devout woman horrified by this impending 00:09:04.169 --> 00:09:06.789 sin who has fled to warn holophorens before it 00:09:06.789 --> 00:09:09.350 happens she says God himself sent her to partner 00:09:09.350 --> 00:09:11.750 with holophorens for this great victory she even 00:09:11.750 --> 00:09:15.250 offers to stay pray nightly and use her divine 00:09:15.250 --> 00:09:18.269 connection to tell him the exact moment the Israelites 00:09:18.269 --> 00:09:21.230 commit their sin so he can attack then and win 00:09:21.230 --> 00:09:25.539 easily Take Jerusalem, everything. It's incredibly 00:09:25.539 --> 00:09:28.320 elaborate. Playing on his arrogance, his desire 00:09:28.320 --> 00:09:31.500 for an easy win, maybe even his rudimentary understanding 00:09:31.500 --> 00:09:34.139 of their God, how does he react? He completely 00:09:34.139 --> 00:09:36.840 buys it. He and his attendants are amazed. Her 00:09:36.840 --> 00:09:39.740 wisdom, her beauty, they're convinced. He believes 00:09:39.740 --> 00:09:43.149 she's divinely sent. to help him. Yes. He sees 00:09:43.149 --> 00:09:45.990 her as the key to victory. He's thrilled, promises 00:09:45.990 --> 00:09:48.330 her honor, a place in Nebuchadnezzar's Palace, 00:09:48.690 --> 00:09:51.110 everything, if she's right. He's completely hooked. 00:09:51.289 --> 00:09:53.110 So he trusts her now. What happens immediately 00:09:53.110 --> 00:09:55.389 after this? Well, he offers her food and wine 00:09:55.389 --> 00:09:57.830 from his own table. A sign of favor. He refuses. 00:09:58.610 --> 00:10:01.110 She does. Very cleverly maintains her pious image. 00:10:01.610 --> 00:10:03.809 Says she can't eat his food. It would defile 00:10:03.809 --> 00:10:05.970 her. She has her own provisions brought by her 00:10:05.970 --> 00:10:08.190 maid. And he accepts that. Doesn't push it. He 00:10:08.190 --> 00:10:09.929 asks, well, what happens when your food runs 00:10:09.929 --> 00:10:12.580 out? But she reassures him very confidently. 00:10:12.879 --> 00:10:15.120 Oh, I won't run out before the Lord accomplishes 00:10:15.120 --> 00:10:17.639 his plan through me. Keeping up the act perfectly. 00:10:18.100 --> 00:10:21.019 Perfectly. So she's given her own tent. And for 00:10:21.019 --> 00:10:23.899 three days, she establishes a routine. Every 00:10:23.899 --> 00:10:25.940 night, she and her maid go out into the valley 00:10:25.940 --> 00:10:28.779 nearby to pray. Which reinforces her image as 00:10:28.779 --> 00:10:33.000 devout. Exactly. And... Probably doesn't hurt 00:10:33.000 --> 00:10:34.740 for getting the lay of the land either. Plausible 00:10:34.740 --> 00:10:37.220 deniability for being out and about. Right, right. 00:10:37.620 --> 00:10:39.480 So this goes on for three days, then we reach 00:10:39.480 --> 00:10:42.960 day four. Sounds important. Very. Day four, Hull 00:10:42.960 --> 00:10:45.940 of Friends decides to throw a banquet. But interestingly, 00:10:46.620 --> 00:10:49.139 just for his personal servants, not the army 00:10:49.139 --> 00:10:52.620 officers. An intimate affair. Seems so. And he 00:10:52.620 --> 00:10:54.740 tells Begoa's, his chief eunuch, the guy in charge 00:10:54.740 --> 00:10:57.919 of his private stuff, go persuade Judith to come. 00:10:58.299 --> 00:11:01.700 He explicitly says he wants to enjoy her company. 00:11:01.919 --> 00:11:04.500 Ah, so his intentions are becoming clearer. It's 00:11:04.500 --> 00:11:06.799 not just about strategy anymore. Not at all. 00:11:06.919 --> 00:11:08.879 He even says he'd be ridiculed if such a beautiful 00:11:08.879 --> 00:11:10.860 woman was near him and he didn't, well, make 00:11:10.860 --> 00:11:13.259 a move. Lust is definitely taken over. Okay. 00:11:13.860 --> 00:11:16.279 How does Judith react when Begois delivers the 00:11:16.279 --> 00:11:19.019 invitation? She agrees immediately. Plays the 00:11:19.019 --> 00:11:22.529 part beautifully. Whatever pleases my lord, I'll 00:11:22.529 --> 00:11:25.070 do gladly. It will be a joy until I die," she 00:11:25.070 --> 00:11:27.610 says, something like that. More calculated deception. 00:11:27.950 --> 00:11:30.769 Absolutely. And she gets ready, puts on her finest 00:11:30.769 --> 00:11:33.309 clothes again, all her jewelry, makes herself 00:11:33.309 --> 00:11:35.730 as captivating as possible for this final act. 00:11:36.029 --> 00:11:38.090 The stage is set. What happens at the banquet? 00:11:38.549 --> 00:11:41.529 She goes into the tent, reclines opposite Holofernes. 00:11:42.009 --> 00:11:46.370 The text is very clear. He's completely smitten, 00:11:46.870 --> 00:11:49.580 consumed by lust. been waiting for this moment 00:11:49.580 --> 00:11:51.500 since he first saw her. And he encourages her 00:11:51.500 --> 00:11:55.179 to join in. Drink. Oh, yes. Drink be merry. He 00:11:55.179 --> 00:11:56.879 thinks tonight's the night his desires will be 00:11:56.879 --> 00:11:59.059 met. Does she drink with him? She has drink wine 00:11:59.059 --> 00:12:01.820 with him, yes. But she eats her own food, the 00:12:01.820 --> 00:12:04.200 provisions her maid prepared, maintaining that 00:12:04.200 --> 00:12:07.259 boundary. Smart. While he? He apparently drinks. 00:12:07.960 --> 00:12:10.460 A lot. More wine than he's ever drunk in a single 00:12:10.460 --> 00:12:12.879 day, the text says. He's completely charmed, 00:12:13.220 --> 00:12:15.159 letting his guard down, getting drunk. So she 00:12:15.159 --> 00:12:18.240 stays sober, observant, he gets wasted. How does 00:12:18.240 --> 00:12:20.340 the evening end? Late in the evening, the servants 00:12:20.340 --> 00:12:23.519 start to drift away discreetly. Bugoas eventually 00:12:23.519 --> 00:12:26.139 closes up the tent from the outside, sends the 00:12:26.139 --> 00:12:28.460 last attendants off. They're all tired from the 00:12:28.460 --> 00:12:30.980 long feast anyway. Leaving Judith alone inside. 00:12:31.220 --> 00:12:34.000 Alone with Holofenes, who is now passed out drunk 00:12:34.000 --> 00:12:36.539 on his bed. The moment she's been waiting for? 00:12:37.220 --> 00:12:40.200 Planning for? What does she do? First, a quick 00:12:40.200 --> 00:12:44.179 silent prayer. Asking God for strength, to exalt 00:12:44.179 --> 00:12:47.139 Jerusalem, to crush their enemies, then she moves. 00:12:47.480 --> 00:12:49.940 towards the bed. Yes. She goes to the bed post 00:12:49.940 --> 00:12:51.679 near his head, where his own sword is hanging. 00:12:52.179 --> 00:12:54.039 A symbol of his power now turned against him. 00:12:54.100 --> 00:12:55.980 She takes his sword. She takes his sword, grabs 00:12:55.980 --> 00:12:58.820 him firmly by the hair, and she says something 00:12:58.820 --> 00:13:01.759 powerful. Strengthen me this day, Lord God of 00:13:01.759 --> 00:13:05.059 Israel. Shilling the climax of her mission. And 00:13:05.059 --> 00:13:08.559 then she strikes his neck with the sword twice. 00:13:08.960 --> 00:13:11.639 with all her might, and severs his head completely. 00:13:11.820 --> 00:13:14.460 And she rolls his body off the bed, takes the 00:13:14.460 --> 00:13:16.539 ornate canopy down from over the bed, another 00:13:16.539 --> 00:13:19.440 symbol of his authority. A trophy. Seems like 00:13:19.440 --> 00:13:21.220 it. She gives the head to her waiting maid. The 00:13:21.220 --> 00:13:24.360 maid was waiting. Inside. Seems she was ready, 00:13:24.500 --> 00:13:26.019 perhaps just outside or ready at the entrance. 00:13:26.759 --> 00:13:29.139 The maid puts the head straight into her food 00:13:29.139 --> 00:13:31.639 bag. The same bag they carry their provisions 00:13:31.639 --> 00:13:34.139 in. Incredible presence of mind, and then they 00:13:34.139 --> 00:13:36.440 just walk out. They walk out together. just like 00:13:36.440 --> 00:13:38.279 they supposedly did every night for prayers, 00:13:38.899 --> 00:13:41.600 maintaining the routine. And nobody stops them, 00:13:41.980 --> 00:13:45.559 even carrying that. Apparently not. Their nightly 00:13:45.559 --> 00:13:48.379 prayer routine had become normal. No one suspected 00:13:48.379 --> 00:13:51.720 anything. They passed through the camp, screwed 00:13:51.720 --> 00:13:53.799 the valley, and head back up the mountain towards 00:13:53.799 --> 00:13:56.519 Bethulia. Back to the city gates. What's that 00:13:56.519 --> 00:13:59.399 return like? As they get close, Judith calls 00:13:59.399 --> 00:14:01.700 out to the guards, tells them to open the gate. 00:14:02.159 --> 00:14:05.899 Praise God, she shouts. God has shown His power. 00:14:06.200 --> 00:14:08.399 He's delivered Israel. The people inside must 00:14:08.399 --> 00:14:10.679 have heard her. They did. They rushed to the 00:14:10.679 --> 00:14:13.139 gate, lighting torches. Astonished to see her 00:14:13.139 --> 00:14:15.980 back. Hope surging. They opened the gates, gather 00:14:15.980 --> 00:14:18.519 around her and are made. And then the big reveal. 00:14:18.779 --> 00:14:22.000 Yes. Judith addresses them all. Loud and clear. 00:14:22.460 --> 00:14:24.820 Tells them to praise God. God hasn't abandoned 00:14:24.820 --> 00:14:26.779 them. He used her hand to strike down their enemy 00:14:26.779 --> 00:14:29.019 tonight. And then she shows them. Then she pulls 00:14:29.019 --> 00:14:31.519 the head out of the bag. Holifer in his head. 00:14:32.139 --> 00:14:35.779 Shows it to everyone. and the canopy, too. The 00:14:35.779 --> 00:14:37.580 Lord struck him down by the hand of a woman, 00:14:37.679 --> 00:14:40.159 she declares, and she swears an oath that she 00:14:40.159 --> 00:14:43.120 wasn't defiled. Her honor is intact. Just imagine 00:14:43.120 --> 00:14:45.860 seeing that the enemy general's head, the relief, 00:14:46.120 --> 00:14:49.440 the shock. The reaction is immediate, utter astonishment. 00:14:50.000 --> 00:14:52.120 Then they all bow down, worship God together, 00:14:52.559 --> 00:14:55.120 praising him for humiliating their enemies. And 00:14:55.120 --> 00:14:57.700 the elders, Uzziah. Uzziah steps forward. He 00:14:57.700 --> 00:15:00.179 blesses Judith. Bless her, you daughter, by the 00:15:00.179 --> 00:15:02.649 most high God above all women on earth. He praises 00:15:02.649 --> 00:15:05.190 God for guiding her hand, guiding the blow. He 00:15:05.190 --> 00:15:07.250 says her hope, her act will never be forgotten. 00:15:07.450 --> 00:15:09.389 And the people? All the people shout back. Amen. 00:15:09.950 --> 00:15:12.730 Amen. A unified affirmation. What an incredible 00:15:12.730 --> 00:15:15.629 story. From the brink of surrender to this sudden, 00:15:15.750 --> 00:15:18.629 shocking victory, all orchestrated by one woman. 00:15:18.789 --> 00:15:21.110 It really is extraordinary. Judith's story just 00:15:21.110 --> 00:15:23.570 resonates with themes of faith. Yes, but also 00:15:23.570 --> 00:15:26.409 cunning strategy, courage against impossible 00:15:26.409 --> 00:15:29.889 odds. Yeah, it shows how one person, maybe someone 00:15:29.889 --> 00:15:32.370 you wouldn't expect, can completely change things. 00:15:32.690 --> 00:15:35.429 God working through the seemingly weak as the 00:15:35.429 --> 00:15:37.590 story presents it. Definitely. And it makes you 00:15:37.590 --> 00:15:40.269 think, doesn't it, about the layers here. Her 00:15:40.269 --> 00:15:43.269 deep faith driving her, but also the meticulous 00:15:43.269 --> 00:15:47.169 planning, the deceitful way she asked for and 00:15:47.169 --> 00:15:50.200 used. How those things, faith, strategy, deception 00:15:50.200 --> 00:15:52.759 all came together when facing total annihilation. 00:15:53.259 --> 00:15:55.039 It really makes you consider what is the nature 00:15:55.039 --> 00:15:57.399 of courage in such desperate times, and where 00:15:57.399 --> 00:15:59.419 can solutions come from when everything seems 00:15:59.419 --> 00:16:01.419 hopeless? It's definitely something to chew on 00:16:01.419 --> 00:16:03.100 long after we finish this deep dive.