Judith:7

---

Seeker Overlay ON

* 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 . * 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 . * 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 . * 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 . * 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 . * But in the second day Holofernes brought forth all his horsemen in the sight of the children of Israel which were in Bethulia , * 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 . * 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 , * Let our lord now hear a word , that there be not an overthrow in thine army . * 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 . * Now therefore , my lord , fight not against them in battle array , and there shall not so much as one man of thy people perish . * 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 : * 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 . * 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 . * Thus shalt thou render them an evil reward ; because they rebelled , and met not thy person peaceably . * And these words pleased Holofernes and all his servants , and he appointed to do as they had spoken . * 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 . * 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 . * 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 . * 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 . * And the cisterns were emptied , and they had not water to drink their fill for one day ; for they gave them drink by measure . * 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 . * 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 , * 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 . * 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 . * Now therefore call them unto you , and deliver the whole city for a spoil to the people of Holofernes , and to all his army . * 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 . * 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 . * 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 . * 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 . * And if these days pass , and there come no help unto us , I will do according to your word . * 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 .

---