When the men in the tents heard it: This is the first verse of a new chapter, so it will be helpful to identify these men; for example, “When the rest of the Assyrian soldiers heard it.”

They were amazed: While the verb used here usually has this meaning, it is inappropriate here. The men are “appalled” (Moore), “aghast” (Enslin), “shocked,” “stunned,” or just plain “horrified.”

At what had happened is perfectly obvious and adds nothing; Good News Translation combines it with the first clause: “When the soldiers heard what had happened.” Contemporary English Version incorrectly interprets what had happened as “their officers crying,” whereas in reality they were stunned/horrified at the news of Holofernes’ death.

An alternative translation model for this verse is:

• When the rest of the Assyrian soldiers heard that Holofernes had been killed, they were horrified [or, stunned].

Quoted with permission from Bullard, Roger A. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on Judith. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2001. For this and other handbooks for translators see here.