A thousand years ago, in the monasteries of Anglo-Saxon England, unknown poets retold the Bible in the old heroic measures, recasting Abraham as a lord to his household and Judith as a warrior of her people. This edition brings two of those poems together in clear, present-day English without losing their ancient music. 'Genesis' moves from the six days of creation and the fall of the rebel angels to the testing of Abraham, while its haunting central interlude rises toward paradise and the temptation of Adam and Eve. In 'Judith,' a widowed heroine of courage and cunning saves a besieged city by entering the enemy camp and facing its drunken general alone. Together they offer a vision of faith, obedient, defiant, and deeply human, that still speaks across the centuries. Faithful to the meaning and spirit of the original texts, this volume includes an introduction and appendices to guide the modern reader. Part of The World Scriptures Library.