Holofernes took his whole army, his infantry, cavalry, and chariots may be rendered “Holofernes took all his soldiers, including foot soldiers, horse soldiers, and those riding in chariots [or, war carts pulled by horses].” Revised Standard Version‘s footnote on Holofernes simply indicates that the translators are supplying Holofernes as the subject; his name is not in the Greek text.

Went up into the hill country: The hill country may be also expressed as “the area with many hills” or “the high country” in comparison to the “plain” in the previous verse.

Ravaged Put and Lud: Ravaged means “totally destroyed” (Good News Translation) or “completely destroyed” (Contemporary English Version). Whenever Put and Lud are identified, Put is located in Africa (Libya), and Lud is located in Asia Minor (New Testament Lydia). In Gen 10.6 Put is a son of Ham and in 10.22 Lud is a son of Shem. Lud is at least on the same continent as Cilicia, and some would suggest that another, and otherwise unknown, Put is intended. Maybe so, but it is at least worth noting that Put and Lud are occasionally mentioned together elsewhere in the Bible: Jer 46.9 (where both seem to be in Africa), Ezek 27.10 (both mentioned in connection with Persia), and Ezek 30.5 (where they seem to be back in Africa). Very likely the author of Judith wasn’t the first writer to think the two names just sounded good together, and it didn’t make a great deal of difference where they were. Good News Translation and Contemporary English Version have “Libya and Lydia,” but translators will not be wrong to keep Put and Lud.

Plundered all the people of Rassis: Plundered all the people may also be rendered “took the possessions of all the people by force.” Rassis is unknown.

Ishmaelites probably refers to an Arab tribe since Ishmael has always been regarded as the ancestor of the Arabs, but the Chelleans are unknown.

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.