Judith 8:13

Verse 13. Pleasure. She blames the magistrates for taking a rash oath, pretending to fathom the designs of God, and to fix a time for him, and not attempting to make any resistance, though the welfare of the whole nation, and the sacred things, depended on their exertions. Calmet.—They had been assured that God had heard their prayer, (Calmet. 4:9) and had often witnessed a miraculous interference of Providence. In other circumstances ( Bible.) the magistrates would not have been to blame, though Judith might think them so; (Serarius. See verse 26. Menochius.) and, in effect, they ought rather to have died than thus to have exposed all to certain ruin. Worthington.