Judith from the Bible and Life Lessons we could learn from her!

The Book of Judith is one of only three books of the Bible to be named after women (the others are Esther and Ruth).
So, what's so special about her?

Well, Judith was a beautiful, clever, cool-witted widow in the ancient town of Bethuliah.

She was brave as a lion. When her town was besieged and death stared them all in the face, Judith hatched a plan to save herself and the people. Holofernes wanted to seduce her, but she with her prudence enticed and then murdered the enemy general Holofernes and hung his severed head on the city walls. Seeing it, the enemy soldiers were thrown into a panic and fled.

✨Bethuliah was saved.✨

✨Judith was a heroine.✨


Judith’s story has four parts:

👉🏼Nebuchadnezzar’s War 
 
        There is a Persian invasion of Israel. Led by Holofernes, the Persians besiege the hilltop town of Bethulia – where Judith lives. The townspeople beg their leaders to surrender. Playing for time, the leading citizen Uzziah asks God for a further five days. If God does not save them, they will surrender.

👉🏼Judith and the Elders

       The beautiful and respected Judith, a wealthy widow of Bethulia, confronts the town leaders. Their plan, she says, is not the right course of action. She has her own secret plan, which she begins to put into action: she grooms herself so that she is alluringly beautiful, then leaves the city during the night.

👉🏼Judith and Holofernes.  

       Judith meets Holofernes, who is bowled over by her beauty. He plans to seduce her, but she turns the tables on him. After a lavish dinner, she waits until he is drunk, then she kills him by hacking off his head.

👉🏼Aftermath, and the Song of Judith. 
       
        She and her faithful maid wrap up the head of Holofernes and take it back to Bethulia. Then they hang it on the outer walls of the town. When the enemy troops see it they panic, and are easy prey for the Israelite troops. Judith has saved her people, and is hailed as a national heroine.


💮Unique facts about Judith💮

✨ Judith commands, plans, leads.
✨ Judith strategizes.
✨ Judith worked for the common good, risking her life.
✨ But before doing any of these, she always PRAYED!




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