Judith — Chapter 1

Arphaxad itaque rex Medorum

The word \"itaque\" (and so) serves partly as an introductory particle for the history (as in Hebrew \"vav,\" meaning \"and so\"), and partly indicates this story was drawn from earlier Hebrew chronicles to which it was joined by that conjunction (Serarius). Three views on who Arphaxad was: (1) Serarius and others identify him with Arbaces, who slew Sardanapalus and made himself king of Media; (2) Bellarmine and Salianus identify him with Dejoces (Diocles), who ruled the Medes in the time of King Manasseh of Judah — Dejoces built Ecbatana according to Herodotus and Eusebius; (3) others who date this history to the time of Xerxes hold he was a prefect of Media who received royal dignity from Nineveh, since all Median kings were surnamed Arbaces after their first king, just as Roman emperors were called Caesars after Julius Caesar. The name \"Arphaxad\" in Hebrew means \"weakening\" or \"depopulation\" (Pagninus), aptly so, since he exhausted his people with proud building projects and was therefore despoiled and subjugated by Nebuchadnezzar.

Ex lapidibus quadratis et sectis

The Greek text adds that the stones were three cubits wide and six cubits long. The walls were seventy cubits wide — an enormous breadth permitting many chariots to ride abreast — and thirty cubits high (the Greek reads fifty).

Per quadrum vero earum latus

Each side of the towers extended twenty feet opposite the facing side (Greek: sixty cubits), making a perfect geometric square with all sides equal.

Et gloriabatur quasi potens

This pride was the cause of war: the lust for dominion, common to the ancient monarchs of Assyria, Babylon, Persia, Greece, and Rome. Just as the civil war between Pompey and Caesar arose because Pompey would not have Caesar as an equal, nor Caesar allow Pompey as a superior, so Arphaxad's boasting in his military might brought about his downfall. Seneca illustrates this vainglory through the character Thraso (Thyestes): \"The avenger God follows the proud from behind.\"

Anno igitur duodecimo regni

The Greek text reads \"year 18.\" To reconcile: year 13 of Nebuchadnezzar was year 18 from the beginning of his war with Arphaxad. Concerning the identity of this Nebuchadnezzar: (1) Zonaras and Genebrard hold he was the great Nebuchadnezzar who destroyed Jerusalem — but that one reigned in Babylon, not Nineveh, and conquered the Jews, whereas this one was defeated by Judith. (2) Bellarmine and Salianus identify him with Merodach-Baladan, who conquered Esarhaddon of Nineveh and established his seat there, as the Turks did at Constantinople. (3) Serarius holds he was the son of Sardanapalus/Esarhaddon, who recovered Nineveh from Arbaces/Arphaxad to avenge his father's death — supported by Diodorus (lib. III) noting that Sardanapalus sent his three sons out of Nineveh to safety in Paphlagonia. (4) Others (Augustine, Eusebius, Beda) identify him with Cambyses son of Cyrus; (5) Sanchez identifies him with Darius Hystaspis; (6) most probably he was a Babylonian prefect or prince of Xerxes' empire who rebelled after Xerxes' defeat by the Greeks and proclaimed himself independent king of Nineveh. The name \"Nebuchadnezzar\" in Hebrew means \"constraining a generation in distress\" (Pagninus), fitting since he reduced the Jews and other nations to extremity.

Tunc exaltatum est regnum Nabuchodonosor

His heart was lifted up so that, counting himself stronger than all, he sought monarchy over the whole world and resolved to subjugate all nations to himself. He sent legates demanding that all nations submit to him as victor. The Greek gives a different order: Nebuchadnezzar first sent messengers before his victory against Arphaxad, seeking allied forces; when these were refused by all nations, he swore to destroy them; then in year 17 of his reign he fought, conquered Arphaxad, and returned to Nineveh where he rested and feasted for 120 days. Both accounts can be reconciled: he sent messengers twice — first before the battle (Greek) and again after his victory (Vulgate).

Et ad gentes quae sunt in

The Greek enumerates still more nations. This proves Nebuchadnezzar was not Xerxes, since most nations — including the Galileans — already obeyed Xerxes as monarch; indeed Darius his father and Artaxerxes his son sent Nehemiah and other leaders to govern Judea in their name (cf. Ezra, Neh).

Qui omnes uno animo contradixerunt

All the nations with one accord refused and dismissed the envoys with dishonor — the Greek adds \"with ignominy.\" This was more than Nebuchadnezzar's pride deserved, as a fitting response to his insolence: just as he had laid low Arphaxad's arrogance, so his own insolence would be laid low by Judith and mocked by the nations.

Juravit per thronum et regnum

He swore by his throne and kingdom to take vengeance on all those regions. He judged the nations' refusal a tremendous injury and affront to his honor, and therefore felt compelled to avenge this outrage through war and destruction. Note that \"defend\" here means \"avenge\" (as in Rom 12:19: \"not defending [i.e., avenging] yourselves, dearest ones\"). The world calls vengeance \"defense of honor,\" but this is a paralogism and the lying spirit of the devil.