Judith 1

How to read these pages: the text itself comes first, verse by verse, in the volume's own translation. Beneath each verse stands its Meaning — a rendering of what the passage's terms name in the inner life, drawn from the correspondences the text itself uses. The text is never altered; the meaning is offered, not imposed.

King James Version

1In the twelfth year of the reign of Nabuchodonosor, who reigned in Nineve, the great city; in the days of Arphaxad, which reigned over the Medes in Ecbatane,

In the twelfth year of the reign of Nabuchodonosor — the king, the ruling state, of Babylon, confusion enthroned as an empire — who reigned in Nineve, the great city, in the days of Arphaxad, who reigned over the Medes in Ecbatane: two ruling states set over against each other within the one consciousness, and the strife of the book announced in its first line.

2And built in Ecbatane walls round about of stones hewn three cubits broad and six cubits long, and made the height of the wall seventy cubits, and the breadth thereof fifty cubits:

And built in Ecbatane walls round about of stones hewn three cubits broad and six cubits long, and made the height of the wall seventy cubits, and the breadth thereof fifty cubits — the rival state fortifying itself in measured stone: every number kept exact, as the histories keep them.

3And set the towers thereof upon the gates of it an hundred cubits high, and the breadth thereof in the foundation threescore cubits:

And set the towers thereof upon the gates of it an hundred cubits high, and the breadth thereof in the foundation threescore cubits — height upon the gates: the entrances of the state guarded by its own exaltation.

4And he made the gates thereof, even gates that were raised to the height of seventy cubits, and the breadth of them was forty cubits, for the going forth of his mighty armies, and for the setting in array of his footmen:

And he made the gates thereof, even gates that were raised to the height of seventy cubits, and the breadth of them was forty cubits, for the going forth of his mighty armies, and for the setting in array of his footmen — the gates built not for entrance but for sortie: a consciousness organised wholly for going out to war.

5Even in those days king Nabuchodonosor made war with king Arphaxad in the great plain, which is the plain in the borders of Ragau.

Even in those days king Nabuchodonosor made war with king Arphaxad in the great plain — the open, level state of sense-consciousness — which is the plain in the borders of Ragau.

6And there came unto him all they that dwelt in the hill country, and all that dwelt by Euphrates, and Tigris and Hydaspes, and the plain of Arioch the king of the Elymeans, and very many nations of the sons of Chelod, assembled themselves to the battle.

And there came unto him all they that dwelt in the hill country, and all that dwelt by Euphrates — the great river of life-consciousness — and Tigris — the rapid current of thought — and Hydaspes, and the plain of Arioch the king of the Elymeans, and very many nations of the sons of Chelod, assembled themselves to the battle — the states gathering to the threatened center from every current of the mind.

7Then Nabuchodonosor king of the Assyrians sent unto all that dwelt in Persia, and to all that dwelt westward, and to those that dwelt in Cilicia, and Damascus, and Libanus, and Antilibanus, and to all that dwelt upon the sea coast,

Then Nabuchodonosor king of the Assyrians — Assyria, the dominating reasoning-empire of the outer world — sent unto all that dwelt in Persia, and to all that dwelt westward, and to those that dwelt in Cilicia, and Damascus, and Libanus, and Antilibanus, and to all that dwelt upon the sea coast — the summons of the reasoning-empire going out to every coast of consciousness.

8And to those among the nations that were of Carmel, and Galaad, and the higher Galilee, and the great plain of Esdrelom,

And to those among the nations that were of Carmel, and Galaad, and the higher Galilee — Galilee, the circuit of the outer faculties — and the great plain of Esdrelom,

9And to all that were in Samaria and the cities thereof, and beyond Jordan unto Jerusalem, and Betane, and Chelus, and Kades, and the river of Egypt, and Taphnes, and Ramesse, and all the land of Gesem,

And to all that were in Samaria and the cities thereof, and beyond Jordan — the descending river of life at the border of the promise — unto Jerusalem — the established center of spiritual consciousness, the city of the great King within — and Betane, and Chelus, and Kades, and the river of Egypt — Egypt, the material sense-realm — and Taphnes, and Ramesse, and all the land of Gesem,

10Until ye come beyond Tanis and Memphis, and to all the inhabitants of Egypt, until ye come to the borders of Ethiopia.

Until you come beyond Tanis and Memphis, and to all the inhabitants of Egypt, until you come to the borders of Ethiopia — the summons reaching to the farthest edge of the sense-realm: no faculty left unaddressed by the empire's demand.

11But all the inhabitants of the land made light of the commandment of Nabuchodonosor king of the Assyrians, neither went they with him to the battle; for they were not afraid of him: yea, he was before them as one man, and they sent away his ambassadors from them without effect, and with disgrace.

But all the inhabitants of the land made light of the commandment of Nabuchodonosor king of the Assyrians, neither went they with him to the battle; for they were not afraid of him: yea, he was before them as one man, and they sent away his ambassadors from them without effect, and with disgrace — the states refusing the summons: the empire weighed and found, for the moment, only one man.

12Therefore Nabuchodonosor was very angry with all this country, and sware by his throne and kingdom, that he would surely be avenged upon all those coasts of Cilicia, and Damascus, and Syria, and that he would slay with the sword all the inhabitants of the land of Moab, and the children of Ammon, and all Judea, and all that were in Egypt, till ye come to the borders of the two seas.

Therefore Nabuchodonosor was very angry with all this country, and swore by his throne — the seat of ruling authority in consciousness — and kingdom, that he would surely be avenged upon all those coasts of Cilicia, and Damascus, and Syria, and that he would slay with the sword — the cutting word turned to slaughter — all the inhabitants of the land of Moab, and the children of Ammon, and all Judea, and all that were in Egypt, till you come to the borders of the two seas: wrath swearing by its own seat, because it has nothing higher to swear by.

13Then he marched in battle array with his power against king Arphaxad in the seventeenth year, and he prevailed in his battle: for he overthrew all the power of Arphaxad, and all his horsemen, and all his chariots,

Then he marched in battle array with his power against king Arphaxad in the seventeenth year, and he prevailed in his battle; for he overthrew all the power of Arphaxad, and all his horsemen, and all his chariots — the reasoning-empire prevailing over the fortified rival: wall and tower no defence against the state that marches.

14And became lord of his cities, and came unto Ecbatane, and took the towers, and spoiled the streets thereof, and turned the beauty thereof into shame.

And became lord of his cities, and came unto Ecbatane, and took the towers, and spoiled the streets thereof, and turned the beauty thereof into shame — the beauty of the rival state turned to shame: what was built for glory serving as a monument of fall.

15He took also Arphaxad in the mountains of Ragau, and smote him through with his darts, and destroyed him utterly that day.

He took also Arphaxad in the mountains of Ragau — the mountains, exalted states of consciousness, become the place of capture — and smote him through with his darts, and destroyed him utterly that day.

16So he returned afterward to Nineve, both he and all his company of sundry nations being a very great multitude of men of war, and there he took his ease, and banqueted, both he and his army, an hundred and twenty days.

So he returned afterward to Nineve, both he and all his company of sundry nations being a very great multitude of men of war, and there he took his ease, and banqueted, both he and his army, an hundred and twenty days — victory settling into ease and banqueting: the empire feasting on its triumph for a third of a year, while the unanswered refusal ripens in its mind.

Companion volume to The Why Bible — the King James Apocrypha, rendered in its spiritual meanings. First final edition, October 2026.