Texts in Conversation
Judith alludes to Ruth 1:16 by placing Ruth's words of loyal devotion in the mouth of Holophernes, inverting its meaning by having Ruth's sincere commitment become Holophernes's insincere flattery.
Share:
2500 BCE
1000+ CE
Ruth 1:16
Hebrew Bible
15 So Naomi said, “Look, your sister-in-law is returning to her people and to her god. Follow your sister-in-law back home!” 16 But Ruth replied, “Stop urging me to abandon you! For wherever you go, I will go.Wherever you live, I will live. Your people will become my people, and your God will become my God. 17 Wherever you die, I will die—and there I will be buried.May the Lord punish me severely if I do not keep my promise! Only death will be able to separate me from you!”
Judith 11:23
Deuterocanon
21 "No other woman from one end of the earth to the other looks so beautiful or speaks so wisely!" 22 Then Holofernes said to her, "God has done well to send you ahead of the people, to strengthen our hands and bring destruction on those who have despised my lord. 23 You are not only beautiful in appearance, but wise in speech. If you do as you have said, your God shall be my God, and you shall live in the palace of King Nebuchadnezzar and be renowned throughout the whole world."
Search:
Notes and References
"... your God will be my God ... This playful echo of Ruth’s words to Naomi (Ruth 1:16) should not be pressed too hard. Holophernes has no intention of following in Ruth’s footsteps and adopting Judith’s country or people, nor is it likely that he will adopt her God. Commentators point to another foreign commander-in-chief, Naaman, who recognizes God as the only god, after he is cured of his skin disease (2 Kings 5:15, 17), but Holophernes has insisted to Achior that Nebuchadnezzar is the only god (Judith 6:2), and it is unlikely that he has changed his mind ..."
* The use of references are not endorsements of their contents. Please read the entirety of the provided reference(s) to understand the author's full intentions regarding the use of these texts.
Your Feedback:
Leave a Comment
Anonymous comments are welcome. All comments are subject to moderation.