11
"And now, in order that my lord may not be defeated and his purpose frustrated, death will fall upon them, for a sin has overtaken them by which they are about to provoke their God to anger when they do what is wrong.
12
Since their food supply is exhausted and their water has almost given out, they have planned to kill their cattle and have determined to use all that God by his laws has forbidden them to eat.
13
They have decided to consume the first fruits of the grain and the tithes of the wine and oil, which they had consecrated and set aside for the priests who minister in the presence of our God at Jerusalem -- although it is not lawful for any of the people so much as to touch these things with their hands.
14
They have sent men to Jerusalem, because even the people living there have been doing this, to bring back to them permission from the senate.
15
When the word reaches them and they proceed to do this, on that very day they will be handed over to you to be destroyed.
16
"Therefore, when I, your servant, learned all this, I fled from them; and God has sent me to accomplish with you things that will astonish the whole world, as many as shall hear about them.
17
For your servant is religious, and serves the God of heaven day and night; therefore, my lord, I will remain with you, and every night your servant will go out into the valley, and I will pray to God and he will tell me when they have committed their sins.
18
And I will come and tell you, and then you shall go out with your whole army, and not one of them will withstand you.
19
Then I will lead you through the middle of Judea, till you come to Jerusalem; and I will set your throne in the midst of it; and you will lead them like sheep that have no shepherd, and not a dog will so much as open its mouth to growl at you. For this has been told me, by my foreknowledge; it was announced to me, and I was sent to tell you."
20
Her words pleased Holofernes and all his servants, and they marveled at her wisdom and said,
21
"There is not such a woman from one end of the earth to the other, either for beauty of face or wisdom of speech!"