Judith 4:7-9

Common English Bible

⁷ telling them to guard the mountain passes because they were the entrance to Judea. It would be easy to stop anyone trying to enter through them, because the passages were narrow and allowed for only two men at the most to pass through. ⁸ So the Israelites did everything that they were told to do by Joakim the high priest and the council of the Israelites that was meeting in Jerusalem.

The Israelites seek help from God

⁹ Every man in Israel humbled himself and cried out earnestly to God.