The books of Esther and Judith are often paired with one another. For example, in the arrangement of the books of the Septuagint the book of Judith follows Esther. In the comments of Church Fathers such as Clement of Rome, Clement of Alexandria, Athanasius of Alexandria and Augustine, as well as in modern commentaries, the books of Esther and Judith are often grouped together, compared and contrasted. This pairing occurs even in the world of art, for example in the work of the Renaissance painter Artemesia Gentileschi, who uses both women as subjects. The reason behind this pairing is clear: both are books which take their name from their female heroine, and in both books it is the Jewish heroine who saves her peopIe from imminent destruction at the hands of the Gentiles by her courage and resourcefulness
