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Homicideandaggressioninthehistoryofmankind
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aJewess.ShesteppedintothelimelightwhenHolofernes,generalofNebuchad-
nezzar’sarmyintheprocessofconqueringIsrael,besiegedthecityofBethulia
whichblockedthepathwayintotheIsraelitelands.TheBibleprovidesrelatively
ampleinformationonher,probablyduetohermerits:herancestorsareenumer-
atedbacktothe16thgeneration,herhusbandismentionedbyname,heraffluence
assessed,herpositionandauthorityamongtheelderscommentedupon,her
admirablequalities,wisdom,beautyandspiritualvirtuesarelauded(cf.Jud.
8,1-10).Yetthebooknamedafterherisfullofaggressionandgoryeventsin
whichJudithherselfparticipates.Herbehaviourandherdeedareapproved,and
sheherselfispraised:“Odaughter,blessedartthouofthemosthighGodabove
allthewomenupontheearth”(Jud.13,18).
Herbehaviourcorroboratesthathomicideshecommittedhadsocialmotiva-
tion.Sheincitedcompatriotstothedefenceofthecity,andherutterance:
“Obrethren,letusshewanexampletoourbrethren,becausetheirheartsdepend
uponus,andthesanctuary,andthehouse,andthealtar,restuponus”(Jud.8,24)
suggestsrationalityandawareness.Moreover,herlateractionswereobviously
acarefullyplannedintrigue:sheenteredtheenemycamp,stayedthereforsome
time,encounteredHolofernesandtriedtoconvincehimshehasswitchedsides
andwouldshowhimthewaytodefeattheIsraelites.Holofernesfellintothe
trap,buthatchedaplanofhisown:“For,lo,itwillbeashameforourperson,if
weshallletsuchawomango,nothavinghadhercompany;forifwedrawher
notuntous,shewilllaughustoscorn”(Jud.12,12).Tothiseffect,hegave
afeast,afterwhichthecouplewasleftaloneinatent.Holoferneswasvery
drunk;Judithcuthisheadoffwithhisownsword,wrappeditinthebed’scanopy
andtogetherwithhermaidtheylefttheenemycamp.BackinBethulia,shetold
itsinhabitantswhathappenedandexpectingpanictobreakinthecamp,instruct-
edthemhowtoregainnotonlyfreedom,butalsothespoilsofwar.
Thebookcloseswiththeinformationthatshelivedtoagreatageandremained
awidow,althoughmanymendesiredtowedher.Thecountrywasatpeace,“And
therewasnonethatmadethechildrenofIsraelanymoreafraidinthedaysofJu-
dith,noralongtimeafterherdeath”(Jud.16,25).Judithherselfwaslaterimmor-
talisedinnumerousworksofart,literarytextsandmusicalcompositions.
1.5Aggressiontowardstheenemydefeatedinawar
OnthewaytothePromisedLand,theIsraelitesencounteredpeopleswith
aculturesimilartotheirown,andtheirbehaviourdidnotdivergefromthecus-
tomsofthetime.Forinstance,thecustomofsacrificingthedefeatedenemiesin