Judith BY A. MARINAS, A CONTEMPORARY GERMAN ARTIST. + "I will do a thing which shall go throughout all generations to the children of our nation."-Judith, 8, 32. Ο F ALL the apocryphal books, the one best known to modern times is probably that of Judith. The heroine has ever been a favorite figure with story-teller and poet, with painter and especially with sculptor. She has become the typical figure of the Hebrew race. In historical accuracy the book is wholly lacking. It is a romance, or rather a national epic celebrating some great Jewish triumph which, if not purely imaginary, has been exaggerated and confused beyond all recognition. The book tells how "Nabuchodonossor king of the Assyrians" conquered all other kings, and sent his chief general Holofernes with a mighty army to march through every land and lay it waste, and compel its people to worship Nabuchodonossor as god. All the peoples submitted in terror, except the Jews. These "newly returned from the captivity", had too deep a sense of God's greatness to do worship to a mere man. Therefore they fortified themselves among their hills and prayed. of Holofernes' own counsellors warned him of the power of the Hebrew God and urged him not to attack them; but Holofernes and all his army scoffed at this timorous advice. They would destroy all the Jews forever. One THE BOOK OF MICAH The Book of Micah 1461 (The prophet Micah "the Morasthite" is referred to in the Book of Jeremiah (26, 18). He is not, however, the same Micah or Micaiah who is mentioned in First Kings (22, 8). The "Morasthite," author of the Book of Micah, was a Judean of the days of King Hezekiah, and thus a contemporary of Isaiah in the latter's final days. Scholars have judged from Micah's book that he lived also in the days of King Manasseh. The book divides sharply into two parts. The first five chapters describe the wickedness of Israel and the similar wickedness in Judah; the downfall of Israel is portrayed and a similar downfall predicted for Judah. A restoration is promised under the Messiah, who shall come forth from Bethlehem. The two closing chapters of the book form a sort of appendix, which may be from another hand, or may be Micah's later work. They rebuke the evil of Judah, and seem to describe the increasing wickedness under King Manasseh.) Chapter 1 1 Micah sheweth the wrath of God against Jacob for idolatry. 10 He exhorteth to mourning. HE word of the LORD that came to Micah the Morasthite in the days of Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, which he saw concerning Samaria and Jerusalem. 2 Hear, all ye people; hearken, O earth, and all that therein is: and let the Lord GOD be witness against you, the Lord from his holy temple. 3 For, behold, the LORD cometh forth out of his place, and will come down, and tread upon the high places of the earth. 4 And the mountains shall be molten under him, and the valleys shall be cleft, as wax before the fire, and as the waters that are poured down a steep place. 5 For the transgression of Jacob is all this, and for the sins of the house of Israel. What is the transgression of Jacob? is it not Samaria? and what are the high places of Judah? are they not Jerusalem ? 6 Therefore I will make Samaria as an heap of the field, and as plantings of a vineyard: and I will pour down the stones thereof into the valley, and I will discover the foundations thereof. 7 And all the graven images thereof shall be beaten to pieces, and all the hires thereof shall be burned with the fire, and all the idols thereof will I lay desolate: for she gathered it of the hire of an harlot, and they shall return to the hire of an harlot. 8 Therefore I will wail and howl, I will go stripped and naked: I will make a wailing like the dragons, and mourning as the owls. 9 For her wound is incurable; for it is come unto Judah; he is come unto the gate of my people, even to Jerusalem. 10 Declare ye it not at Gath, weep ye not at all: in the house of Aphrah roll thyself in the dust. 11 Pass ye away, thou inhabitant of Saphir, having thy shame naked: the inhabitant of Zaanan came not forth in the mourning of Beth-ezel; he shall receive of you his standing.1 12 For the inhabitant of Maroth waited carefully for good: but evil came down from the LORD unto the gate of Jerusalem. 13 O thou inhabitant of Lachish, bind the chariot to the swift "The Revised Version reads: "the inhabitant of Zaaman is not come forth; the wailing of Beth-ezel shall take from you the stay thereof." |