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,
10
and Judith and her slave left the city. The men watched her as she went down the mountain into the valley, until she was out of sight.
11
As the two women were walking through the valley, an Assyrian patrol met them.
12
They arrested Judith and questioned her, "What is your nationality? Where did you come from, and where are you going?" "I am a Hebrew," she answered, "but I am running away from the Israelites because God is going to let you destroy them.
13
I am on my way to see Holofernes, the general in command of your army, to give him some reliable information. I can show him how to advance into the mountains and take control of the entire region without a single casualty."
14
The men stared at her because she was so beautiful. They listened to her story and said,
15
"You have saved your life by coming down here to see our general. Some of us will take you to his headquarters and present you to him.
16
Do not be afraid of him. Just tell him what you have told us, and he will treat you well."
17
They assigned a hundred men to escort Judith and her slave to the headquarters of Holofernes.