Nebuchadnezzar, the king of the Assyrians, sent Holofernes to conquer the kingdoms of the west that had disobeyed him, and Holofernes laid siege to the city of Bethulia, cutting off its water supply. Judith, a widow, intervened and convinced the elders to trust in God's mercy, then disguised herself as a traitor and infiltrated Holofernes' camp, where she beheaded the drunken leader and escaped with his head, leading to the Assyrian army's flight and the Israelites' victory, after which Judith was hailed as a hero.