Judith — Chapter 4

Tremor et horror invasit sensus

The Greek adds more fully: \"And they feared exceedingly because of him, and for Jerusalem and the temple of their God, and were troubled, because they had recently come up from captivity, and all the people had lately been gathered from Judea, and the vessels and the altar and the house (of God, i.e., the temple) had been sanctified after their profanation.\" Many (Bellarmine, Salianus, and others) refer this to King Manasseh who, captured in Babylon and released, repented and purified the temple he had defiled. But that was captivity and release of one man, not the whole people. Moreover, the entire book makes no mention of King Manasseh, which it certainly should, since it was to him rather than to High Priest Eliacim that the duty of fortifying Judea against Holofernes would belong. Others better refer this to the time of Xerxes, when the temple had already been rebuilt after its burning and profanation by the Chaldeans.

Et congregaverunt frumenta in

The Greek adds that their fields had recently been harvested. As Vegetius says (lib. III, ch. 3): \"Other adversities can be remedied in time; fodder and provisions when lacking have no remedy unless previously stored.\" The old Roman discipline therefore prescribed keeping stores of vinegar, grain, lard, barley, and straw sufficient for a whole year in towns. \"Hunger consumes an army more than fighting, and famine is crueler than the sword\" (Vegetius, lib. III, ch. 3).

Sacerdos etiam Eliachim scripsit

The Greek has \"Joachim\" — this also appears in ch. 15, v. 9. Both names mean the same thing: \"Sustainer of God\" or \"Establisher of God,\" i.e., one who made the lines of Israel stand firm against Holofernes. This proves the events occurred in the time of Xerxes, when Joakim was High Priest — as shown by Neh 12, Sirach 49, Haggai 1, and Josephus (lib. X Ant. ch. 11). For lack of a king, the High Priest administered the commonwealth, as Josephus states (lib. II, Contra Apionem): \"The Judean constitution commits the administration of the greatest matters to the priests, and their chief headship to the High Priest.\"

Et clamavit omnis populus ad

Note here the practice, manner, and efficacy of public prayer and penance in public calamity — an example for Christians to imitate in averting their own calamities. Five acts: (1) all the people cried out with great urgency; (2) they humbled their souls in fastings and prayers; (3) they clothed themselves in sackcloth; (4) they prostrated the children before the Lord and the temple; (5) they covered the altar with sackcloth, provoking God to pity and aid by a public mourning of religion, justice, temple, and altar — \"compelling by main force,\" as Tertullian says. The Ninevites did likewise (Jonah 3) and the Maccabees (1 Macc 3:47), and all were heard and delivered by God.

Tunc Eliacim sacerdos Domini magnus

Eliacim the High Priest went around all Israel to urge everyone to constancy, confidence, and perseverance in prayers and fasting, promising them victory if they did so. \"The precepts of Christ,\" says St. Ambrose (serm. 86), \"are weapons for Christians, and divine fear drives away the terror of the enemy. Our weapons with which the Savior has equipped us are prayer, mercy, and fasting. Fasting protects better than a wall; mercy liberates more readily than force; prayer wounds the enemy from farther than an arrow.\" Let bishops and princes imitate this High Priest: let them go around and visit, encourage, instruct, and correct the people committed to their care.

Memores estote Moysi servi Domini

See the history in Exodus 17 (where this commentator explained it). Note that Eliacim, like Moses, commands two things for war: first, invoke God and expect victory from Him; second, fortify your cities, occupy the passes, and gather all human means of resistance. For God does not help the idle, but those who labor and fight. The pagan Cato (in Sallust's Catiline) saw this: \"By prayers and womanish supplications the help of the gods is not obtained; by watchfulness, action, and wise counsel all things succeed.\" \"The Most High helps not the merely wishing but the striving.\"