3 And they sent to him messengers with words of peace, saying, 2 “Listen, we the servants of Nevukadnetsar (Nebuchadnezzar) the great king lie before you. Use us as it’s pleasing in your sight. 3 Listen, our homes and all our country, and all our fields of wheat and our flocks and herds, and all the sheepfolds of our tents, lie before your face. Use them as it may please you. 4 Listen, even our cities and those who live in them are your servants. Come and deal with them as it’s good in your eyes.”

5 So the men came to Holofernes, and declared to him according to these words.

6 He came down towards the sea coast, he and his army, and set garrisons in the high cities, and took out of them chosen men for allies. 7 They received him, they and all the country round about them, with garlands and dances and timbrels. 8 He threw down all their borders, and cut down their sacred groves. It’d been given to him to destroy all the gods of the land, that all the nations would worship Nevukadnetsar only, and that all their tongues and their tribes would call on him as a god.

9 Then he came towards Yizre’el (Jezreel) near to Dotan, which is opposite the great ridge of Yehudah (Judea). 10 He encamped between Geva and Beyt-Shean. He was there a whole month, that he might gather together all the baggage of his army.