Judith 7:26 - And now summon them, and deliver up the whole city as prey to the people of Holofernes, and to all his army.
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What does "Judith 7:26" mean?
This verse, Judith 7:26, comes from a speech given by Achior, an Ammonite leader, to the people of Bethulia, a besieged Jewish city. Achior is being held captive within the city walls after he warned Holofernes (the Assyrian general) that he couldn't conquer the Jews if they remained faithful to God.
Let's break down the meaning:
"And now summon them...": Achior is addressing the leaders and people of Bethulia. He's telling them to gather together.
"...and deliver up the whole city as prey...": This is the crucial and devastating part. He's urging them to surrender. "Prey" means to hand over the city to be plundered, looted, and its inhabitants to be taken captive.
"...to the people of Holofernes, and to all his army.": He's specifying to whom the city should be surrendered: Holofernes' Assyrian army. This means they should open the gates and allow the Assyrians to do as they please with the city.
In essence, Achior is prophesying, based on his (correct) understanding of the Jewish faith, that if they break their covenant with God (by giving up on prayer and limiting God as seen earlier in the chapter), they will be defeated and should just give up. He believes that they have lost God's protection and should surrender to avoid further suffering and death.
Context is Key:
The context of this verse is extremely important. The people of Bethulia are desperate. They are under siege, their water supply is dwindling, and they are facing starvation. They are starting to lose faith and contemplate surrendering. Achior's words, while harsh, are meant as a wake-up call. He's telling them the consequences of their loss of faith: total destruction at the hands of the Assyrians.
It is significant to note that the people do not listen to Achior's advice. Judith, the heroine of the book, offers a different strategy, one based on cunning and faith, not surrender. This leads to Holofernes' downfall and the salvation of Bethulia.
Judith 7:26 - And now summon them, and deliver up the whole city as prey to the people of Holofernes, and to all his army.
What does "Judith 7:26" mean?
This verse, Judith 7:26, comes from a speech given by Achior, an Ammonite leader, to the people of Bethulia, a besieged Jewish city. Achior is being held captive within the city walls after he warned Holofernes (the Assyrian general) that he couldn't conquer the Jews if they remained faithful to God.
Let's break down the meaning:
"And now summon them...": Achior is addressing the leaders and people of Bethulia. He's telling them to gather together.
"...and deliver up the whole city as prey...": This is the crucial and devastating part. He's urging them to surrender. "Prey" means to hand over the city to be plundered, looted, and its inhabitants to be taken captive.
"...to the people of Holofernes, and to all his army.": He's specifying to whom the city should be surrendered: Holofernes' Assyrian army. This means they should open the gates and allow the Assyrians to do as they please with the city.
In essence, Achior is prophesying, based on his (correct) understanding of the Jewish faith, that if they break their covenant with God (by giving up on prayer and limiting God as seen earlier in the chapter), they will be defeated and should just give up. He believes that they have lost God's protection and should surrender to avoid further suffering and death.
Context is Key:
The context of this verse is extremely important. The people of Bethulia are desperate. They are under siege, their water supply is dwindling, and they are facing starvation. They are starting to lose faith and contemplate surrendering. Achior's words, while harsh, are meant as a wake-up call. He's telling them the consequences of their loss of faith: total destruction at the hands of the Assyrians.
It is significant to note that the people do not listen to Achior's advice. Judith, the heroine of the book, offers a different strategy, one based on cunning and faith, not surrender. This leads to Holofernes' downfall and the salvation of Bethulia.