OET-RV JDT Chapter 1

1 In the twelfth year of Nevukadnetsar’s (Nebuchadnezzar’s) reign, who reigned over the Assyrians in Nineveh, the great city, in the days of Arpakshad, who reigned over the Madim (Medes) in Ahmeta, 2 and built around Ahmeta walls of hewn stones three cubits broad and six cubits long, and made the height of the wall seventy cubits, and its breadth fifty cubits, 3 and set its towers at its gates one hundred cubits high, and its breadth in the foundation was sixty cubits, 4 and made its gates, even gates that were raised to the height of seventy cubits, and their breadth forty cubits, for his mighty army to go out of, and the setting in array of his footmen—5 in those days King Nevukadnetsar made war with King Arpakshad in the great plain. This plain is on the borders of Ragau. 6 There came to meet him all that lived in the hill country, and all that lived by Perat (Euphrates), Hidekel, and Hudaspes, and in the plain of Areyok the king of the Elymaeans. Many nations of the sons of Chelod assembled themselves to the battle.

7 And Nevukadnetsar king of the Assyrians sent to all who lived in Paras (Persia), and to all who lived westward, to those who lived in Kilikia, Damesek (Damascus), Levanon, Anti-Lebanon, and to all who lived along the sea coast, 8 and to those among the nations that were of Karmel and Gilead, and to the higher Galil and the great plain of Yizre’el (Jezreel), 9 and to all who were in Shomron (Samaria) and its cities, and beyond Yarden (Jordan) to Yerushalem (Jerusalem), Betane, Chellus, Kadesh, the river of Mitsrayim (Egypt), Tahfanhes, Ra’meses, and all the land of Goshen, 10 until you come above Tsoan and Nof (Memphis), and to all that lived in Mitsrayim, until you come to the borders of Kush (Ethiopia). 11 All those who lived in all the land made light of the commandment of Nevukadnetsar king of the Assyrians, and didn’t go with him to the war; for they weren’t afraid of him, but he was before them as one man. They turned away his messengers from their presence without effect, and with disgrace.

12 And Nevukadnetsar was extremely angry with all this land, and he swore by his throne and kingdom that he’d surely be avenged on all the coasts of Kilikia, Damesek, and Aram (Syria), that he’d kill with his sword all the inhabitants of the land of Moav (Moab), the children of Amon, all Yehudah (Judea), and all who were in Mitsrayim, until you come to the borders of the two seas. 13 And he set the battle in array with his army against King Arpakshad in the seventeenth year; and he prevailed in his battle, and turned to flight all Arpakshad’s army, with all his horses and all his chariots. 14 He took possession of his cities. He came to Ahmeta and took the towers, plundered its streets, and turned its beauty into shame. 15 He took Arpakshad in the mountains of Ragau, struck him through with his darts, and utterly destroyed him to this day. 16 He returned with them to Nineveh, he and all his company of sundry nations—a very great multitude of men of war. There he took his ease and banqueted, he and his army, for one hundred and twenty days.