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Judith
Judith [Heb.,=Jewess], early Jewish book included in the Septuagint, but not included in the Hebrew Bible, and placed in the Apocrypha of Protestant Bibles. It recounts an attack on the Jews by an army led by Holofernes, Nebuchadnezzar's general. Bethulia, a besieged Jewish city, is about to surrender when Judith, a Jewish widow of great beauty and piety, takes it upon herself to enter the enemy camp. She gains the favor of Holofernes, who seeks an opportunity to seduce her. Judith beheads him while he is drunk. Judith returns to the city with his head, and the Jews rout the enemy. The story depicts Judith as an example for godly Jews when God's commitment to saving his people is mocked. Texts of Judith exist in several ancient languages. The book might be based on a folk-tale and was probably composed in Palestine during the Hasmonean period (c.160–37 BC). The identification of Nebuchadnezzar as king of Assyria (he was king of Babylon) may indicate that the book is not intended as literal history. However, there are historical analogies for the invasion, especially that of Antiochus IV . Another Judith, a wife of Esau, is named in the Book of Genesis.
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"Judith." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2011. Encyclopedia.com. 26 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "Judith." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2011. Encyclopedia.com. (May 26, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-Judith.html "Judith." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2011. Retrieved May 26, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-Judith.html |
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Judith
Judith ♀ Biblical name, meaning ‘Jewess’ or ‘woman from Judea’, borne by a Jewish heroine whose story is recorded in the Book of Judith in the Apocrypha. Judith is portrayed as a beautiful widow who delivers her people from the invading Assyrians by gaining the confidence of their commander, Holofernes, and cutting off his head while he is asleep; without their commander, the Assyrians are duly routed. This has been a perennially popular Jewish name. In the English-speaking world it was taken up in the 16th century, having been in occasional use among Gentiles before this: for example, it was borne by a niece of William the Conqueror. It enjoyed great popularity between the 1940s and the 1960s. Today's notable bearers include the American novelist Judith Krantz (b. 1928) and the Scottish composer Judith Weir (b. 1954).
Pet forms: Judy, Judi, Judie. |
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PATRICK HANKS, KATE HARDCASTLE, and FLAVIA HODGES. "Judith." A Dictionary of First Names. 2006. Encyclopedia.com. 26 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. PATRICK HANKS, KATE HARDCASTLE, and FLAVIA HODGES. "Judith." A Dictionary of First Names. 2006. Encyclopedia.com. (May 26, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O41-Judith.html PATRICK HANKS, KATE HARDCASTLE, and FLAVIA HODGES. "Judith." A Dictionary of First Names. 2006. Retrieved May 26, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O41-Judith.html |
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Judith
Judith, a 350-line poem in Old English, fragmentary at the beginning, found in the Beowulf manuscript (ASPR 4), probably dating from the late 9th cent. The poem tells the story of the Apocryphal Book of Judith, and the surviving sections correspond to about the last quarter of the biblical book.
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MARGARET DRABBLE and JENNY STRINGER. "Judith." The Concise Oxford Companion to English Literature. 2003. Encyclopedia.com. 26 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. MARGARET DRABBLE and JENNY STRINGER. "Judith." The Concise Oxford Companion to English Literature. 2003. Encyclopedia.com. (May 26, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O54-Judith.html MARGARET DRABBLE and JENNY STRINGER. "Judith." The Concise Oxford Companion to English Literature. 2003. Retrieved May 26, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O54-Judith.html |
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Judith
Judith in the Apocrypha, a rich Israelite widow who saved the town of Bethulia from Nebuchadnezzar's army by seducing the besieging general Holofernes and cutting off his head while he slept. Also, a book of the Apocrypha recounting the story of Judith.
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ELIZABETH KNOWLES. "Judith." The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. 2006. Encyclopedia.com. 26 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. ELIZABETH KNOWLES. "Judith." The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. 2006. Encyclopedia.com. (May 26, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O214-Judith.html ELIZABETH KNOWLES. "Judith." The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. 2006. Retrieved May 26, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O214-Judith.html |
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Judith
Judith Heroine of an Old Testament book that is considered apocryphal by Protestants and Jews. Judith is described as a beautiful young widow who heroically rescued the Israelite city of Bethulia from siege by the Assyrians.
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"Judith." World Encyclopedia. 2005. Encyclopedia.com. 26 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "Judith." World Encyclopedia. 2005. Encyclopedia.com. (May 26, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O142-Judith.html "Judith." World Encyclopedia. 2005. Retrieved May 26, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O142-Judith.html |
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Judith, Book of
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JOHN BOWKER. "Judith, Book of." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of World Religions. 1997. Encyclopedia.com. 26 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. JOHN BOWKER. "Judith, Book of." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of World Religions. 1997. Encyclopedia.com. (May 26, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O101-JudithBookof.html JOHN BOWKER. "Judith, Book of." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of World Religions. 1997. Retrieved May 26, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O101-JudithBookof.html |
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Judith
Judith ♀ (German) Biblical.
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Cite this article
PATRICK HANKS, KATE HARDCASTLE, and FLAVIA HODGES. "Judith." A Dictionary of First Names. 2006. Encyclopedia.com. 26 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. PATRICK HANKS, KATE HARDCASTLE, and FLAVIA HODGES. "Judith." A Dictionary of First Names. 2006. Encyclopedia.com. (May 26, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O41-Judith1.html PATRICK HANKS, KATE HARDCASTLE, and FLAVIA HODGES. "Judith." A Dictionary of First Names. 2006. Retrieved May 26, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O41-Judith1.html |
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Judith
Judith •myth, outwith, pith, smith
•twentieth • seventieth • eightieth
•fiftieth • sixtieth • ninetieth
•fortieth • thirtieth • Edith • Judith
•Meredith • Griffith • Hesketh
•tallith • Delyth • Lilith • megalith
•monolith • blacksmith • Nasmyth
•tinsmith • Ladysmith • locksmith
•songsmith • goldsmith • gunsmith
•coppersmith • silversmith
•wordsmith
•Kenneth, zenith
•Gwyneth • Lapith • Hollerith
•Asquith • Sopwith
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Cite this article
"Judith." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Encyclopedia.com. 26 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "Judith." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Encyclopedia.com. (May 26, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O233-Judith.html "Judith." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Retrieved May 26, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O233-Judith.html |
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