Pray for us: Who does Uzziah mean by us? Himself and his two colleagues? Presumably he means himself and everyone else in the town, which Good News Translation makes clear with “pray for our people.”

Devout woman is rendered “deeply religious” by Good News Translation. The expression is different from that in verse 8 (see the note there), but the meaning is the same. Contemporary English Version‘s “You faithfully worship the Lord God” is also possible.

Send us rain may be translated “cause the rain to fall.”

For a comment on the translation of cisterns, see 7.21.

And we will no longer be faint may be rendered “so that we can get our strength back” (Good News Translation).

A cynical reading of the passage would have Uzziah say (in Moore’s words) “All our prayers have been to no effect, but yours God will listen to—and grant!” At any rate, it is interesting that Uzziah asks of Judith no more than that rain will come to fill their cisterns, not that the city be saved from the enemy by some dramatic act—which, of course, is exactly what Judith will provide.

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.