Judith 4

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

1Now the children of Israel, that dwelt in Judea, heard all that Holofernes the chief captain of Nabuchodonosor king of the Assyrians had done to the nations, and after what manner he had spoiled all their temples, and brought them to nought.

Now the children of Israel — Israel, the spiritual man who has striven with God and prevailed — that dwelt in Judea, heard all that Holofernes the chief captain of Nabuchodonosor king of the Assyrians had done to the nations, and after what manner he had spoiled all their temples, and brought them to nought: the report of the empire's road reaching the hill country, and the praise-state listening.

2Therefore they were exceedingly afraid of him, and were troubled for Jerusalem, and for the temple of the Lord their God:

Therefore they were exceedingly afraid of him, and were troubled for Jerusalem — the established center of spiritual consciousness — and for the temple of the Lord their God — the temple, the established sanctuary-state of the indwelling LORD: fear fastening, rightly, on the center rather than on the coasts.

3For they were newly returned from the captivity, and all the people of Judea were lately gathered together: and the vessels, and the altar, and the house, were sanctified after the profanation.

For they were newly returned from the captivity — consciousness carried away into a foreign ruling state, and lately led back — and all the people of Judea were lately gathered together; and the vessels, and the altar — the built point of consecration — and the house, were sanctified after the profanation: a restored state, still tender from its own cleansing, hearing the host approach.

4Therefore they sent into all the coasts of Samaria, and the villages and to Bethoron, and Belmen, and Jericho, and to Choba, and Esora, and to the valley of Salem:

Therefore they sent into all the coasts of Samaria, and the villages, and to Bethoron, and Belmen, and Jericho, and to Choba, and Esora, and to the valley of Salem — the warning sent through every approach to the center.

5And possessed themselves beforehand of all the tops of the high mountains, and fortified the villages that were in them, and laid up victuals for the provision of war: for their fields were of late reaped.

And possessed themselves beforehand of all the tops of the high mountains — the exalted states of consciousness — and fortified the villages that were in them, and laid up victuals for the provision of war; for their fields were of late reaped: the heights occupied first, and the late harvest stored against the siege.

6Also Joacim the high priest, which was in those days in Jerusalem, wrote to them that dwelt in Bethulia, and Betomestham, which is over against Esdraelon toward the open country, near to Dothaim,

Also Joacim the high priest — the chief mediating faculty — who was in those days in Jerusalem, wrote to them that dwelt in Bethulia, and Betomestham, which is over against Esdraelon toward the open country, near to Dothaim,

7Charging them to keep the passages of the hill country: for by them there was an entrance into Judea, and it was easy to stop them that would come up, because the passage was straight, for two men at the most.

Charging them to keep the passages of the hill country; for by them there was an entrance into Judea, and it was easy to stop them that would come up, because the passage was straight, for two men at the most — the strait passage named as the state's whole defence: two abreast, and no more, between the empire and the center.

8And the children of Israel did as Joacim the high priest had commanded them, with the ancients of all the people of Israel, which dwelt at Jerusalem.

And the children of Israel did as Joacim the high priest had commanded them, with the ancients of all the people of Israel, who dwelt at Jerusalem — obedience running from the center to the passes without delay.

9Then every man of Israel cried to God with great fervency, and with great vehemency did they humble their souls:

Then every man of Israel cried to God with great fervency, and with great vehemency did they humble their souls — the defences finished, the state turning from its walls to its Source: humbling as the second fortification.

10Both they, and their wives and their children, and their cattle, and every stranger and hireling, and their servants bought with money, put sackcloth upon their loins.

Both they, and their wives and their children, and their cattle — the tamed affections — and every stranger and hireling, and their servants bought with money, put sackcloth upon their loins — the humbling made universal: no faculty of the house exempted from the posture of grief.

11Thus every man and women, and the little children, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, fell before the temple, and cast ashes upon their heads, and spread out their sackcloth before the face of the Lord: also they put sackcloth about the altar,

Thus every man and woman, and the little children, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, fell before the temple, and cast ashes upon their heads, and spread out their sackcloth before the face of the indwelling LORD; also they put sackcloth about the altar — even the point of consecration clothed in the grief: the whole center, persons and altar alike, in one posture before the Presence.

12And cried to the God of Israel all with one consent earnestly, that he would not give their children for a prey, and their wives for a spoil, and the cities of their inheritance to destruction, and the sanctuary to profanation and reproach, and for the nations to rejoice at.

And cried to the God of Israel all with one consent earnestly, that He would not give their children for a prey, and their wives for a spoil, and the cities of their inheritance to destruction, and the sanctuary to profanation and reproach, and for the nations to rejoice at — the prayer itemising what it fears to lose, and laying each item before the Source by name.

13So God heard their prayers, and looked upon their afflictions: for the people fasted many days in all Judea and Jerusalem before the sanctuary of the Lord Almighty.

So God heard their prayers, and looked upon their afflictions; for the people fasted many days in all Judea and Jerusalem before the sanctuary of the Lord Almighty — the hearing stated simply, before any deliverance is seen: the fast continuing in the sanctuary's sight.

14And Joacim the high priest, and all the priests that stood before the Lord, and they which ministered unto the Lord, had their loins girt with sackcloth, and offered the daily burnt offerings, with the vows and free gifts of the people,

And Joacim the high priest, and all the priests — the mediating faculties — that stood before the Lord, and they which ministered unto the Lord, had their loins girt with sackcloth, and offered the daily burnt offerings — the whole state yielded up, nothing kept back — with the vows and free gifts of the people,

15And had ashes on their mitres, and cried unto the Lord with all their power, that he would look upon all the house of Israel graciously.

And had ashes on their mitres, and cried unto the Lord with all their power, that He would look upon all the house of Israel graciously — the mediating faculties themselves in ashes: no office in the house standing above the humbling.

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