JUDITH is the heroine of the apocryphal Book of Judith. Nebuchadnezzar, king of Assyria, sent his general Holofernes to beseige the Jewish city of Bethulia. After holding out for a month, the city elders decided to open the gates and to surrender. Judith approached them and gained their permission to visit Holofernes in his camp. Impressed by her wisdom and attracted by her beauty, Holofernes invited her to a feast. He became very drunk. While he lay in a drunken sleep, Judith cut off his head, gave it to her maid to carry in a sack, and returned to Bethulia. The next morning the Assyrian army fled when the commanders discovered the slain Holofernes. Although the historicity of this story is in doubt, the events have been given probable dates, 362-352 B.C.

The Man of Law mentions Judith's courage in slaying Olofernus in his tent, MLT 939-942. Judith gave good counsel, MerchT 1366-1368; Mel 1097. The Monk tells how Judith slew Oloferne, MkT 2551-2574. [Eliachim: Oloferne]

Judith appears once initially, MkT 2571, and twice in medial positions, MLT 939, MerchT 1366.