CHAP. XIIII.
1 Iudeth causeth to hang vp the head of Olofernes. 10 Achior ioyneth 〈◊〉〈◊〉 selfe to the people of God. 11 The Israelites go out against the Assyrians.
1 THen said Iudeth vnto them, Heare me also, my brethrē, and * take this head, and hang it vppon the hiest place of your walles.
2 And so sone as the morning shall appeare and the sonne shall come for the vpon the earth, take you euerie one his weapons, & go forthe euerie valiant man out of them Citie, and set you a captaine ouer them, as thogh you wolde godowne into the field, towarde the watche of the Assyrians, but go not downe.
3 Then they shal take their armour, & shall go into their campe, & raise vp the captai∣nes of the armie of Assur, & they shal runne to the tent of Olofernes, but shal not finde him: then feare shall fall vpon them, & they shal flee before your face,
4 So you and all that inhabite the coastes of Israel, shal pursue them, and ouerthrowe them as they go.
5 But before you do these things, call me Achior the Ammonite, that he may se, and knowe him that despised the house of Is∣rael, and that sent him to vs as to death.
6 Then they called Achior out of the house of Ozias, and when he was come and sawe the head of Olofernes in a certeine mans hand in the assemblie of the people, he fell downe on his face, and his spirit failed.
7 But when they had taken him vp, he fel at Iudeths fete, and reuerenced her, and said, Blessed art thou in all the tabernacle of Iu∣da, and in all nacions, whiche, hearing thy name, shalbe astonished.
8 Now therefore tel me all the things, that thou hast done in these dayes. Then Iudeth declared vnto him in the middes of the people all that she had done from the daye that she went forthe, vntill that houreshe spake vnto them.
9 And whē she had left of speaking, the peo∣ple reioyced with a great voyce, and made anoyce of gladnes through their citie.
10 And Achior, seing all things that God had done for Israel, beleued in God vnfainedly, and circumcised the foreskine of his flesh, and was ioyned vnto the house of Israel vnto this day.
11 ¶ Assone as the morning arose, thei hāged the head of Olofernes out at the wall, and euerye man toke hys weapons, and they went forthe by bandes vnto the straites of the mountaine.
12 But when the Assyrians sawe thē, thei sent to their captaines, which went to the go∣uernours and chief captaines, and to all their rulers.
13 So they came to Olofernes tent and sayd to him that had the charge of all his things Waken our Lord: for the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 haue bene bolde to come downe against vs to battel, that they may be destroyed for euer.
14 Then went in Bagoas, & knocked at the dore of the tent: for he thoght that he had slepe with Iudeth.
15 But because none answered, he opened it, and went into the chamber, and found hīm cast vpon the floore, & his head was takē from him.
16 Therefore he cryed with a loude voyce, with weping and mourning, and a mightie crye, and rent his garments.
17 After, he wēt into the tent of Iudeth where she vsed to remaine, and founde her not: then he leaped out to the people & cryed,
18 These sclaues haue cōmitted wickednes: one woman of the Hebrewes hath broght shame vpon the house of King Nabucho∣donosor: for beholde, Olofernes (lieth) vpō the grounde without an head.
19 When the captaines of the Assyrians ar∣mie heard these wordes, they rēt their coa∣tes, and their heart was wonderfully trou∣bled, & there was a crye and a verie greate noyce throughout the campe.