--- title: "Book of Judith: Summary & All 16 Chapters · Bless" url: https://blessbible.app/bible/judith/ description: "The Book of Judith, a heroic tale in 16 chapters. Bp. Challoner’s summary of all 16 chapters, and the full text free." --- Old Testament · Deuterocanonical # The Book of Judith The Book of Judith is the eighteenth of the 46 books of the Old Testament, and one of its 7 deuterocanonical books: 16 chapters and 345 verses. [Start reading: Judith 1](https://blessbible.app/bible/judith/1/) Chapters 1–16: [1](https://blessbible.app/bible/judith/1/) … [16](https://blessbible.app/bible/judith/16/) ## About Judith About Judith · Heroic tale Judith tells how a widow of Israel, beautiful and fearless, delivered her besieged town by walking into the enemy camp and beheading its general. Its unknown author wrote long after the events it stages, mixing eras deliberately, which signals that it is a crafted story about faith rather than a chronicle. It belongs to the deuterocanonical books of the Catholic canon and was written to embolden a small people under pressure: God can save by the hand of the weakest, and courage joined to prayer is never wasted. The Church has long seen in Judith a figure of Mary. *Judith in Bless* | | | |---|---| | Testament | Old Testament — book 18 of 46, 18 of 73 in the Bible | | Canon | Deuterocanonical | | Chapters | 16 | | Verses | 345, as Bless numbers them | | Latin | Clementine Vulgate, 15 of 16 chapters | | Bp. Challoner | Summaries of all 16 chapters · 7 notes | | Catechism | 1 paragraph cite it | Chapter by chapter ## All 16 chapters, *in brief.* Bishop Richard Challoner’s summary of each chapter, from his revision of the Douay-Rheims (1749–52). Open a chapter for the full text. 1. ### [Judith 1](https://blessbible.app/bible/judith/1/) 12 verses Nabuchodonosor king of the Assyrians overcometh Arphaxad king of the Medes. 2. ### [Judith 2](https://blessbible.app/bible/judith/2/) 18 verses Nabuchodonosor sendeth Holofernes to waste the countries of the west. 3. ### [Judith 3](https://blessbible.app/bible/judith/3/) 15 verses Many submit themselves to Holofernes. He destroyeth their cities, and their gods, that Nabuchodonosor only might be called God. 4. ### [Judith 4](https://blessbible.app/bible/judith/4/) 17 verses The children of Israel prepare themselves to resist Holofernes. They cry to the Lord for help. 5. ### [Judith 5](https://blessbible.app/bible/judith/5/) 29 verses Achior gives Holofernes an account of the people of Israel. 6. ### [Judith 6](https://blessbible.app/bible/judith/6/) 21 verses Holofernes in great rage sendeth Achior to Bethulia, there to be slain with the Israelites. 7. ### [Judith 7](https://blessbible.app/bible/judith/7/) 25 verses Holofernes besiegeth Bethulia. The distress of the besieged. 8. ### [Judith 8](https://blessbible.app/bible/judith/8/) 34 verses The character of Judith: her discourse to the ancients. 9. ### [Judith 9](https://blessbible.app/bible/judith/9/) 19 verses Judith's prayer, to beg of God to fortify her in her undertaking. 10. ### [Judith 10](https://blessbible.app/bible/judith/10/) 20 verses Judith goeth out towards the camp, and is taken, and brought to Holofernes. 11. ### [Judith 11](https://blessbible.app/bible/judith/11/) 21 verses Judith's speech to Holofernes. 12. ### [Judith 12](https://blessbible.app/bible/judith/12/) 20 verses Judith goeth out in the night to pray: she is invited to a banquet with Holofernes. 13. ### [Judith 13](https://blessbible.app/bible/judith/13/) 31 verses Judith cutteth off the head of Holofernes, and returneth to Bethulia. 14. ### [Judith 14](https://blessbible.app/bible/judith/14/) 18 verses The Israelites assault the Assyrians, who finding their general slain, are seized with a panic fear. 15. ### [Judith 15](https://blessbible.app/bible/judith/15/) 15 verses The Assyrians flee: the Hebrews pursue after them, and are enriched by their spoils. 16. ### [Judith 16](https://blessbible.app/bible/judith/16/) 31 verses The canticle of Judith: her virtuous life and death. Bp. Richard Challoner · chapter summaries Coming up ## Read at *Mass.* From October 29, 2026 to October 28, 2027, Judith is read at the principal Mass on 1 day in the US calendar. The next 2 readings: | Date | Celebration | Reading | Citation | |---|---|---|---| | [Sat, Dec 12, 2026](https://blessbible.app/calendar/2026/12/12/) | Our Lady of Guadalupe | Responsorial Psalm | [Judith 13:18bcde, 19](https://blessbible.app/bible/judith/13/) | | [Tue, Dec 12, 2028](https://blessbible.app/calendar/2028/12/12/) computed | Our Lady of Guadalupe | Responsorial Psalm | [Judith 13:18bcde, 19](https://blessbible.app/bible/judith/13/) | Citations as published in the USCCB liturgical calendar (principal Mass, first option). Dates after May 31, 2027 are computed by Bless from the US Lectionary cycle — confirm with your parish. [Previous book The Book of Tobit](https://blessbible.app/bible/tobit/) [Next book The Book of Esther](https://blessbible.app/bible/esther/)