“But the Lord Almighty has foiled them
By the hand of a woman.
For their mighty one did not fall by the hands of the young men.
The sons of the Titans did not strike him down.
The tall giants did not set upon him.
But Judith,
Daughter of Merari,
With the beauty of her countenance,
She undid him.
She put away her widow’s clothing.
To exalt the oppressed in Israel.
She anointed her face with perfume.
She fastened her hair with a tiara.
She put on a linen gown to beguile him.
Her sandal ravished his eyes.
Her beauty captivated his mind.
The sword severed his neck.
The Persians trembled at her boldness,
The Medes were daunted at her daring.”
Suddenly the canticle is about Judith rather than Judith praying to God. The almighty God struck down the enemy with a female, almost to say, even a woman got him because he was so weak. It was not a young strong male soldier, nor some giant that brought him down. No, it was the beautiful widow who put away her widow’s clothing, anointed her face, fastened her hair, and wore a linen gown. She ravished his eyes, captivated his mind, and severed his neck. General Holofernes was not a Persian but an Assyrian. Medes was associated with the Persians, once again indicating some inconsistent details.
Eugene Finnegan Bible Project 