And said to them …: Holofernes is apparently puzzled and upset that anyone should have the boldness to offer resistance to the army of Assyria, so he asks a series of questions about these people. The questions can be interpreted in at least two ways. On one view, the questions are sarcastic. On the other, he is asking for valid military intelligence about the enemy. To be sure, the questions are scornful, but they are exact enough to seem genuine requests for information. Compare Moses’ instructions to his spies in Num 13.17-20. The story is forced here, since we would expect such a mighty conqueror as Holofernes to be well informed about his enemy. But the narrator wants the action to pause long enough for the recitation of Israel’s history that Achior will deliver in verses 5-21. The key questions are: In what does their power or strength consist? Who rules over them as king? The words remind one of Delilah’s questions to Samson in Jdg 16.6. They also point to the description of Judith’s decisive act in 13.7-8. Achior will not answer the questions directly, but the questions must be asked in such a way that the reader will infer the correct answer from Achior’s speech: Israel’s God is their king and the source of their strength.

Contemporary English Version reorders the initial clauses of this verse, and some translators will find this rearrangement helpful:

• He said to them:
I want to know about these people who have settled in the hills of Canaan. You also live in Canaan, so tell me what cities….

Quoted with permission from Bullard, Roger A. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on Judith. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2001. For this and other handbooks for translators see here.