Do not rely on their spears but on the height of the mountains: The commanders are simply pointing out that the highlands provide the Israelites a great defensive advantage. The Israelites have the obvious military advantage of higher ground; even light weapons coming down on encumbered troops struggling uphill can inflict serious losses. Here the word spears (see the note at 1.15) appears to stand for any kind of weapon, much as “bread” may represent “food.” So Good News Translation translates “weapons.”

It is not easy to reach the top of their mountains: Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation have only one sentence for the verse, whereas Contemporary English Version makes this final clause into a separate sentence: “That’s because the mountains are very steep and difficult to climb.” Some translators may wish to follow this model. Another possible model is the following: “These Israelites do not have to rely on their military power. They are protected by those high mountains where they live. It won’t be easy for our soldiers to climb up there.”

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.

She sent her maid, who was in charge of all she possessed: This woman, though never named, will appear several times in the rest of the book as Judith’s companion. An unusual Greek word is translated maid; the word is actually an adjective (used here as a noun) meaning “pretty, graceful, delicate.” Enslin interprets this to mean “favorite slavegirl.” That the woman is a “slave” (Good News Translation) is not said at this point, but 16.23 makes it clear that she was, and it is not wrong to bring that information forward to this point. From the narrative we may gather that the woman was a slave, a trusted companion, and a business manager for Judith. Good News Translation shifts focus in describing her as one who “managed her business affairs.” The Greek literally reads “in charge of all her possessions” (compare Gen 24.2; 39.4).

To summon Chabris and Charmis, the elders of her city: Good News Translation is right in adding Uzziah to this verse, and proper in saying in the footnote that some manuscripts omit him. Uzziah is clearly present since he is named in 8.28 and 8.35. On the identity of the three men as elders, see the note on 7.23. For elders of her city, see 6.16.

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.

Break their strength by thy might, and bring down their power in thy anger: Good News Translation combines these two parallel sentences (Break/ bring down, strength/ power, might/ anger). Unless one is trying to reproduce the poetic structure that would have been evident in Hebrew, it is all right to do this. The “army” (Good News Translation) is not specifically mentioned in the Greek, but clearly implied. In thy anger may be also expressed “You are angry, so….”

They intend to defile thy sanctuary, and to pollute the tabernacle: Good News Translation and Contemporary English Version combine defile and pollute, as well as sanctuary and tabernacle. The verbs defile and pollute are used in 9.2 with reference to Dinah. Just as the Shechemites defiled Dinah, the Assyrians intend to defile or “disgrace” (Contemporary English Version) the temple. Both sanctuary and tabernacle are poetic references to the “Temple” (Good News Translation).

Where thy glorious name rests: Thy glorious name refers to God himself. The temple is where he has come to dwell, so Good News Translation and Contemporary English Version translate this clause “where you are worshiped.” Another possible rendering is “where people worship you.”

Cast down the horn of thy altar with the sword: “Hack off” (Good News Translation) or “chop off” (Contemporary English Version) much better describes the breaking off of a hard object with a sword than cast down does. The text does not actually say this is to be done with swords specifically, but with iron implements of some kind. Iron axes could have been used. New Jerusalem Bible simply omits the reference; it is well enough implied with its verb “hack down.” However, in languages that must show what implement was used, “axes” is the most likely. We may then translate, for example, “and use axes to chop off the horns [or, corners] of your altar.” For altar see Tob 1.7. The horn of thy altar refers to projections at the top four corners of the altar that appeared to be in the shape of animal horns (Exo 27.2). Grasping the horns of the altar provided sanctuary from someone seeking vengeance (1 Kgs 2.28). To cut the horns from the altar was thus to deprive the people of their security (see Amos 3.14). Good News Translation and Contemporary English Version render these horns as “corners,” which is possible if the use of horns is misunderstood.

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.

Although Good News Translation begins a new paragraph at this point, translators may follow Revised Standard Version. It is still part of the conversation between Judith and Bagoas.

Who am I, to refuse my lord? Surely whatever pleases him I will do … a joy until the day of my death: As in 12.4, Judith’s reply means one thing to Bagoas, but quite another to her and to the attentive reader. Once again, the key is the phrase my lord. As Bagoas hears it, Judith accepts the invitation to Holofernes’ dinner and bed. But Judith’s meaning is that it will be her lifelong joy to serve God, her true and only Lord. She will do whatever God wishes. Unfortunately Good News Translation and Contemporary English Version completely miss this nuance, and leave the reader helpless to understand the real dynamics of this verse. In Good News Translation she is simply giving a deceitful reply to Bagoas, but not at the same time swearing loyalty to God.

An alternative translation model for this verse following Judith’s underlying meaning is as follows:

• Judith answered, “How could I refuse him? I will do at once what my Lord wants me to do. I will remember this with joy the rest of my life.”

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.

When they raised him up: Good News Translation has “When they had helped him up.” The subject is not specified; this is an impersonal they, so it amounts to no more than the passive “when he was helped up.” Obviously the people standing around do it.

He fell at Judith’s feet, and knelt before her: “Achior bowed at Judith’s feet in respect” (Good News Translation) and “at once he bowed down to show his respect for Judith” (Contemporary English Version) give the wrong impression (see the comment at 6.18). He did more than bow. He knelt with his face to the ground once again, but this time it was done “in respect.” New English Bible reads “he threw himself at Judith’s feet” (New American Bible and New Jerusalem Bible are very similar), which is good. He is not losing consciousness this time. Now, in full consciousness, he goes to the ground again, but this time out of respect, in homage. But it is not a move full of dignity, as “bowed” might suggest. There are two verbs. He falls to the ground, and he kneels before Judith, but these are one and the same action. He does not fall to the ground and then get to his knees. A possible model for the first part of the verse is “When they had helped him up, he went to the ground again by kneeling at Judith’s feet in respect.”

Blessed are you in every tent of Judah: For Blessed see 13.17. Tents were dwelling places, so Good News Translation‘s “May every family in the land of Judah praise you” is the meaning (compare Jdg 5.24: “Most blessed of women be Jael”). Good News Translation‘s “in the land of Judah” is also helpful. Even though Judith’s name means “Jew,” she is of the tribe of Simeon, not Judah. Calling attention to Judah as a territory rather than a tribe alleviates a small difficulty.

In every nation those who hear your name will be alarmed: The phrase In every nation is ambiguous. It may be taken with the preceding phrase (as in New English Bible and New Jerusalem Bible) or with what follows, as in Good News Translation and Revised Standard Version. With the former interpretation the previous clause could be reworded in Good News Translation to read “May every family in the land of Judah and every nation praise you.” This translation is easily derived from the Greek. Most interpreters, however, feel that the second line of Achior’s blessing fits better with reference only to every nation; for example, “may every nation tremble with terror when they hear your name” (Good News Translation). Actually, the verb in the second line of the blessing is in future tense: “Every nation will tremble with terror when they hear your name.” This is the approach we recommend. The author may be using the verb alarmed to recall the use of the word in 4.2, when every nation is terrified at the approach of Nebuchadnezzar.

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.

For this verse see 10.3.

She took off her widow’s mourning to exalt the oppressed in Israel: Widow’s mourning means “widow’s clothes” (Good News Translation). Exalt is literally “raise up.” Good News Translation translates this well with “gave victory.” However, in some languages it is impossible to refer to people “giving victory” to others. In such cases one may say “She took off her widow’s clothes in order to conquer the Assyrian [Holofernes], and in this way free the Israelites.”

Good News Translation has rearranged the lines of this verse to simplify it, but it has made an incorrect connection between the first two lines. Judith did not give “victory to the oppressed people of Israel when she took off her widow’s clothes.” She gave them victory when she killed Holofernes. Good News Translation can be corrected to read “She took off her widow’s clothes in order to give victory to the oppressed people of Israel.” Good News Translation also rearranges the final lines and so changes the meaning. Translators are advised to keep Revised Standard Version‘s order.

She anointed her face with ointment and fastened her hair with a tiara and put on a linen gown to deceive him: On the ointment and the tiara, see the notes on 10.3 We cannot be certain just what kind of garment is meant by linen gown, but in the context of seduction, linen gown may be a better English equivalent than “linen dress” (Good News Translation). Linen was considered a luxurious material.

An alternative translation model for this verse is:

• She took off her widow’s clothes and won a victory
for the oppressed people of Israel.
She put perfume on her face,
placed a headband [or, ribbon] around her hair,
and put on a linen dress to entice him [or, Holofernes].

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.

And mustered the picked troops by divisions as his lord had ordered him to do: The picked troops means they are “the best troops.” Good News Translation applies “the best” to both groups of soldiers here, but the Greek text does not specifically say this. It is hard to know what to do with the phrase by divisions (also used by Moore). This seems to suggest a military organization that the Greek does not necessarily imply. The text reads literally, “he numbered/counted chosen men for a battle/battle line/formation.” We are being told that Holofernes obeys orders and selects men up to the number required by the king for military purposes. Verse 16 tells us that these troops were drawn up in battle formation. “For a battle” in verse 15 seems to say nothing more. Good News Translation does not seem to represent it; this can be justified since it comes again in verse 16. For some languages it will be helpful to begin the verse with “Just as Nebuchadnezzar had commanded him, he chose…” (similarly Good News Translation, Contemporary English Version). This translates the clause as his lord had ordered him to do.

One hundred and twenty thousand of them, together with twelve thousand archers on horseback: The numbers required are clearer in verse 5 than here, but it is certain that there are 120,000 foot soldiers, as well as 12,000 cavalry troops. The 12,000 are not included within the larger number. The cavalry are given a description here that goes beyond verse 5: they are armed with bows and arrows. They are “mounted archers,” archers on horseback. Contemporary English Version has “twelve thousand cavalry troops who were experts with bows and arrows.”

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.