5
Judith gave her slave woman a leather bag of wine and a jar of oil to carry. She filled a bag with roasted barley, cakes of dried figs, and several loaves of bread baked according to Jewish food laws. She carefully wrapped all the food and dishes and gave them to her slave.
6
Then the two women left the house and went to the gates of Bethulia, where they found Uzziah and the town officials, Chabris and Charmis, standing guard.
7
When the men saw Judith after she had changed clothes and put on make-up, they were struck by her beauty and said to her,
8
"May the God of our ancestors bless you and make your plan successful, so that you may bring glory to Jerusalem and victory to Israel." Judith prayed
9
and then said, "Order the gates to be opened for me. I am on my way to do what we were talking about." Then they ordered the young men to open the gates for her,
Scripture taken from the Good News Translation - Second Edition, Copyright 1992 by American Bible Society. Used by Permission.