الإصحَاحُ
الثَّانِي

Chapter 2

 

2:1
And in the eighteenth year, the two and twentieth day of the first month, there
was talk in the house of Nabuchodonosor king of the Assyrians that he should,
as he said, avenge himself on all the earth. 2 So he called unto him all his
officers, and all his nobles, and communicated with them his secret counsel,
and concluded the afflicting of the whole earth out of his own mouth. 3 Then
they decreed to destroy all flesh, that did not obey the commandment of his
mouth.

 

4
And when he had ended his counsel, Nabuchodonosor king of the Assyrians called
Holofernes the chief captain of his army, which was next unto him, and said
unto him. 5 Thus saith the great king, the lord of the whole earth, Behold,
thou shalt go forth from my presence, and take with thee men that trust in
their own strength, of footmen an hundred and twenty thousand; and the number
of horses with their riders twelve thousand. 6 And thou shalt go against all
the west country, because they disobeyed my commandment. 7 And thou shalt
declare unto that they prepare for me earth and water: for I will go forth in
my wrath against them and will cover the whole face of the earth with the feet
of mine army, and I will give them for a spoil unto them: 8 So that their slain
shall fill their valleys and brooks and the river shall be filled with their
dead, till it overflow: 9 And I will lead them captives to the utmost parts of
all the earth. 10 Thou therefore shalt go forth. and take beforehand for me all
their coasts: and if they will yield themselves unto thee, thou shalt reserve
them for me till the day of their punishment.

 

11
But concerning them that rebel, let not thine eye spare them; but put them to
the slaughter, and spoil them wheresoever thou goest. 12 For as I live, and by
the power of my kingdom, whatsoever I have spoken, that will I do by mine hand.
13 And take thou heed that thou transgress none of the commandments of thy
lord, but accomplish them fully, as I have commanded thee, and defer not to do
them.

 

14
Then Holofernes went forth from the presence of his lord, and called all the
governors and captains, and the officers of the army of Assur; 15 And he
mustered the chosen men for the battle, as his lord had commanded him, unto an
hundred and twenty thousand, and twelve thousand archers on horseback; 16 And
he ranged them, as a great army is ordered for the war. 17 And he took camels
and asses for their carriages, a very great number; and sheep and oxen and
goats without number for their provision: 18 And plenty of victual for every
man of the army, and very much gold and silver out of the king’s house.

 

19
Then he went forth and all his power to go before king Nabuchodonosor in the
voyage, and to cover all the face of the earth westward with their chariots,
and horsemen, and their chosen footmen. 20 A great number also sundry countries
came with them like locusts, and like the sand of the earth: for the multitude
was without number. 21 And they went forth of Nineve three days’ journey toward
the plain of Bectileth, and pitched from Bectileth near the mountain which is
at the left hand of the upper Cilicia. 22 Then he took all his army, his
footmen, and horsemen and chariots, and went from thence into the hill country;
23 And destroyed Phud and Lud, and spoiled all the children of Rasses, and the
children of Israel, which were toward the wilderness at the south of the land
of the Chellians.

 

24
Then he went over Euphrates, and went through Mesopotamia, and destroyed all
the high cities that were upon the river Arbonai, till ye come to the sea.

 

25
And he took the borders of Cilicia, and killed all that resisted him, and came
to the borders of Japheth, which were toward the south, over against Arabia.

 

26
He compassed also all the children of Madian, and burned up their tabernacles,
and spoiled their sheepcotes.

 

27
Then he went down into the plain of Damascus in the time of wheat harvest, and
burnt up all their fields, and destroyed their flocks and herds, also he
spoiled their cities, and utterly wasted their countries, and smote all their
young men with the edge of the sword.

 

28
Therefore the fear and dread of him fell upon all the inhabitants of the sea
coasts, which were in Sidon and Tyrus, and them that dwelt in Sur and Ocina,
and all that dwelt in Jemnaan; and they that dwelt in Azotus and Ascalon feared
him greatly.