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The 17th/18th year of Nabuchodonosor. 589 B.C.<br/> Nabuchodonosor/Nebuchadnezzar sent his general [http://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/articles/7824-holofernes-holophernes Holofernes/ Holophernes] (evidently a name of Persian origin) <ref>See [http://www.specialtyinterests.net/judith.html A Historical Commentary on the  Book of Judith, by Damien Mackey, March 2003]—the author identifies Holofernes with Esarhaddon.</ref> to take revenge on the whole territory of Cilicia, Damascus, Syria, Moab, Ammon, all Judea, and Egypt. Judith 2:1. The Jews had only recently returned from the captivity (2 Chronicles 34–35),<ref>The earlier Assyrian captivity. [http://pages.ucsd.edu/~dkjordan/arch/heb/Judith.html Hebrew Tales: The Story of Judith], University of California (pages.ucsd.edu)</ref> and all the people of Judea were newly gathered together, and the sacred vessels and the altar had been newly consecrated after their profanation. Judith 4:1-3. Baruch 1:8-9.

The 17th/18th year of Nabuchodonosor. 589 B.C.<br/> Nabuchodonosor/Nebuchadnezzar sent his general [http://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/articles/7824-holofernes-holophernes Holofernes/ Holophernes] (evidently a name of Persian origin) <ref>See [http://www.specialtyinterests.net/judith.html A Historical Commentary on the  Book of Judith, by Damien Mackey, March 2003]—the author identifies Holofernes with Esarhaddon.</ref> to take revenge on the whole territory of Cilicia, Damascus, Syria, Moab, Ammon, all Judea, and Egypt. Judith 2:1. The Jews had only recently returned from the captivity (2 Chronicles 34–35),<ref>The earlier Assyrian captivity. [http://pages.ucsd.edu/~dkjordan/arch/heb/Judith.html Hebrew Tales: The Story of Judith], University of California (pages.ucsd.edu)</ref> and all the people of Judea were newly gathered together, and the sacred vessels and the altar had been newly consecrated after their profanation. Judith 4:1-3. Baruch 1:8-9.

[http://biblehub.com/topical/j/joakim.htm Joakim/Eliakim] son of Hilkiah was high priest in Jerusalem. Judith 4:6; Baruch 1:7.<ref>The prefatory introduction to the Book of Judith in the Douay-Rheims Bible says that the sacred writer of the book is generally believed to be the high priest Eliachim, also called Joachim (Joakim). The text of Judith in the Douay-Rheims renders Joakim as "Eliachim". Judith 4:5-6, 10; 15:9. See multiple versions of Judith 4:5/4:6:<br/>[https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=judith%204:6&version=CEB CEB Joakim],<br/>[https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=judith%204:5&version=DRA DR Eliachim],<br/>[http://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/1611_Judith-4-6/ KJV 1611 Ioacim],<br/>[http://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/Judith-4-6/ KJV 1769 Joacim],<br/>[https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=judith%204:6&version=NABRE NABRE Joakim],<br/>[https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=judith%204:6&version=NRSV NRSV Joakim],<br/>[https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=judith%204:6&version=RSV RSV Jo'akim],<br/>[https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=judith%204:6&version=RSVCE RSVCE Jo'akim],<br/>[http://www.sacred-texts.com/bib/vul/jdt004.htm Vulgate ch. 4 (see v.'''5''') Eliachim],<br/>[http://www.ellopos.net/elpenor/greek-texts/septuagint/chapter.asp?book=19&page=4 Septuagint (LXX) ch. 4 ''scroll down'' (see v.'''6''') Joacim.] <br/> It is not impossible that [http://biblehub.com/topical/e/eliakim.htm  Joakim/Eliakim/Eliachim the high priest], son of [http://biblehub.com/topical/h/hilkiah.htm Hilkiah the high priest], as a high-ranking member of the court of Judah, should be appointed by God to also function as master of the palace, steward and prime minister of the country, chief among those charged with overseeing and directing the welfare of the people. He did not need to issue orders in the name of the king or consult with him for permission to act. It is not strange that the ineffective and vacillating King Zedekiah is never mentioned in the Book of Judith. See [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=isaiah%2022:15-25&version=KJV Isaiah 22:15-25.], [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=zechariah%203:1-7&version=KJV Zechariah 3:1-7], and [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=zechariah%206:9-14&version=KJV Zechariah 6:9-14.] <br/>Joakim exercised religious and military authority comparable to that of Jonathan in Maccabean times (see [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1maccabees%2010:18-21&version=DRA 1 Maccabees 10:18–21])</ref> He was the brother of Azariah, son of Hilkiah, son of Shallum, son of Zadok the high priest. Azariah was the father of Seraiah, the father of [http://biblehub.com/topical/j/jozadak.htm Jozadak/Jehozadak] the father of Jeshua, who was high priest in the days of Zerubbabel after the Exile. [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1chronicles%206:13-15&version=KJV 1 Chronicles 6:13-15]; [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=ezra%203:2&version=KJV Ezra 3:2].)

[http://biblehub.com/topical/j/joakim.htm Joakim/Eliakim] son of Hilkiah was high priest in Jerusalem. Judith 4:6; Baruch 1:7.<ref>The prefatory introduction to the Book of Judith in the Douay-Rheims Bible says that the sacred writer of the book is generally believed to be the high priest Eliachim, also called Joachim (Joakim). The text of Judith in the Douay-Rheims renders Joakim as "Eliachim". Judith 4:5-6, 10; 15:9. See multiple versions of Judith 4:5/4:6:<br/>[https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=judith%204:6&version=CEB CEB Joakim],<br/>[https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=judith%204:5&version=DRA DR Eliachim],<br/>[http://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/1611_Judith-4-6/ KJV 1611 Ioacim],<br/>[http://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/Judith-4-6/ KJV 1769 Joacim],<br/>[https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=judith%204:6&version=NABRE NABRE Joakim],<br/>[https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=judith%204:6&version=NRSV NRSV Joakim],<br/>[https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=judith%204:6&version=RSV RSV Jo'akim],<br/>[https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=judith%204:6&version=RSVCE RSVCE Jo'akim],<br/>[http://www.sacred-texts.com/bib/vul/jdt004.htm Vulgate ch. 4 (see v.'''5''') Eliachim],<br/>[http://www.ellopos.net/elpenor/greek-texts/septuagint/chapter.asp?book=19&page=4 Septuagint (LXX) ch. 4 ''scroll down'' (see v.'''6''') Joacim.] <br/> It is not impossible that [http://biblehub.com/topical/e/eliakim.htm  Joakim/Eliakim/Eliachim the high priest], son of [http://biblehub.com/topical/h/hilkiah.htm Hilkiah the high priest], as a high-ranking member of the court of Judah, should be appointed by God to also function as master of the palace, steward and prime minister of the country, chief among those charged with overseeing and directing the welfare of the people. He did not need to issue orders in the name of the king or consult with him for permission to act. It is not strange that the ineffective and vacillating King Zedekiah is never mentioned in the Book of Judith. See [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=isaiah%2022:15-25&version=KJV Isaiah 22:15-25.], [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=zechariah%203:1-7&version=KJV Zechariah 3:1-7], and [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=zechariah%206:9-14&version=KJV Zechariah 6:9-14.] <br/>Joakim exercised religious and military authority comparable to that of Jonathan in Maccabean times (see [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1maccabees%2010:18-21&version=DRA 1 Maccabees 10:18–21])</ref> He was the brother of Azariah, son of Hilkiah, son of Shallum, son of Zadok the high priest. Azariah was the father of Seraiah, the father of [http://biblehub.com/topical/j/jozadak.htm Jozadak/Jehozadak] the father of Jeshua, who was high priest in the days of Zerubbabel after the Exile. ([https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1chronicles%206:13-15&version=KJV 1 Chronicles 6:13-15]; [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=ezra%203:2&version=KJV Ezra 3:2].)

589. The 9th year, 10th month, 10th day. "''The king of Babylon has this day laid siege to Jerusalem.''" 2 Kings 23:31–24:1; Ezekiel 24:1-2. This was the 9th year of Zedekiah, when Nebuchadnezzar besieged Jerusalem. Jeremiah 39:1. Zedekiah sent Zephaniah the priest to Jeremiah asking him to pray for the nation. Jeremiah 21:1-7; 37:3-21.

589. The 9th year, 10th month, 10th day. "''The king of Babylon has this day laid siege to Jerusalem.''" 2 Kings 23:31–24:1; Ezekiel 24:1-2. This was the 9th year of Zedekiah, when Nebuchadnezzar besieged Jerusalem. Jeremiah 39:1. Zedekiah sent Zephaniah the priest to Jeremiah asking him to pray for the nation. Jeremiah 21:1-7; 37:3-21.

It was at this time that Judith beheaded Holofernes, the Assyrian army was dismayed and they fled. Judith 14:18–15:2. "''no one ever again spread terror among the people of Israel in the days of Judith or for a long time after her death.''" Judith 16:25. The Book of Jeremiah does say the Chaldeans suddenly withdrew. Jeremiah 37:5. It is a fact that the same year, in 589, [http://biblehub.com/topical/p/pharaoh_hophra.htm Pharaoh Hophra / Apries] began his 19-year reign in Egypt (589–570 B.C.). At the beginning of his reign he tried to drive the Babylonian army away from its siege of Jerusalem,<ref name=Hophra>"Hophra", ''Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary'', p. 781.</ref> and it suddenly withdrew. Jeremiah 37:4-15; 46:17. Jeremiah was afterward imprisoned while the city was at peace, when he attempted to depart to visit his relatives.

It was at this time that Judith beheaded Holofernes, the Assyrian army was dismayed and they fled. Judith 14:18–15:2. "''no one ever again spread terror among the people of Israel in the days of Judith or for a long time after her death.''" Judith 16:25. The Book of Jeremiah does say the Chaldeans suddenly withdrew. Jeremiah 37:5. It is a fact that the same year, in 589, [http://biblehub.com/topical/p/pharaoh_hophra.htm Pharaoh Hophra / Apries] began his 19-year reign in Egypt (589–570 B.C.). At the beginning of his reign he tried to drive the Babylonian army away from its siege of Jerusalem,<ref name=Hophra>"Hophra", ''Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary'', p. 781.</ref> and it suddenly withdrew. Jeremiah 37:4-15; 46:17. Jeremiah was afterward imprisoned while the city was at peace, when he attempted to depart to visit his relatives.

From these historical facts, and the centuries-old tradition that the Book of Judith relates a genuinely historical event, it appears that the person of Judith herself can be set within this particular time of history, 589 B.C.. Historians, however, have no certainty that she existed, outside the testimony of the Bible. Since Judith 16:25 states that "''no one ever again spread terror among the people of Israel in the days of Judith or for a long time after her death''", and yet, at this time, only a two years later, in 587 B.C., when Jerusalem was taken, the Temple was burned and the people led off into exile, the assertion in verse 25 has no historical basis and does not represent what actually happened to Jerusalem, but contradicts the historical reality of the cpativity and the Exile.

From these historical facts, and the centuries-old tradition that the Book of Judith relates a genuinely historical event, it appears that the person of Judith herself can be set within this particular time of history, 589 B.C.. Historians, however, have no certainty that she existed, outside the testimony of the Bible. Since Judith 16:25 states that "''no one ever again spread terror among the people of Israel in the days of Judith or for a long time after her death''", and yet, at this time, only two years later, in 587 B.C., when Jerusalem was taken, the Temple was burned and the people led off into exile, the assertion in verse 25 has no historical basis and does not represent what actually happened to Jerusalem, but contradicts the historical reality of the captivity and the Exile.

==References==

==References==

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[[category:Bible]]

[[Category:Bible]]

[[Category:Deuterocanonical Books of the Old Testament]]