- ACHIOR, General of the Ammonites, who joined Holofernes’s Army with the auxiliary troops of his Country, in that General’s expedition into Egypt. The inhabitants of Bethulia having shut their Gates against Holofernes, and refusing to execute his orders, he called the Princes of Moab, and Commanders of the Ammonites, demanding of them, with great passion, who those people were that opposed his Passage, for he presumed that the Moabites and Ammonites, being neighbours to the Hebrews, could better inform him of the truth than any other persons. Then Achior, General of the Ammonites, answer’d, My Lord, these People are originally of Chaldæa; their Ancestors dwelt first in Mesopotamia, and because they would not worship the Gods of the Chaldæans, were obliged to leave their Country, and settle in the land which at present is possess’d by them. He continued to relate to him Jacob’s descent into Egypt, the Miracles wrought by Moses for the deliverance of the Israelites, and the Conquest which they had made of Canaan. Lastly, he told him that this People had at all times been invincible, and were protected visibly by God as long as they continued faithful to him; but that as soon as they shewed any marks of Infidelity, God never failed to take vengeance on them. Now therefore, added he, learn whether these People have committed any fault against their God; if so, attack them, for he will deliver them up into your hands; if not, we shall not be able to resist them, because God will undertake their defence, and cover us with Confusion.
Judith v. 2, 3, &c.Upon hearing these words, the great Men of Holofernes’s Army, moved with indignation, were inclined to fall upon him and kill him; and Holofernes, transported with fury, said to Achior, Since you have taken upon you to be a Prophet, in telling us that the God of Israel would be the Defender of his People, to shew you that there is no other God besides Nebuchodonozor my Master, when we have put all these People to the edge of the sword, we will destroy you likewise, and you shall understand that Nebuchodonosor is Lord of all the earth; and, that you may yourself experience the vanity of your own Prophecy, I will have you carried to Bethulia, there whom you believe to be invincible. They carried him therefore through the Hill countries till he came pretty near the City; there they tied his hands behind him, and fastened him to a tree, that the People of Bethulia, who were come out against them, might take him and carry him into the City, where, in the midst of the Elders, and in a full assembly of the People, he declared to them what he had said, and what had happened to him: Then all the People of Bethulia fell with their faces to the ground, and with great cries begg’d God’s assistance, beseeching him to vindicate the honour of his Name, and humble the pride of their Enemies; after which they took Achior and comforted him. Ozias, one of the great leaders of the People, received him into his House, and made a splendid entertainment for him.
Achior continued in Bethulia as long as the Siege lasted; and when God had deliver’d Holofernes into the hands of Judith, and she was returning to the City with his Head, Judith xiii. 27, 28, &c.Achior was called, and Judith spoke thus to him: The God of Israel, to whom you have borne testimony, has this Night, by my hands, cut off his head who was General of all these Infidels; and immediately she drew out the head of Holofernes, and shewed it to him, saying, Behold the head of that Man who insulted the God of Israel, and boasted that he would put you and us to the edge of the sword. Achior seeing the head of Holofernes, was so terrified, that he fell with his Face to the ground, and his Spirit failed him; but recovering soon after, Judith said to him, Blessed art thou throughout all the house of Jacob, for the God of Israel will be for ever glorified in thee among all People who shall hear mention of thy Name. After this Achior abandoned the Superstitions of the Heathen, believed in God, was circumcised, and received into the number of the Israelites.
Ch. xiv. 6, &c.The War with Holofernes is by some fixed to the time of Manasseh, King of Judah, in the year of the World 3348, before Jesus Christ 652, before the vulgar Æra 656: According to others it fell out after the return from the Captivity of Babylon. Upon this subject see the Commentators, and our Preface to the book of Judith.