33,354 verses contain “The” (in the KJV: 32,434, in the BSB: 26,201) — showing 29,901–30,000
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For all
the inhabitants of Bethulia have
their water
thence; so shall
thirst kill
them, and
they shall give up
their city, and we and our people shall go up to
the tops of
the mountains that are near, and will camp upon
them, to watch that none go out of
the city.
So they and their wives and their children shall be consumed with fire, and before the sword come against them, they shall be overthrown in the streets where they dwell.
Thus shalt thou render
them an evil reward; because
they rebelled, and met not thy person
peaceably.
And these words pleased Holofernes and all his servants, and he appointed to do as they had spoken.
So
the camp of
the children of
Ammon departed, and with
them five thousand of
the Assyrians, and
they pitched in
the valley, and took
the waters, and
the fountains of
the waters of
the children of Israel.
Then the children of
Esau went up with
the children of
Ammon, and camped in
the hill country over against Dothaim: and
they sent some of
them toward
the south, and toward
the east over against Ekrebel, which is near unto Chusi, that is upon
the brook Mochmur; and
the rest of
the army of
the Assyrians camped in
the plain, and covered
the face of
the whole land; and
their tents and carriages were pitched to a very great multitude.
Then the children of Israel
cried unto
the Lord
their God, because
their heart failed, for all
their enemies had compassed
them round about, and
there was no way to escape out from among
them.
Thus all
the company of Assur remained about
them, both
their footmen,
chariots, and
horsemen, four and thirty days, so that all
their vessels of water failed all
the inhibitants of Bethulia.
And
the cisterns were
emptied, and
they had not water to drink
their fill for one day; for
they gave
them drink by measure.
Therefore their young children were out of heart, and
their women and young men
fainted for
thirst, and fell down in
the streets of
the city, and by
the passages of
the gates, and
there was no longer any strength in
them.
Then all
the people assembled to Ozias, and to
the chief of
the city, both young men, and women, and children, and
cried with a loud voice, and said before all
the elders,
God be judge between us and you: for ye have done us great injury, in that ye have not required peace of the children of Assur.
For now we have no helper: but God hath sold us into
their hands, that we should be thrown down before
them with
thirst and great destruction.
Now
therefore call
them unto you, and deliver
the whole city for a
spoil to
the people of Holofernes, and to all his army.
For it is better for us to be made a
spoil unto
them, than to die for
thirst: for we will be his servants, that our souls may live, and not see
the death of our infants before our eyes, nor our wives nor our children to die.
We take to witness against you the heaven and the earth, and our God and Lord of our fathers, which punisheth us according to our sins and the sins of our fathers, that he do not according as we have said this day.
Then there was great
weeping with one consent in
the midst of
the assembly; and
they cried unto
the Lord God with a loud voice.
Then said Ozias to
them, Brethren, be of good courage, let us yet
endure five days, in
the which space
the Lord our God may turn his mercy toward us; for he will not
forsake us utterly.
And if these days pass, and there come no help unto us, I will do according to your word.
And he
dispersed the people, every one to
their own charge; and
they went unto
the walls and towers of
their city, and sent
the women and children into
their houses: and
they were very low brought in
the city.
Now at that time
Judith heard
thereof, which was
the daughter of Merari,
the son of Ox,
the son of Joseph,
the son of Ozel,
the son of Elcia,
the son of
Ananias,
the son of Gedeon,
the son of Raphaim,
the son of Acitho,
the son of Eliu,
the son of Eliab,
the son of
Nathanael,
the son of Samael,
the son of Salasadal,
the son of Israel.
And Manasses was her husband, of her tribe and kindred, who died in the barley harvest.
For as he stood overseeing
them that bound
sheaves in
the field,
the heat came upon his head, and he fell on his bed, and died in
the city of Bethulia: and
they buried him with his fathers in
the field between Dothaim and Balamo.
And she made her a tent upon
the top of her house, and put on
sackcloth upon her loins and ware her widow’s
apparel.
And she fasted all
the days of her
widowhood, save
the eves of
the sabbaths, and
the sabbaths, and
the eves of
the new moons, and
the new moons and
the feasts and solemn days of
the house of Israel.
She was also of a goodly countenance, and very beautiful to behold: and her husband Manasses had left her gold, and silver, and menservants and maidservants, and cattle, and lands; and she remained upon them.
And there was none that gave her an ill word; as she feared God greatly.
Now when she heard
the evil words of
the people against
the governor, that
they fainted for lack of water; for
Judith had heard all
the words that Ozias had spoken unto
them, and that he had
sworn to deliver
the city unto
the Assyrians after five days;
Then she sent her waitingwoman, that had the government of all things that she had, to call Ozias and Chabris and Charmis, the ancients of the city.
And they came unto her, and she said unto them, Hear me now, O ye governors of the inhabitants of Bethulia: for your words that ye have spoken before the people this day are not right, touching this oath which ye made and pronounced between God and you, and have promised to deliver the city to our enemies, unless within these days the Lord turn to help you.
And now who are ye that have
tempted God this day, and stand instead of God among
the children of men?
And now try
the Lord
Almighty, but ye shall never know any thing.
For ye cannot find
the depth of
the heart of man, neither can ye perceive
the things that he thinketh:
then how can ye search out God, that hath made all
these things, and know his mind, or
comprehend his purpose?
Nay, my brethren,
provoke not
the Lord our God to anger.
For if he will not help us within these five days, he hath power to defend us when he will, even every day, or to destroy us before our enemies.
Do not bind
the counsels of
the Lord our God: for God is not as man, that he may be threatened; neither is he as
the son of man, that he should be
wavering.
Therefore let us wait for salvation of him, and call upon him to help us, and he will hear our voice, if it please him.
For
there arose none in our age, neither is
there any now in
these days neither tribe, nor family, nor people, nor city among us, which worship gods made with hands, as hath been
aforetime.
For
the which cause our fathers were given to
the sword, and for a
spoil, and had a great fall before our enemies.
But we know none other god,
therefore we trust that he will not
despise us, nor any of our nation.
For if we be taken so, all
Judea shall lie waste, and our sanctuary shall be
spoiled; and he will require
the profanation thereof at our mouth.
And
the slaughter of our brethren, and
the captivity of
the country, and
the desolation of our inheritance, will he turn upon our heads among
the Gentiles,
wheresoever we shall be in
bondage; and we shall be an offence and a reproach to all
them that possess us.
For our
servitude shall not be directed to favour: but
the Lord our God shall turn it to dishonour.
Now
therefore, O brethren, let us
shew an example to our brethren, because
their hearts depend upon us, and
the sanctuary, and
the house, and
the altar, rest upon us.
Moreover let us give
thanks to
the Lord our God, which trieth us, even as he did our fathers.
Remember what things he did to Abraham, and how he tried Isaac, and what happened to Jacob in
Mesopotamia of Syria, when he kept
the sheep of
Laban his mother’s brother.
For he hath not tried us in
the fire, as he did
them, for
the examination of
their hearts, neither hath he taken
vengeance on us: but
the Lord
doth scourge them that come near unto him, to
admonish them.
Then said Ozias to her, All that thou hast spoken hast thou spoken with a good heart, and
there is none that may
gainsay thy words.
For this is not the first day wherein thy wisdom is manifested; but from the beginning of thy days all the people have known thy understanding, because the disposition of thine heart is good.
But
the people were very
thirsty, and compelled us to do unto
them as we have spoken, and to bring an oath upon ourselves, which we will not break.
Therefore now pray thou for us, because thou art a godly woman, and
the Lord will send us rain to fill our cisterns, and we shall
faint no more.
Then said
Judith unto
them, Hear me, and I will do a thing, which shall go throughout all generations to
the children of our nation.
Ye shall stand this night in the gate, and I will go forth with my waitingwoman: and within the days that ye have promised to deliver the city to our enemies the Lord will visit Israel by mine hand.
But
enquire not ye of mine act: for I will not declare it unto you, till
the things be finished that I do.
Then said Ozias and
the princes unto her, Go in peace, and
the Lord God be before
thee, to take
vengeance on our enemies.
So they returned from the tent, and went to their wards.
Judith fell upon her face, and put ashes upon her head, and uncovered
the sackcloth wherewith she was clothed; and about
the time that
the incense of that evening was offered in Jerusalem in
the house of
the Lord
Judith cried with a loud voice, and said,
Wherefore thou gavest
their rulers to be slain, so that
they dyed their bed in blood, being
deceived, and smotest
the servants with
their lords, and
the lords upon
their thrones;
And hast given
their wives for a prey, and
their daughters to be
captives, and all
their spoils to be divided among thy
dear children; which were moved with thy zeal, and
abhorred the pollution of
their blood, and called upon
thee for aid: O God, O my God, hear me also a widow.
For thou hast wrought not only those things, but also
the things which fell out before, and which
ensued after; thou hast thought upon
the things which are now, and which are to come.
For, behold,
the Assyrians are multiplied in
their power;
they are
exalted with horse and man;
they glory in
the strength of
their footmen;
they trust in shield, and
spear, and bow, and
sling; and know not that thou art
the Lord that breakest
the battles:
the Lord is thy name.
Throw down
their strength in thy power, and bring down
their force in thy wrath: for
they have purposed to
defile thy sanctuary, and to
pollute the tabernacle where thy glorious name resteth and to cast down with sword
the horn of thy altar.
Behold their pride, and send thy wrath upon their heads: give into mine hand, which am a widow, the power that I have conceived.
Smite by
the deceit of my lips
the servant with
the prince, and
the prince with
the servant: break down
their stateliness by
the hand of a woman.
For thy power standeth not in multitude nor thy might in strong men: for thou art a God of
the afflicted, an helper of
the oppressed, an
upholder of
the weak, a
protector of
the forlorn, a saviour of
them that are without hope.
I pray
thee, I pray
thee, O God of my father, and God of
the inheritance of Israel, Lord of
the heavens and earth,
Creator of
the waters, king of every creature, hear thou my prayer:
And make my speech and
deceit to be
their wound and
stripe, who have purposed cruel things against thy covenant, and thy
hallowed house, and against
the top of
Sion, and against
the house of
the possession of thy children.
And make every nation and tribe to acknowledge that thou art the God of all power and might, and that there is none other that protecteth the people of Israel but thou.
Now after that she had ceased to cry unto the God of Israel, and had made an end of all these words.
She rose where she had fallen down, and called her
maid, and went down into
the house in
the which she abode in
the sabbath days, and in her feast days,
And pulled off
the sackcloth which she had on, and put off
the garments of her
widowhood, and washed her body all over with water, and
anointed herself with precious
ointment, and
braided the hair of her head, and put on a
tire upon it, and put on her garments of
gladness,
wherewith she was
clad during
the life of Manasses her husband.
And she took
sandals upon her feet, and put about her her bracelets, and her chains, and her rings, and her earrings, and all her ornaments, and decked herself
bravely, to
allure the eyes of all men that should see her.
Then she gave her
maid a
bottle of wine, and a
cruse of oil, and filled a
bag with
parched corn, and lumps of figs, and with fine bread; so she folded all
these things together, and laid
them upon her.
Thus they went forth to the gate of the city of Bethulia, and found standing there Ozias and the ancients of the city, Chabris and Charmis.
And when
they saw her, that her countenance was altered, and her
apparel was changed,
they wondered at her beauty very greatly, and said unto her.
The God,
the God of our fathers give
thee favour, and
accomplish thine enterprizes to
the glory of
the children of Israel, and to
the exaltation of Jerusalem.
Then they worshipped God.
And she said unto
them, Command
the gates of
the city to be opened unto me, that I may go forth to
accomplish the things
whereof ye have spoken with me. So
they commanded
the young men to open unto her, as she had spoken.
And when
they had done so,
Judith went out, she, and her
maid with her; and
the men of
the city looked after her, until she was gone down
the mountain, and till she had passed
the valley, and could see her no more.
Thus they went straight forth in the valley: and the first watch of the Assyrians met her,
And took her, and asked her, Of what people art thou? and whence comest thou? and
whither goest thou? And she said, I am a woman of
the Hebrews, and am fled from
them: for
they shall be given you to be consumed:
And I am coming before Holofernes
the chief captain of your army, to declare words of truth; and I will
shew him a way, whereby he shall go, and
win all
the hill country, without losing
the body or life of any one of his men.
Now when
the men heard her words, and
beheld her countenance,
they wondered greatly at her beauty, and said unto her,
Thou hast saved thy life, in that thou hast hasted to come down to the presence of our lord: now therefore come to his tent, and some of us shall conduct thee, until they have delivered thee to his hands.
And when thou standest before him, be not afraid in thine heart, but
shew unto him according to thy word; and he will
entreat thee well.
Then they chose out of
them an hundred men to
accompany her and her
maid; and
they brought her to
the tent of Holofernes.
Then was
there a
concourse throughout all
the camp: for her coming was noised among
the tents, and
they came about her, as she stood without
the tent of Holofernes, till
they told him of her.
And
they wondered at her beauty, and
admired the children of Israel because of her, and every one said to his neighbour, Who would
despise this people, that have among
them such women? surely it is not good that one man of
them be left who being let go might
deceive the whole earth.
And they that lay near Holofernes went out, and all his servants and they brought her into the tent.
So they shewed him of her; and he came out before his tent with silver lamps going before him.
And when
Judith was come before him and his servants
they all
marvelled at
the beauty of her countenance; and she fell down upon her face, and did reverence unto him: and his servants took her up.
Then said Holofernes unto her, Woman, be of good comfort, fear not in thine heart: for I never
hurt any that was willing to serve Nabuchodonosor,
the king of all
the earth.
Now
therefore, if thy people that dwelleth in
the mountains had not set light by me, I would not have lifted up my
spear against
them: but
they have done
these things to
themselves.
But now tell me wherefore thou art fled from
them, and art come unto us: for thou art come for
safeguard; be of good comfort, thou shalt live this night, and
hereafter:
For none shall
hurt thee, but
entreat thee well, as
they do
the servants of king Nabuchodonosor my lord.
Then Judith said unto him, Receive
the words of thy servant, and suffer thine
handmaid to speak in thy presence, and I will declare no lie to my lord this night.
And if thou
wilt follow
the words of thine
handmaid, God will bring
the thing perfectly to pass by
thee; and my lord shall not fail of his purposes.
As Nabuchodonosor king of all the earth liveth, and as his power liveth, who hath sent thee for the upholding of every living thing: for not only men shall serve him by thee, but also the beasts of the field, and the cattle, and the fowls of the air, shall live by thy power under Nabuchodonosor and all his house.
For we have heard of thy wisdom and thy
policies, and it is reported in all
the earth, that thou only art excellent in all
the kingdom, and mighty in knowledge, and wonderful in feats of war.
Now as concerning the matter, which Achior did speak in thy council, we have heard his words; for the men of Bethulia saved him, and he declared unto them all that he had spoken unto thee.
Therefore, O lord and governor, respect not his word; but lay it up in thine heart, for it is true: for our nation shall not be punished, neither can sword prevail against them, except they sin against their God.