Judith chapter 3
[This chapter is in Orthodox and Catholic Bibles] The nations surrender. General Holofernes devastates them anyway.
The Book of Judith is recognized as Deuterocanonical Scripture by the Orthodox and Catholic Churches
THE NATIONS SURRENDER
VERSE 1. And they sent to him messengers with words of peace, saying,
they sent to him messengers. Back in Judith chapter 2, Nebuchadnezzar was enraged at the nations which had disobeyed his command.
He said he would destroy them. He assigned General Holofernes to head a vast army of 132,000 soldiers.
Everyone was to be slain and plundered.
Now those targeted nations are terrified. So they send ambassadors.
VERSE 2. “Behold, we the servants of Nebuchadnezzar the great king lie before you. Use us as it is pleasing in your sight.
we the servants of Nebuchadnezzar. The targeted nations surrender to Nebuchadnezzar.
VERSE 3. Behold, our dwellings, and all our country, and all our fields of wheat, and our flocks and herds, and all the sheepfolds of our tents, lie before your face. Use them as it may please you.
VERSE 4. Behold, even our cities and those who dwell in them are your servants. Come and deal with them as it is good in your eyes.”
VERSE 5. So the men came to Holofernes, and declared to him according to these words.
VERSE 6. He came down toward the sea coast, he and his army, and set garrisons in the high cities, and took out of them chosen men for allies.
VERSE 7. They received him, they and all the country round about them, with garlands and dances and timbrels.
GENERAL HOLOFERNES DEVASTATES THEM ANYWAY
VERSE 8. He cast down all their borders, and cut down their sacred groves. It had been given to him to destroy all the gods of the land, that all the nations would worship Nebuchadnezzar only, and that all their tongues and their tribes would call upon him as god.
He cast down all their borders. Even though the nations surrendered, General Holofernes annihilated them.
worship Nebuchadnezzar only. Not only did Nebuchadnezzar require everyone to worship him, but they must worship him ONLY.
VERSE 9. Then he came towards Esdraelon near to Dotaea, which is opposite the great ridge of Judea.
VERSE 10. He encamped between Geba and Scythopolis. He was there a whole month, that he might gather together all the baggage of his army.
Geba. This was a Levitical city of Benjamin on the north border of Judah. It was adjacent to Ramah in Benjamin, north of Gibeah.
Scythopolis. That is the Greek name of Beit She’an, a city in the north district of Israel.
JUDITH
CHAPTERS: 01, 02, 03, 04, 05, 06, 07, 08, 09, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16
RESOURCES: Summary, Outline, Memorize, Judith fasts continually, Chronology
Unless otherwise noted, all Bible quotations on this page are from the World English Bible and the World Messianic Edition. These translations have no copyright restrictions. They are in the Public Domain.