Jdt 7

1 The next day Holofernes commanded all his army, and all his people which were come to takehis part, that they should remove their camp against Bethulia, to take beforehand the ascents of the hillcountry, and to make war against the children of Israel. 2 Then their strong men removed their camps in that day, and the army of the men of warwas an hundred and seventy thousand footmen, and twelve thousand horsemen, beside the baggage, and othermen that were afoot among them, a very great multitude. 3 And they camped in the valley near to Bethulia, by the fountain, and they spread themselvesin breadth over Dothaim even to Belmaim, and in length from Bethulia to Cynamon, which is over againstEsdraelon. 4 Now the children of Israel, when they saw the multitude of them, were greatly troubled,and said every one to his neighbor, Now will these men lick up the face of the earth; for neither thehigh mountains, nor the valleys, nor the hills, are able to bear their weight. 5 Then every man took up his weapons of war, and when they had kindled fires upon theirtowers, they remained and watched all that night. 6 But in the second day Holofernes brought forth all his horsemen in the sight of the childrenof Israel which were in Bethulia, 7 And viewed the passages up to the city, and came to the fountains of their waters, andtook them, and set garrisons of men of war over them, and he himself removed toward his people. 8 Then came to him all the chief of the children of Esau, and all the governors of the peopleof Moab, and the captains of the sea coast, and said, 9 Let our lord now hear a word, that there be not an overthrow in your army. 10 For this people of the children of Israel do not trust in their spears, but in the heightof the mountains wherein they dwell, because it is not easy to come up to the tops of their mountains. 11 Now therefore, my lord, fight not against them in battle array, and there shall not somuch as one man of your people perish. 12 Remain in your camp, and keep all the men of your army, and let your servants get intotheir hands the fountain of water, which issues forth of the foot of the mountain: 13 For all the inhabitants of Bethulia have their water thence; so shall thirst kill them,and they shall give up their city, and we and our people shall go up to the tops of the mountains thatare near, and will camp upon them, to watch that none go out of the city. 14 So they and their wives and their children shall be consumed with fire, and before thesword come against them, they shall be overthrown in the streets where they dwell. 15 Thus shall you render them an evil reward; because they rebelled, and met not your personpeaceably. 16 And these words pleased Holofernes and all his servants, and he appointed to do as theyhad spoken. 17 So the camp of the children of Ammon departed, and with them five thousand of the Assyrians,and they pitched in the valley, and took the waters, and the fountains of the waters of the children ofIsrael. 18 Then the children of Esau went up with the children of Ammon, and camped in the hillcountry over against Dothaim: and they sent some of them toward the south, and toward the east over againstEkrebel, which is near to Chusi, that is upon the brook Mochmur; and the rest of the army of the Assyrianscamped in the plain, and covered the face of the whole land; and their tents and carriages were pitchedto a very great multitude. 19 Then the children of Israel cried to the Lord their God, because their heart failed,for all their enemies had compassed them round about, and there was no way to escape out from among them. 20 Thus all the company of Assur remained about them, both their footmen, chariots, andhorsemen, four and thirty days, so that all their vessels of water failed all the inhibitants of Bethulia. 21 And the cisterns were emptied, and they had not water to drink their fill for one day;for they gave them drink by measure. 22 Therefore their young children were out of heart, and their women and young men faintedfor thirst, and fell down in the streets of the city, and by the passages of the gates, and there wasno longer any strength in them. 23 Then all the people assembled to Ozias, and to the chief of the city, both young men,and women, and children, and cried with a loud voice, and said before all the elders, 24 God be judge between us and you: for you⌃ have done us great injury, in that you⌃ havenot required peace of the children of Assur. 25 For now we have no helper: but God has sold us into their hands, that we should be throwndown before them with thirst and great destruction. 26 Now therefore call them to you, and deliver the whole city for a spoil to the peopleof Holofernes, and to all his army. 27 For it is better for us to be made a spoil to them, than to die for thirst: for we willbe his servants, that our souls may live, and not see the death of our infants before our eyes, nor ourwives nor our children to die. 28 We take to witness against you the heaven and the earth, and our God and Lord of ourfathers, which punishes us according to our sins and the sins of our fathers, that he do not accordingas we have said this day. 29 Then there was great weeping with one consent in the midst of the assembly; and theycried to the Lord God with a loud voice. 30 Then said Ozias to them, Brethren, be of good courage, let us yet endure five days, inthe which space the Lord our God may turn his mercy toward us; for he will not forsake us utterly. 31 And if these days pass, and there come no help to us, I will do according to your word. 32 And he dispersed the people, every one to their own charge; and they went to the wallsand towers of their city, and sent the women and children into their houses: and they were very low broughtin the city.