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Chapter 7

 

7:1 The next day Holofernes commanded all
his army, and all his people which were come to take his part, that they should
remove their camp against Bethulia, to take aforehand the ascents of the hill
country, 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 war was an
hundred and seventy thousand footmen, and twelve thousand horsemen, beside the
baggage, and other men that were afoot among them, a very great multitude. 3
And they camped in the valley near unto Bethulia, by the fountain, and they
spread themselves in breadth over Dothaim even to Belmaim, and in length from
Bethulia unto Cynamon, which is over against Esdraelon.

 

4 Now the children of Israel, when they saw
the multitude of them, were greatly troubled, and said every one to his
neighbour, Now will these men lick up the face of the earth; for neither the
high 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 their towers, they remained and watched all that night. 6 But in the
second day Holofernes brought forth all his horsemen in the sight of the
children of Israel which were in Bethulia, 7 And viewed the passages up to the
city, and came to the fountains of their waters, and took them, and set
garrisons of men of war over them, and he himself removed toward his people.

 

8 Then came unto him all the chief of the
children of Esau, and all the governors of the people of 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 thine army. 10 For this people of the children of Israel do not
trust in their spears, but in the height of 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 so much as one man of thy
people perish. 12 Remain in thy camp, and keep all the men of thine army, and
let thy servants get into their hands the fountain of water, which issueth
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 that are
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
the sword come against them, they shall be overthrown in the streets where they
dwell. 15 Thus shalt thou render them an evil reward; because they rebelled,
and met not thy person peaceably.

 

16 And these words pleased Holofernes and
all his servants, and he appointed to do as they had 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 of Israel.

 

18 Then the children of Esau went up with
the children of Ammon, and camped in the hill country over against Dothaim: and
they sent some of them toward the south, and toward the east over against
Ekrebel, which is near unto Chusi, that is upon the brook Mochmur; and the rest
of the army of the Assyrians camped in the plain, and covered the face of the
whole land; and their tents and carriages were pitched to a very great
multitude.

 

19 Then the children of Israel cried unto
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, and horsemen, 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 fainted for thirst, and fell down in the streets of
the city, and by the passages of the gates, and there was no 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 ye have done us great injury, in that ye have not
required peace of the children of Assur. 25 For now we have no helper: but God
hath sold us into their hands, that we should be thrown down before them with
thirst and great destruction.

 

26 Now therefore call them unto you, and
deliver the whole city for a spoil to the people of Holofernes, and to all his
army. 27 For it is better for us to be made a spoil unto them, than to die for
thirst: for we will be his servants, that our souls may live, and not see the
death of our infants before our eyes, nor our wives nor our children to die. 28
We take to witness against you the heaven and the earth, and our God and Lord
of our fathers, which punisheth us according to our sins and the sins of our
fathers, that he do not according as we have said this day. 29 Then there was
great weeping with one consent in the midst of the assembly; and they cried
unto the Lord God with a loud voice.

 

30 Then said Ozias to them, Brethren, be of
good courage, let us yet endure five days, in the 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 unto us, I will do according to your
word. 32 And he dispersed the people, every one to their own charge; and they
went unto the walls and towers of their city, and sent the women and children
into their houses: and they were very low brought in the city.