Judit 4

1Then the children of Israel, who dwelt in the land of Juda, hearing these things, were exceedingly afraid of him.

2Dread and horror seized upon their minds, lest he should do the same to Jerusalem and to the temple of the Lord, that he had done to other cities and their temples.

3And they sent into all Samaria round about, as far as Jericho, and seized upon all the tops of the mountains:

4And they compassed their towns with walls, and gathered together corn for provision for war.

5And Eliachim the priest wrote to all that were over against Esdrelon, which faceth the great plain near Dothain, and to all by whom there might be a passage of way, that they should take possession of the ascents of the mountains, by which there might be any way to Jerusalem, and should keep watch where the way was narrow between the mountains.

6And the children of Israel did as the priest of the Lord Eliachim had appointed them,

7And all the people cried to the Lord with great earnestness, and they humbled their souls in fastings, and prayers, both they and their wives.

8And the priests put on haircloths, and they caused the little children to lie prostrate before the temple of the Lord, and the altar of the Lord they covered with haircloth.

9And they cried to the Lord the God of Israel with one accord, that their children might not be made a prey, and their wives carried off, and their cities destroyed, and their holy things profaned, and that they might not be made a reproach to the Gentiles.

10Then Eliachim the high priest of the Lord went about all Israel and spoke to them,

11Saying: Know ye that the Lord will hear your prayers, if you continue with perseverance in fastings and prayers in the sight of the Lord.

12Remember Moses the servant of the Lord, who overcame Amalec that trusted in his own strength, and in his power, and in his army, and in his shields, and in his chariots, and in his horsemen, not by fighting with the sword, but by holy prayers:

13So shall all the enemies of Israel be, if you persevere in this work which you have begun.

14So they being moved by this exhortation of his, prayed to the Lord, and continued in the sight of the Lord.

15So that even they who offered the holocausts to the Lord, offered the sacrifices to the Lord girded with haircloths, and with ashes upon their head.

16And they all begged of God with all their heart, that he would visit his people Israel.

1Tunc audientes hæc filii Israël qui habitabant in terra Juda, timuerunt valde a facie ejus.

2Tremor et horror invasit sensus eorum, ne hoc faceret Jerusalem et templo Domini, quod fecerat ceteris civitatibus et templis earum.

3Et miserunt in omnem Samariam per circuitum usque Jericho, et præoccupaverunt omnes vertices montium:

4et muris circumdederunt vicos suos, et congregaverunt frumenta in præparationem pugnæ.

5Sacerdos etiam Eliachim scripsit ad universos qui erant contra Esdrelon, quæ est contra faciem campi magni juxta Dothain, et universos per quos viæ transitus esse poterat,

6ut obtinerent ascensus montium, per quos via esse poterat ad Jerusalem, et illic custodirent ubi angustum iter esse poterat inter montes.

7Et fecerunt filii Israël secundum quod constituerat eis sacerdos Domini Eliachim.

8Et clamavit omnis populus ad Dominum instantia magna, et humiliaverunt animas suas in jejuniis et orationibus, ipsi et mulieres eorum.

9Et induerunt se sacerdotes ciliciis, et infantes prostraverunt contra faciem templi Domini, et altare Domini operuerunt cilicio:

10et clamaverunt ad Dominum Deum Israël unanimiter ne darentur in prædam infantes eorum, et uxores eorum in divisionem, et civitates eorum in exterminium, et sancta eorum in pollutionem, et fierent opprobrium gentibus.

11Tunc Eliachim sacerdos Domini magnus circuivit omnem Israël, allocutusque est eos,

12dicens: Scitote quoniam exaudiet Dominus preces vestras, si manentes permanseritis in jejuniis et orationibus in conspectu Domini.

13Memores estote Moysi servi Domini, qui Amalec confidentem in virtute sua, et in potentia sua, et in exercitu suo, et in clypeis suis, et in curribus suis, et in equitibus suis, non ferro pugnando, sed precibus sanctis orando dejecit:

14sic erunt universi hostes Israël, si perseveraveritis in hoc opere quod cœpistis.

15Ad hanc igitur exhortationem ejus deprecantes Dominum, permanebant in conspectu Domini,

16ita ut etiam hi qui offerebant Domino holocausta, præcincti ciliciis offerrent sacrificia Domino, et erat cinis super capita eorum.

17Et ex toto corde suo omnes orabant Deum, ut visitaret populum suum Israël.

1Then, upon hearing these things, the sons of Israel, who dwelt in the land of Judah, were very afraid before his face.

2Trembling and horror invaded their senses, lest he should do the same thing to Jerusalem and to the temple of the Lord that he had done to other cities and their temples.

3And they sent into all of Samaria, and by an indirect route even to Jericho, and they seized in advance all the tops of the mountains.

4And they surrounded their villages with walls, and they gathered together grain in preparation for the fight.

5And then Eliachim the priest wrote to all who were opposite Esdrelon, which is opposite the face of the great plain near Dothain, and to all whom he would be able to reach through a passable way:

6that they should hold the ascents of the mountains, through which there might be any passage able to reach Jerusalem, and that they should keep watch where the passage was narrow, wherever possible, between the mountains.

7And the sons of Israel did just as Eliachim, the priest of the Lord, had appointed them.

8And all the people cried out to the Lord with great urgency, and they humbled their souls with fastings, and prayers, both they and their wives.

9And the priests clothed themselves with haircloths, and they prostrated the little children opposite the face of the temple of the Lord, and they covered the altar of the Lord with haircloth.

10And they cried out to the Lord God of Israel with one accord, lest their children should be given over as prey, and their wives into distribution, and their cities into extermination, and their holy things into defilement, and so that they might not become the disgrace of the Gentiles.

11Then Eliachim, the high priest of the Lord, traveled all around Israel, and he was talking to them,

12saying: “Know that the Lord will heed your prayers, if you continue to persevere in fastings and prayers in the sight of the Lord.

13Recall that Moses, the servant of the Lord, overcame Amalek, who trusted in his own strength, and in his power, and in his army, and in his bronze shields, and in his swift chariots, and in his horsemen. He overcame him, not by fighting with iron, but by pleading with holy prayers.

14So will it be with all the enemies of Israel, if you persevere in this work that you have begun.”

15Therefore, by this exhortation and his prayer to the Lord, they continued in the sight of the Lord,

16so that even those who offered holocausts to the Lord, offered the sacrifices to the Lord girded with haircloths, and there were ashes upon their heads.

17And they all begged God with their whole heart, that he would visit his people Israel.