Chapter One

1–12. The Assyrian king Nebuchadnezzar declares war on the Median – Arphaxad, with the peoples allied to him. 13–16. The defeat of Arphaxad and his death. The destruction of his capital (Ecbatana). The triumph of Nebuchadnezzar.

Judith 1:1. In the twelfth year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar, who reigned over the Assyrians in the great city of Nineveh,– in the days of Arphaxad, who reigned over the Medes in Ecbatana: 1. The beginning of verse 1 has its direct continuation in verse 5, while the insertion about Arphaxad (from the second half of verse 1 through verse 4 inclusive) – is as it were an introductory sentence, more precisely acquainting us with some secondary circumstances and the time of the narrated event. Instead of the “12th” year the Syriac text has the 13th. Nebuchadnezzar, king of Nineveh, is – perhaps – Assurbanipal (667–647). True, none of the Assyrian kings bore the name Nebuchadnezzar (the meaning of the name: “may Heaven protect the crown!”), because the god Heaven was revered only in Babylonia. However, since Assurbanipal reigned over both lands, Assyria and Babylonia, it would have been natural, if he, as a Babylonian king, took the name Nebuchadnezzar as well, serving as an expression of reverence to the god of that country. The inscriptions of that time, discovered in excavations and read, tell of Assurbanipal that he it was who defeated the Medes and then, after this victory, desired to restore his power over all western Asia, which had revolted against him – from Lydia, where Gyges ruled († 650 B.C.), to Memphis in Egypt, where Psamtik I ruled († 617 B.C.), son of Necho I († 666 B.C.). Arphaxad – is, perhaps, a name altered by copyists from Phraortes or Aphraates (617–625), successor of Deioces (700–647), king of the Medes.

Judith 1:2. And he built around Ecbatana walls of hewn stones, three cubits thick, and six cubits long; and he made the height of the wall seventy, and the width fifty cubits, Judith 1:3. And he set over the gates towers one hundred cubits high, which had at their base a width of sixty cubits; Judith 1:4. And the gates which he built for the passage of his mighty troops and for the marching of his infantry, rose to a height of seventy cubits, and had a width of forty cubits: 2–4. The strength of the walls of the city Ecbatana is represented generally as extraordinary and even fabulous. Nevertheless, other ancient writers and recent excavations confirm the biblical testimony. It should only be noted regarding the width of the towers and walls, that the width of 50–60 cubits indicated by the Bible designates, probably, the maximum width which the towers and walls had at the bottom, at the foundation, for the higher up, the narrower and less massive the walls became. The number of towers that studded the walls of Ecbatana is not indicated. Probably there were no fewer than in the walls of Nineveh, where, according to Diodorus Siculus, there were 1500 towers, rising to a height of 200 feet. Excessively wide and high gates in walls were made so that troops could pass through them completely freely and quickly, in full formation and with all military equipment.

Judith 1:5. In those days the king Nebuchadnezzar made war against the king Arphaxad on the great plain, which is in the region of Ragau. 5. “In the region of Ragau” (verse 15: “on the mountains of Ragau”) – Greek Ρagaaí, or Ráa, – a very significant and ancient city of Media in the province of Ragia, ten days’ journey from the city Ecbatana (cf. Tob 1:14 – “in Rages of Media”).

Judith 1:6. To him gathered all that dwelt in the hilly country, and all that dwelt by the Euphrates, and Tigris and Idapisus, and on the plain Arioch, king of the Elamites, and they came together very many nations into the battle of the sons of Cheleoud. 6. “Idapisus” (the Vulgate has Iadason) – this, probably, is Eulaeus (cf. Arrian. Anab. 7, 7. Plin. h. n. 6, 31; Dan 8:2) – the present Absal or Desphul, according to others – Kuran, or perhaps – Choaspes in the region of Susiana (cf. Strabo, 15, ch. 3). “Arioch” – a name also mentioned in Moses, Gen 14:1, as well as in Dan 2:14. “King of the Elamites” – Elymaíoi – inhabitants of the Persian region of Elima. “Sons of Cheleoud” (Cheleoud; Vet. Lat. has helleuth, the Syriac – on the contrary – Chaldeans). According to the conjecture of Ewald (Gesch d. V. Isz. III. 2 c. 543), here, probably, should be read “children of the mole” – a nickname given in mockery by the ancients to the Syrians. “Into the battle of the sons of Cheleoud.” More precisely and correctly to read, together with the Syriac: “into battle,” or “for fighting with the sons of Cheleoud.”

Judith 1:7. And Nebuchadnezzar, king of the Assyrians, sent to all that dwelt in Persia, and to all that dwelt on the west, to those dwelling in Cilicia, and Damascus, and Lebanon, and Antilebanon, and to all that dwelt in the sea coast, Judith 1:8. And among the peoples of Carmel, and Gilead, and in upper Galilee, and in the great plain of Esdraelon, Judith 1:9. And to all that dwelt in Samaria and its cities, and beyond Jordan to Jerusalem, and Betane and Chelo, and Kadesh and the river of Egypt, and Taphnes and Ramesses, and all the land of Goshen, Judith 1:10. To the entrance of upper Tanis and Memphis, and to all that dwelt in Egypt, to the entrance of the borders of Ethiopia. 7–10. The localities enumerated here are all more or less well-known. Only a few require explanation. Betaní and Chellús – these are Hebrew: ??? and ???, mentioned in Josh 15:59. – Kádis – ???, cf. Josh 15:23.

Judith 1:11. But all that dwelt in all that land despised the word of the king of Assyria, Nebuchadnezzar, and did not come to him for war, for they were not afraid of him, but he was as one man to them: they sent back his ambassadors empty, in disgrace. Judith 1:12. And Nebuchadnezzar was exceeding angry at all this land, and swore by his throne and his kingdom, that he would avenge himself upon all the borders of Cilicia and Damascus and Syria, and that he would slay with his sword all the inhabitants of the land of Moab, and the children of Ammon, and all Judea, and all the inhabitants of Egypt, even to the borders of the two seas. 11–12. In the preceding verse 7 it is said indefinitely that Nebuchadnezzar “sent” to all that dwelt in Persia and other countries enumerated further. Why did he send? – this determination we learn from verse 11. He was sending to call them with him for war against Arphaxad. But they all refused. A curious explanation of this refusal is given by the Bible: they refused because they did not fear him (Nebuchadnezzar). In ancient international relations, it seems, moral principles and obligations had little significance. Force appeared to be the chief and sole arbiter and regulator of the destinies and relations of nations: whoever was feared, whoever knew how to inspire fear, was obeyed and those sought his favor. Examples of one nation heroically standing for another of its confederates are seen in ancient history rarely. “The borders of the two seas” (verse 12) – here two chief branches of the Nile are meant (Astaboras and Astapus), called by the Arabs – the white and blue sea.

Judith 1:13. And in the seventeenth year he raised an army against the king Arphaxad and routed him in the battle, and he turned to flight all the army of Arphaxad, all his cavalry and all his chariots, Judith 1:14. And took his cities, came to Ecbatana, took the fortified places, stripped the streets of the city and turned its beauty to shame. Judith 1:15. And he caught Arphaxad on the mountains of Ragau, and smote him with his spear and slew him that same day. Judith 1:16. Then returned he back to Nineveh, he and all his company, a great multitude of men of war; and he rested there, and made a feast with his army one hundred and twenty days. 13–16. The preparations for war with Arphaxad, begun in the 12th or 13th year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar, took several years; a considerable part of this time was taken up by embassies to the inhabitants of the west, which gave so unsuccessful results. This, however, did not cool the determination of Nebuchadnezzar, and in the 17th year of his reign he settled the matter with Arphaxad by his own forces. It may be supposed that Nebuchadnezzar did not have a real need to turn to the inhabitants of the west for help in fighting Arphaxad, and his embassy to them was aimed not at a humble request for help, but at the same high-handed invitation with the consciousness of his own power – to submit and by some demonstrations not to interfere with the task he had planned. The latter aim of the embassies was, as it can be seen, nevertheless achieved, at least to the extent that those who refused to ally with Nebuchadnezzar are not seen on the side of Arphaxad, left to struggle with the enemy by his own forces alone. The advantage in forces was, undoubtedly, on the side of Nebuchadnezzar, around whom nonetheless many nations gathered (verse 6), which formed “very many multitudes of men of war” (verse 16).