Bellarmine · De Controversiis · On the Word of God · Book I: On the Canonical Books
Chapter 12: On the book of Judith
Our translation, from the Latin of the Opera Omnia (Paris: Vivès, 1870–74), vol. I, De Verbo Dei, Book I: On the Canonical Books of Scripture. The Latin source text is public domain; this English rendering is released with the site. Scripture quotations follow Bellarmine's Vulgate citations, rendered in Douay-Rheims wording where he quotes exactly. Click “Show the Latin” for the original (raw OCR of the scan; scanning errors remain — the scan itself is the authority).
That the book of Judith has a signal testimony from the First Synod of Nicaea, the first and most celebrated of all the general Synods, St. Jerome witnesses in the preface on Judith. And lest perhaps Chemnitz say that the book of Judith is holy, but not of full authority to confirm the dogmas of faith, the words of St. Jerome are to be noted. For that most holy Doctor asserts that among the Hebrews the book of Judith is numbered among the holy books, which yet are not fit to prove the dogmas of faith; then to this opinion of the Hebrews he opposes the authority of the Nicene Synod. Therefore, Jerome witnessing, the Nicene Synod so referred the book of Judith into the number of the sacred books, that it judged it fit to confirm the dogmas of faith. To these, Julius Africanus, book 1 On the Parts of the Divine Law, and Isidore, book 6 of the Etymologies, chapter 1, witness that the Church of Christ honors and preaches this book among the divine books.
But there is against this book a certain most difficult objection. For that history seems altogether feigned, since in chapter 5 it is said to have happened after the return of the people from the Babylonian captivity, and yet it is said in chapter 1 that at that time Nabuchodonosor King of the Assyrians fought against Arphaxad King of the Medes, who had built Ecbatana; which cohere in no way. For at the time when the people returned from the captivity, the Monarchy of the Assyrians was overthrown, and not Nabuchodonosor, but Cyrus, or Darius, ruled over the Assyrians, and Persians, and Medes. This great difficulty has in a wonderful manner exercised the wits of learned men. There are two principal opinions. One, of those who will have the history of Judith to have happened after the Babylonian captivity; of whom some refer it to the times of Cambyses, whom they will have to be Nabuchodonosor, as Eusebius in the Chronicle, Augustine book 18 of the City of God chapter 26, Bede in the book On the Six Ages, Lyra on chapter 1 of the book of Judith, John Driedo On the Ecclesiastical Scriptures and Doctrines book 1 chapter 2 part 2 and book 3 chapter 5 part 3. Some refer it to the times of Darius Hystaspis, as Gerard Mercator in his Chronology, and some others. Severus Sulpicius, book 2 of the Sacred History, thought that it pertained to the reign of Artaxerxes Ochus. The other opinion is of others, who teach that the history of Judith happened before the Babylonian captivity. But of these some refer it to the times of King Sedecias, as Gilbert Genebrardus in book 2 of the Chronology; some to the times of King Josias, as John Benedict in his marginal annotations on chapter 4 of the book of Judith.
But none of these opinions seems sufficiently probable; and indeed the three former are refuted by manifest arguments. First, Arphaxad, with whom Nabuchodonosor fought, built Ecbatana (Judith 1); but he who built Ecbatana (Herodotus book 1, and Eusebius in the Chronicle witnessing) was Diocles, King of the Medes, who is distant by a very long interval of time from Cambyses, and Darius Hystaspis, and Ochus. Nor ought it to move us that Pliny, book 6 chapter 14, writes that Ecbatana was built by Seleucus long after the times of Diocles, or that Diodorus writes, book 2 chapter 7, that in the time of Arbaces, from whom Diocles was the fifth, Ecbatana already existed. For it can easily be that that most ancient city, several times overthrown and again founded, was restored now by Diocles, now by Seleucus, now perhaps also by some other. Second, nowhere do we read that the Kings of the Persians were called Nabuchodonosor, neither in sacred nor in profane history, but only the Kings of the Babylonians; not therefore is Cambyses, or Darius, that Nabuchodonosor of whom the matter is treated in the history of Judith. Third, the Nabuchodonosor of whom the book of Judith speaks reigned in Nineveh (Judith 1); but in the time of Cambyses and Darius and Ochus, Nineveh existed not, for Nabuchodonosor King of the Chaldees had overthrown it in the first year of his reign (as Genebrardus noted in his Chronicle), or at least Cyaxares King of the Medes (as Herodotus book 1 and Eusebius in the Chronicle will have it). Certainly Nahum, who prophesied in the time of Ezechias, plainly foretells that the overthrow of Nineveh should shortly come to pass (see the Commentary of St. Jerome). There accedes that the Kings of the Persians reigned not in Nineveh, but in Susa or Babylon, as can be known from the book of Daniel and the book of Esther, and from all the profane historians. Fourth, the Nabuchodonosor of whom the book of Judith speaks endeavored to occupy Cilicia, Damascus, and Palestine (Judith 1); but Cambyses and Darius had no cause to attempt this, since they possessed those regions peaceably, as is plain from the first book of Esdras, chapters 4 and 5. Fifth, the children of Israel prepared themselves for war against Nabuchodonosor (Judith 4); but in the time of Cambyses and Darius the children of Israel neither could nor were able to resist any Kings, and most of all the Kings of the Persians, to whom they were so subject that at their nod they either began or ceased to build the Temple, as is to be seen in the first and second books of Esdras. Sixth, in the times of Judith the high priest was Eliachim, who was also called Joachim (Judith 4 and 12); but in the time of Cambyses and Darius Hystaspis it was Jesus [the son of] Josedech, as is plain from the second book of Esdras chapter 2 and from Zacharias 3; and in the time of Ochus the high priest was Jaddus, who met Alexander the Great, or at least his father Jonathas, as is gathered from the second book of Esdras chapter 12. Seventh, the children of Israel feared lest Nabuchodonosor should overthrow Jerusalem and the Temple of the Lord (Judith 4); but in the time of Cambyses, neither Jerusalem nor the Temple existed, seeing they had already been overthrown and burned by the Chaldees; and in the time of Darius Hystaspis, the Temple indeed was rebuilt, but not the city of Jerusalem. Besides, since by the command of that Darius the Temple was rebuilt (1 Esdras 6), how is it credible that the Jews feared lest it should again be overthrown by the same? Eighth, Holofernes asked (Judith 5) what people it was that dwelt in Judea, what its power, who its king, what its multitude; but surely the King of the Persians and his princes could be ignorant of none of these things, since a little before they had dismissed the Jews from themselves. Ninth, the children of Israel, when they prepared themselves for war against Holofernes, walled their villages throughout all Samaria even to Jericho (Judith 4); but in the time of Cambyses and Darius the Jews dwelt not in Samaria, but the Gentiles (as is had in 1 Esdras 4), nor could the Jews wall even Jerusalem itself, much less all the villages round about. Tenth, it is written at the end of the book of Judith that there was peace in Israel all the time that Judith survived, and many years afterward; and Judith lived a hundred and five years, as is there had. But after the thirteenth year of Ochus, in which Sulpicius will have the war of Holofernes to have been waged, even to Ptolemy Lagi, who again warred down the Jews, are but thirty years; Judith therefore ought then to have been of eighty or ninety years. Eleventh, Nabuchodonosor in the thirteenth year of his reign waged war against the children of Israel (Judith 2); but Cambyses reigned only eight years (Herodotus book 3 witnessing); not therefore is he that Nabuchodonosor. Twelfth, let there accede a probable conjecture from the number of the ancestors of Judith herself. For in the book of Judith, chapter 8, are numbered the fathers and grandfathers and other ancestors of Judith even to Simeon the son of Ruben (or, as the Greek codices seem more correctly to have, the son of Israel), and there are found only fifteen; but in the first book of Esdras, chapter 7, are numbered the ancestors of Esdras himself, who flourished in the time of Cambyses and Darius, even to Aaron, and there are found seventeen, to which if you add the others even to Levi the brother of Simeon, they will be twenty. Since therefore from the Patriarch Jacob even to Judith are far fewer generations than from the same Jacob even to Esdras, we rightly conjecture that Judith was far more ancient than Esdras, who yet (as we said) flourished chiefly in the times of Cambyses and Darius.
Now those latter opinions, which refer the history of Judith to the times of Sedecias or Josias, are refuted by two reasons. The first reason is this. In the book of Judith, the last chapter, we read that there was none who troubled Israel all the space of the life of Judith, and many years afterward. But Judith lived (as we there read) even to her hundred and fifth year; and she was not an old woman, but a maiden, when she slew Holofernes, as is gathered from this, that she is called a maiden (Judith 12). Therefore there was peace in the land of Israel for eighty or ninety years. But from the beginning of the reign of Josias even to the war which the King of Egypt made against Joachaz King of Juda were but thirty years (4 Kings 23); and from the beginning of the reign of Sedecias even to the war which Nabuchodonosor made were but nine years (4 Kings 24). And so, unless Judith when she slew Holofernes was about eighty or a hundred years old, it cannot be true, what the Scripture says, that all the space of her life, and many years afterward, there was none who disturbed Israel. The other reason is that in the time of Judith the high priest was Eliachim, who was also called Joachim, as is plain, Judith 4 and 15; but in the time of Josias the high priest was Helcias (4 Kings 23), and in the time of Sedecias it was Saraja (4 Kings 25).
To us therefore it seems that it must be said that the history of Judith fell in the times of Manasses King of Juda. For at that time there reigned among the Medes Diocles, who built Ecbatana (Eusebius witnessing in the Chronicle), and him our Scripture calls Arphaxad. Likewise at that time the Kings of the Assyrians reigned in Nineveh, as is plain from 4 Kings 19 and from Tobias chapter 1. And it is credible that he who in the book of Judith is called Nabuchodonosor was by another name called Merodach Baladan, who was also King of Babylon. For after Sennacherib there reigned, toward the end of the reign of Ezechias the father of Manasses, Assar-Addon (4 Kings 19); after Assar-Addon reigned Merodach Baladan, of whom mention is made 4 Kings 20 and Jeremias 50 and Isaias 39, who indeed was King of Babylon, but transferred to himself also the kingdom of the Assyrians; and therefore thenceforth no mention is made in the Scriptures of the Kings of the Assyrians, but only of Babylon. And he began to reign in the third year of Manasses (as we probably and by conjecture gather; for a certain beginning of his reign can be had from no approved author); wherefore his thirteenth year, in which he moved war against the Jews, Holofernes being the leader, fell in the sixteenth year of Manasses, whom a little before he had led captive into Babylon. Jerusalem also and the Temple of the Lord then existed, of which mention is made in the history of Judith, chapter 4. There lived too at that time the high priest Eliachim, as is plain from the Chronology of Nicephorus, Patriarch of Constantinople, who, enumerating the Pontiffs of the Jews, sets Eliachim between Sobna, who was Pontiff in the time of Ezechias, and Helcias, who was in the time of Josias; but it is agreed that between Ezechias and Josias there came Manasses. This agrees also with the fourth book of Kings, chapter 18, where Eliachim is named among the chief priests; and it squares still more with the prophecy of Isaias, chapter 22, where is foretold the deposition of Sobna the impure Pontiff, and the exaltation of Eliachim in his place.
Besides, it is easy by this reckoning to find that time of longest peace, which was all the time of the life of Judith, and thenceforth for many years. For Manasses at the beginning was most wicked, and therefore, God permitting, was overcome by the King of Babylon, who devastated the land of Juda, and led the King himself bound into Babylon; then, however, he acknowledged his sin, and, sent back into his country, lived most tranquilly, as is had in the second book of Paralipomenon, chapter 33. From this captivity of Manasses even to the reign of Joachaz the son of Josias there was the highest peace in the land of Juda; how great this time was the Scripture indicates not, but easily are gathered seventy-two years. For Manasses reigned fifty-five years, of which I take thirty-nine after his captivity. For it is agreed that that captivity happened at the beginning of his reign (as Josephus also noted, book 10 of the Antiquities chapter 5), and, as we said a little before, the thirteenth year of the King of the Assyrians and Babylonians fell in the sixteenth year of Manasses. To the thirty-nine years are to be added the two years in which after Manasses reigned Ammon his son (4 Kings 21), so they will be forty-one; to these are added the thirty-one years in which after Ammon reigned Josias (4 Kings 22), and there will be made seventy-two. Now this same time we shall show to have been from the death of Holofernes even to the end of the life of Judith. Judith lived even to her hundred and fifth year (for so ought that to be understood which is had of the number of the years of Judith at the end of the book, as is more clearly gathered from the Greek text); from which years are to be subtracted those which she lived before the occasion of Holofernes, which I set to have been forty. For although I cannot define a certain time, since no author hands this down, yet it could have been so. For at that age she could still have been most beautiful, and be judged by the Assyrians a maiden on account of her incredible beauty; especially because (as is had, Judith 10) the Lord had conferred on her, not without a new miracle, a certain exceeding splendor, that she might appear to the eyes of all with incomparable beauty. Although even naturally some women so preserve the form of their body that, however aged they be, they are yet judged young. Certainly Sara, of sixty-five or even ninety years, seemed so young and beautiful that, whithersoever she went, she was loved and seized by kings (see Genesis 12 and 20). Now therefore, if from a hundred and five years be subtracted forty, there will remain sixty-five years of continuous peace even to the death of Judith; to which I add other seven, that that also may be true which is added in the book of Judith, that after her death for many years there was none who disturbed Israel. We have therefore the seventy-two years which we sought.
You will say perhaps: If this history happened in the time of King Manasses, why in that preparation for war, which is narrated in this book, is no mention made of the King? why is this whole affair attributed to the high priest? I answer: perhaps this war fell in the very captivity of Manasses, and therefore, the King being absent, the affairs of the kingdom were managed by the Pontiff; perhaps also mention of the King is not made, because the war reached not the city of Jerusalem itself, where the King was. And as to what is had, Judith 4, that the priest Eliachim wrote to all the Hebrews, and then went round all Israel, to exhort them to constancy, it is not to be wondered at. For even in the time of Ezechias the same Eliachim, although he was not yet high priest, did many things in the name of the King, as is plain from the fourth book of Kings, chapter 18; and Isaias had foretold, chapter 22, that Eliachim should be as a father of all the inhabitants of Jerusalem. And then especially is it credible that the highest and most perilous affairs were managed by the high priest, when the King, returned from captivity, was seriously converted to God. For although it is not improbable that this war was waged while the King was yet captive, yet it seems more probable that it was waged after his return. But again you will object that it is gathered from the fifth chapter of the book of Judith that this war of Holofernes against the Jews was waged a little after the return from the Babylonian captivity; for thus we read: For even before these years, when they had departed from the way which God had given them to walk therein, they were destroyed in battles by many nations, and very many of them were led captive into a land not their own; but lately returned to the Lord their God, from the dispersion wherein they had been dispersed, they are united, and have gone up to all these mountains, and again possess Jerusalem, where their holy things are. I answer that this place is not to be understood of the Babylonian captivity, but of various preceding afflictions. For if the discourse were of the Babylonian captivity, the Jews would not be said to be destroyed by many nations, but by one, that is, of the Chaldees; nor would very many be said to be led captive, but all; for the Babylonian captivity was general, and very few remained left by Nabuchodonosor, and those very ones a little after fled into Egypt (4 Kings 25); so the dispersion and desolation was most full. Therefore the Scripture speaks of the various afflictions of the people of the Jews, which at various times they suffered from various nations, but chiefly of that last, which had happened when Manasses was taken; for then the whole region was devastated, and the King himself with many others taken and led into Babylon, and many also dispersed and put to flight into various places. And as to what is added, but lately returned from the dispersion, etc., it is understood either of the return of King Manasses with his own from Babylon, or (if this war was waged in the King's absence) it will be able to be understood of the return from those places to which they had come in fleeing, when the King of Assyria devastated their region. Nor indeed ought it to move anyone, that in the Greek text it is added that the Temple also was leveled with the ground, when the Jews were dispersed. For those words seem supposititious, since St. Jerome, who most faithfully translated this book from the Chaldee tongue into Latin, set nothing of the overthrow of the Temple in his edition. And perhaps that addition of the Greek text was the cause why so many most grave authors — Eusebius, Augustine, Sulpicius, Bede — were deceived in placing this history in their [later] time.
Show the Latin (Vives edition, OCR)
CAPUT XII. De libro Judith. Librum Judith egregium testimonium ha¬ bere a Synodo Nicsena I. omnium Synodo¬ rum generalium prima et celeberrima, tes¬ tatur S. Hieronymus Praefatione in Judith. Ac ne forte Kemnitius dicat, librum Judith sanctum esse, sed non plense auctoritatis ad Fidei dogmata confirmanda, notanda sunt verba S. Hieronymi : asserit enim sanctissi¬ mus Doctor, apud Hebraeos librum Judith numerari in sanctis libris , qui tamen non sint idonei ad dogmata Fidei comprobanda : deinde huic Hebraeorum sententiae opponit Nicaenae Synodi auctoritatem ; igitur teste Hieronymo Nicaena Synodus librum Judith ita retulit in numerum sacrorum librorum, ut eum idoneum esse censuerit ad Fidei dog¬ mata confirmanda. Ad haec Julius Africanus lib. I. De part. div. Leg., et Isidorus 1. VI. Etymolog. cap. I, Ecclesiam Christi hunc librum inter divinos libros honorare et prae¬ dicare testantur. Est autem adversus hunc librum difficilli¬ ma quaedam objectio. Nam videtur historia ista omnino conficta, cum cap. V. dicatur, contigisse post reversionem populi a Baby¬ lonica captivitate , et tamen dicatur c. 1 . eo tempore Nabuchodonosor Rex Assyriorum pugnasse contra Arphaxat Regem Medorum, qui aedificaverat Ecbatana, quae nullo modo cohaerent : nam quo tempore populus rediit a captivitate , eversa erat Monarchia Assy¬ riorum, et non Nabuchodonosor, sed Cyrus, vel Darius, Assyriis, et Persis , ac Medis im¬ perabat. Haec summa difficultas miro modo exer¬ cuit ingenia hominum eruditorum. Duae sunt autem sententiae principales. Una eorum, qui volunt historiam Judith contigisse post captivitatem Babylonicam , quorum aliqui referunt eam ad tempora Cambysis, quem esse volunt Nabuchodonosor, ut Eusebiusin Cliron. August. lib. XVIII. Civit. Dei c. 26. Beda in lib. de sex aetatibus. Lyranus in I. cap. lib. Judith. Joannes Driedo De Eccle- siast. Script. et dogmatib. lib. I. cap. 2. part. 2. et lib. III. cap. 5. part. 3. Aliqui re¬ ferunt ad tempora Darii Hystaspis, ut Gerar- dus Mercator in sua Chronologia, et alii nonnulli. Severus Sulpitius lib. II. sacrae his¬ toriae ad regnum Artaxerxis Ochi eam per¬ tinere existimavit. Altera sententia est aliorum , qui docent historiam Judith contigisse ante captivitatem Babylonicam. Sed horum aliqui eam refe¬ runt ad tempora Regis Sedeciae,ut Gilbertus Genebrardus in II. lib. Chronologiae : ali¬ qui ad tempora Regis Josiae, ut Joannes Benedictus in Annotat, marginal. ad IV. c. libri Judith. Sed nulla harum sententiarum videtur esse satis probabilis , et quidem tres priores manifestis argumentis refelluntur. Primo, Arphaxat, cum quo pugnavit Nabuchodono¬ sor, aedificavit, Ecbatana, Judith. I. at qui aedificavit Ecbatana, teste Herodoto lib. I. et Eusebio in Chronico, fuit DioclesV, Rex Me¬ dorum, qui longissimo intervallo temporis distata Cambyse, et Dario Hystaspis, et Ocho. Neque movere debet , quod Plinius lib. VI. cap. 14. scribit , Ecbatana a Seleuco aedifi¬ cata diu post tempora Dioclis, vel quod scri¬ bit Diodorus lib. II. c. 7. tempore Arbacis, a quo quintus fuit Diocles, jam Ecbatana ex- titisse. Nam potest facile fieri, ut civitas illa antiquissima aliquoties eversa atque iterum condita, nunc a Diocle , nunc a Seleuco, nunc etiam fortasse ab aliquo alio fuerit res¬ taurata. Secundo, nusquam legimus Reges Persa¬ rum appellatos Nabuchodonosor, nec in sa¬ cra, nec in profana historia , sed solum Re¬ ges Babylonios; non igitur Cambyses , aut Darius est ille Nabuchodonosor, de quo agi¬ tur in historia Judith. Tertio, Nabuchodonosor, de quo in libro Judith, regnabat in Ninive, Judith. I; at tempore Cambysis et Darii et Ochi , Ninive non exstabat, everterat enim eam Nabucho¬ donosor Rex Chaldseorum primo anno regni sui, ut Genebrardus annotavit in Chronico suo, vel certe Ciaxares Rex Medorum, ut vo¬ lunt Herodotus lib. I. et Eusebius in Chroni¬ co. Certe Nalium , qui tempore Ezechiae va¬ ticinatus est, aperte prsedicit eversionem Ni¬ nive brevi futuram fuisse. Vide Commenta¬ rium S. Hieronymi. Accedit, quod Reges Persarum non in Ninive regnabant, sed in Susis, aut Babylone, ut ex libro Danielis, et libro Esther, necnon ex profanis omnibus historicis cognosci potest. Quarto, Nabuchodonosor, de quo in lib. CAPUT XII. 95 Judith , occupare conatus est Ciliciam , Da¬ mascum , et Palaestinam , Judith I; at Cam¬ byses, et Darius non erat cur id conaren¬ tur, cum eas regiones pacifice possiderent, ut perspicuum est ex lib. I. Esdrae cap. IV. et Y. Quinto, filii Israel paraverunt se ad pu¬ gnam contra Nabuchodonosor, Judith IV ; at tempore Cambysis et Darii, nec poterant, nec valebant filii Israel resistere ullis Regi¬ bus, et maxime Regibus Persarum , quibus subjecti erant adeo, ut ad nutum eorum, vel inciperent , vel desisterent Templum aedifi¬ care, ut videre est in lib. I et II. Esdrae. Sexto, temporibus Judith summus Sacer¬ dos erat Eliachim, qui et Joachim dicebatur, Judith IV et XII ; at tempore Cambysis et Darii Hystaspis erat Jesus Josedech, ut patet ex lib. II. Esdrae c. II. et ex Zacli. III. Tem¬ pore autem Ochi summus Sacerdos erat Jad- dus, qui occurrit Alexandro Magno, aut certe pater ejus Jonathas , ut colligitur ex lib. II Esdrae cap. 12. Septimo, metuebant filii Israel, ne Nabu¬ chodonosor everteret Hierusalem, et Tem¬ plum Domini, Judith IV; at tempore Cam¬ bysis, nec Hierusalem , nec Templum exsta¬ bant, quippe quae jam eversa, et incensa fuerant a Chaldaeis : tempore autem Darii Hystaspis , Templum quidem resedificatum est, sed npn Civitas Hierusalem. Praeterea cum Dario isto jubente Templum reaedifica- tum sit I. Esdrae VI. , quomodo credibile est timuisse Judaeos , ne ab eodem iterum ever¬ teretur ? Octavo, Holofernes interrogavit, JudithV., quis esset populus qui habitabat in Judaea, quae potentia ejus, quis Rex, quae multitudo? At certe Rex Persarum, et Principes ejus ni¬ hil horum ignorare poterant, cum paulo ante Judaeos a se dimisissent. Nono, filii Israel cum se pararent ad bel¬ lum contra Holofernem , muris circumdede¬ runt vicos suos per omnem Samariam usque Jericho, Judith IV ; ait tempore Cambysis et Darii, non habitabant Judaei in Samaria, sed Gentiles, ut habetur I. Esdrae IV., nec poterant Judaei muris circumdare ipsam Hie¬ rusalem ; quanto mintis omnes vicos per cir¬ cuitum. Decimo, scribitur in fine libri Judith , pa¬ cem fuisse in Israel toto tempore quo super¬ vixit Judith, et multis annis postea : vixit autem Judith annis 105., ut ibidem habetur. At post annum 13 Ochi, quo vult Sulpitius gestum esse bellum Holofernis, usque ad Ptolomaeum Lagi , qui iterum debellavit Ju¬ daeos, non sunt nisi triginta anni ; debuisset ergo tunc Judith esse annorum 80 vel 90. Undecimo, Nabuchodonosor anno decimo tertio regni sui bellum gessit contra filios Is¬ rael, Judith II; at Cambyses non regnavit nisi octo annos, teste Herodoto lib. III; non igitur ipse est ille Nabuchodonosor. Duodecimo, accedat probabilis conjectura ex numero Majorum ipsius Judith. Nam in libro Judith cap. VIII, numerantur patres et avi aliique majores Judith usque ad Simo¬ nem filium Ruben, vel. ut correctius viden¬ tur habere Graeci codices, filium Israel, et inveniuntur solum quindecim : in libro au¬ tem I. Esdrae cap. VII numerantur majores ipsius Esdrae, qui floruit tempore Cambysis, et Darii usque ad Aaron, et inveniuntur sep- temdecim, quibus si addas alios usque ad Levi fratrem Simeonis, erunt viginti. Cum igitur a Jacob Patriarcha usque ad Judith sint multo pauciores generationes, quam ab eodem Jacob usque ad Esdram, recte conji¬ cimus, Judith multo antiquiorem fuisse, quam Esdram, qlfi tamen ut diximus , tem¬ poribus Cambysis et Darii maxime floruit. Jam vero posteriores illas sententiae , quae historiam Judith ad tempora Sedeciae , vel Josiae referunt , duabus rationibus refellun¬ tur. Prima ratio talis est. In libro Judith c. ult. legimus, nullum fuisse qui vexaret Israel toto spatio vitae Judith, et multis annis pos¬ tea. Vixit autem Judith , ut ibidem legimus, usque ad annum centesimum quintum, nec erat vetula, sed puella quando interfecit Ho¬ lofernem, ut colligitur ex eo quod puella vo¬ catur, Judith XII. Igitur pax fuit in terra Is¬ rael annis octoginta vel nonaginta. At ab initio regni Josiae, usque ad bellum, quod intulit Rex Aegypti Joachaz Regi Juda , non fuerunt nisi anni triginta, IV. Reg. XXIII, ab initio autem regni Sedeciae usque ad bellum, quod intulit Nabuchodonosor, non sunt nisi anni novem, IV. Reg. XXIV. Itaque nisi fuerit Judith quando Holofernem occidit annorum circiter 80. aut centum , non potest esse ve¬ rum, quod Scriptura dicit, in omni spatio vitae ejus, et multis annis postea non fuisse qui perturbaret Israel. Altera ratio est , quia tempore Judith Sa¬ cerdos magnus erat Eliachim, qui et Joachim dicebatur, ut patet Judith IV et XV ; at tem- 96 LIBER 1. pore Josiae Sacerdos magnus erat Helcias, IV. Reg. XXIII, tempore autem Sedeciae erat Saraja, IV. Reg. XXV. Nobis igitur dicendum videtur, historiam Judith incidisse in tempora Manassae Regis Juda. Siquidem eo tempore regnabat apud Medos Diocles, qui Ecbatana sedificavit, teste Eusebio in Chronico, atque hunc Scriptura nostra Arphaxat appellat. Item eo tempore regnabant Assyriorum Reges in Ninive, ut constat ex. IV. Regum XIX et exTobia cap. I. Credibile autem est, eum qui in libro Judith dicitur Nabuchodonosor, alio nomine dictum esse Merodach Baladan , qui fuit etiam Rex Babylonis. Nam post Sennacherib reg¬ navit sub finem regni Ezechiae patris Ma¬ nasse Assar Addon IV. Reg. XIX. post As- sar Addon regnavit Merodach Baladan , cu¬ jus fit mentio IV. Reg. XX. et Hierem. L. necnon lsai. XXXIX., qui quidem Rex Ba¬ bylonis erat, sed transtulit ad se etiam regnum Assyriorum , et propterea nulla deinceps in Scriptulis mentio fit Regum Assyriorum, sed solum Babylonis. Coepit autem regnare tertio anno Manas¬ sae, ut probabiliter, et ex conjecturis colligi¬ mus (nam certum initium regni ejus ex nullo auctore probato haberi potest) quocirca an¬ nus ejus decimus tertius, in quo bellum movit contra Judaeos duce Holoferne , inci¬ dit in annum 16. Manassae, quem Manas¬ sem paulo ante captivum duxerat in Baby¬ lonem. Exstabant etiam tunc Hierosolyma et Tem¬ plum Domini, quorum fit mentio in historia Judith cap. IV. Vivebat quoque eo tempore Sacerdos magnus Eliachim, ut patet ex Ghro- nologia Nicephori Patriarchae Constantino- politani, qui enumerans Pontifices Judaeo¬ rum, inter Sobnamqui fuit Pontifex tempore Ezechiae, et Helciam qui fuit tempore Josiee, ponit Eliachim : constat autem inter Eze- chiam et Josiam intercessisse Manassem; con¬ venit etiam id cum lib. IV. Reg. XVIII., ubi Eliachim nominatur inter praecipuos sacer¬ dotes, et magis etiam quadrat cum prophe¬ tia Isaiae cap. XXII. ubi praediciturjdepositio Sobnae impuri Pontificis, et exaltatio Elia¬ chim in locum ejus. Praeterea facile est hac ratione invenire tempus illud longissimae pacis, quod fuit to¬ to tempore vitae Judith, et deinceps multis annis. Nam Manasses initio sceleratissimus fuit, ac propterea Deo permittente victus fuit a Rege Babylonis, qui terram Juda devasta- vit, et ipsum Regem vinctum in Babylo¬ nem abduxit : deinde tamen peccatum suum agnovit , et in patriam remissus tran¬ quillissime vixit, ut habetur lib. II. Paral. cap. XXXIII. Ab hac Manasse captivitate usque ad re¬ gnum Joachaz filii Josiee summa pax fuit in terra Juda : quantum < hoc tempus fuerit Scriptura non indicat , sed facile colliguntur anni 72. Nam Manasses regnavit annos 55., e quibus accipio 39. post captivitatem ejus. Constat enim initio regni eam captivitatem accidisse, ut etiam Josephus annotavit 1. X. Antiq. cap. 5., et ut diximus paulo ante, an¬ nus decimus tertius Regis Assyriorum et Ba¬ byloniorum incidit in annum Manassse deci¬ mum sextum. Annis 39. addendi sunt duo anni, quibus post Manassem regnavit Am- mon filius ejus, IV. Reg. XXI. ita erunt 41. his adduntur anni 31. quibus post Ammon re¬ gnavit Josias, IV. Reg. XXII. et efficientur 72. Jam hoc idem tempus ostendemus fuisse post mortem Holofernis usque ad finem vitae Judith. Judith vixit usque ad annum 105. ; (sic enim intelligi debet quod habetur de nu¬ mero annorum Judith in fine libri, ut clarius colligitur ex Graeco textu) ex quibus annis detrahendi sunt illi quos vixit ante occasio¬ nem Holofernis , quos pono fuisse quadra¬ ginta. Nam etsi tempus certum definire non possim, cum nullus auctor hoc tradat, potuit tamen ita esse. Ea enim aetate acfhuc potuit esse pulcherrima , et judicari ab Assyriis puella propter incredibilem pulchritudinem, praesertim quia, ut habetur Judith X., Do¬ minus ei contulerat, non sine novo miraculo, quemdam eximium splendorem , ut incom¬ parabili pulchritudine omnium oculis appa¬ reret. Quamquam etiam naturaliter aliquae feminae ita conservant formam corporis, ut quamvis grandaevae sint, tamen juvenculae judicentur. Certe Sara annorum 65 vel etiam 90, tam juvenis et formosa videbatur, ut quocunque iret, a Regibus adamaretur et raperetur. Vide Genes. XII et XX. Jam igi¬ tur si ex annis 105 detrahentur 40, supere¬ runt 65 anni continuae pacis usque ad mor¬ tem Judith, quibus addo alios septem , ut il¬ lud etiam verum sit , quod additur in libro Judith, post mortem ejus multis annis non fuisse qui perturbaret Israel; habemus igitur annos 72, quos quaerebamus. Dices fortasse : Si tempore Regis Manas¬ sae contigit haec historia; quare in praepara¬ tione illa ad bellum, quae narrantur in hoc libro, nulla fit mentio Regis? cur nego¬ tium hoc totum tribuitur magno Sacer¬ doti? Respondeo : fortasse hoc bellum incidisse in ipsam captivitatem Manasse, et idcirco Rege absente, per Pontificem negotia re¬ gni procurata fuisse : fortasse etiam regis mentio facta non est , quia non accessit bel¬ lum ad ipsam urbem Hierusalem , ubi Rex erat. Quod autem habetur Judith IV : Sacerdo¬ tem Eliachim scripsisse ad omnes Hebraeos, et deinde circuivisse omnem Israelem, ut eos ad constatiam hortaretur, non est miran¬ dum. Nam etiam tempore Ezechias idem Eliachim , quamvis nondum esset summus Sacerdos, nomine Regis multa faciebat, ut patet ex lib. IV. Reg.cap. XVIII et Isaias prae¬ dixerat cap. XXII. fore, ut Eliachim esset quasi pater omnium habitantium Hierusalem. Ac tum praecipue credibile est , summa negotia et periculosa tractata esse per summum Sa¬ cerdotem , quando Rex de captivitate rever sus, et ad Deum serio conversus erat. Nam etsi non est improbabile, adhuc Rege capti¬ vo bellum hoc gestum, probabilius tamen vi¬ detur, eo jam reverso gestum esse. Sed rursum objicies : colligi ex quinto ca¬ pite libri Judith, bellum hocHolofernis con¬ tra Judaeos gestum esse paulo post reditum ex captivitate Babylonica, sic enim legimus : Nam et ante hos annos cum recessissent a via, quam dederat illis Deus , ut ambularent in ea, exterminati sunt pr celiis a multis nationibus , et plurimi eorum captivi abducti sunt in terram non suam : nuper autem reversi ad Dominum Deum suum, ex dispersione qua dispersi fuerant , adunati sunt , et ascenderunt montana hcec om¬ nia , et iterum possident Hierusalem , ubi sunt Sancta eorum (1). Respondeo': non esse intelligendum hunc locum de captivitate Babylonica, sed de va¬ riis afflictionibus praecedentibus. Nam si ser¬ mo esset de Babylonica captivitate, non dice¬ rentur Judaei exterminati a multis nationi¬ bus, sed ab una, id est, Chaldaeorum : nec dicerentur plurimi abducti captivi , sed om¬ nes ; fuit enim generalis captivitas Babylo¬ nica , paucissimi enim remanserunt relicti a Nabuchodonosor, et illi ipsi paulo post fuge¬ runt in Aegyptum, IV. Reg. XXV. Ita disper¬ sio ac desolatio plenissima fuit. Igitur loquitur Scriptura de variis afflictio¬ nibus populi Judaeorum, quas variis tempo¬ ribus a variis nationibus passus est, sed prae¬ cipue de illa ultima , quae acciderat cum ca¬ peretur Manasses : tunc enim tota regio de¬ vastata luit, et Rex ipse cum aliis multis cap¬ tus, et ductus in Babylonem , et multi etiam dispersi, fugatique in varia loca. Quod autem additur : Nuper autem reversi ex dispersione , etc. vel intelligitur de reversione Regis Ma- nassae cum suis ex Babylone, vel (si absente Rege gestum est hoc bellum) intelligi poterit de reversione ex iis locis ad quae fugiendo pervenerant , cum Rex Assyriae vastaret re¬ gionem ipsorum. Nec vero movere quemquam debet , quod in textu Graeco additur, etiam Templum fuisse solo aequatum , quando dispersi sunt Judaei. Nam illa verba suppositia videntur, quandoquidem sanctus Hieronymus, qui fide¬ lissime transtulit hunc librum ex Chaldaeo sermone in Latinum , nihil de eversione Templi in sua editione posuit. Et fortasse ista additio Graeci textus in causa fuit , cur tot gravissimi auctores , Eusebius , Augusti¬ nus, Sulpitius, Beda in hac historia suo tem¬ pore collocanda decepti fuerint.