OZIA. — Son of Micha, of the tribe of Simeon, the chief of the three leaders of Bethulia (v.) at the time of the siege and liberation of that city (Judt. 6, 15 ff.). He welcomed Achior, leader of the Ammonites, who had been dismissed from the army of Holofernes, and from him learned of the Assyrian commander’s intentions toward Bethulia. Yielding to the pressure of the people, O. was already on the point of opening the gates to the enemy; but he waited another five days: the courageous intervention of Judith (v.) saved the situation (ibid. 8-13).
After the killing of Holofernes, O. went out to meet the heroic woman, to whom he addressed, on behalf of all the people, fervent words of gratitude and blessing, which have remained famous (ibid. 13, 18-20: the passage, very fittingly applied to the Virgin Mary, is read almost verbatim in the Epistle at the Mass for the two feasts of the Seven Sorrows and in the new Mass of the Assumption). Finally, he urged the Israelites to pursue the fleeing enemy (ibid. 15, 4 ff.).