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.

2 In the eighteenth year, the twenty-second day of the first month, there was talk in the house of Nevukadnetsar king of the Assyrians that he should be avenged on all the land, even as he spoke. 2 He called together all his servants and all his great men, and communicated with them his secret counsel, and with his own mouth, recounted the wickedness of all the land. 3 They decreed to destroy all flesh which didn’t follow the word of his mouth.

4 When he’d ended his counsel, Nevukadnetsar king of the Assyrians called Holofernes the chief captain of his army, who was second to himself, and said to him, 5 “The great king, the lord of all the earth, says: ‘Listen, go out from my presence, and take with you men who trust in their strength, to one hundred and twenty thousand footmen and twelve thousand horses with their riders. 6 And go out against all the west country, because they disobeyed the commandment of my mouth. 7 Tell to them that they should prepare earth and water, because I’ll go out in my anger against them, and will cover the whole face of the earth with the feet of my army, who’ll plunder them. 8 Their slain will fill their valleys and brooks, and the river will be filled with their dead until it overflows. 9 I’ll lead them as captives to the utmost parts of all the earth. 10 But go out, and take all their coasts for me first. If they’ll yield themselves to you,[fn] then you must reserve them for me until the day of their reproof. 11 As for those who resist, show no mercy; but hand them over to be slain and to be plundered in all your land. 12 Because as I live, and by the power of my kingdom, I’ve spoken, and I’ll do this with my hand. 13 Moreover, don’t disobey any of your lord’s commands, but you must carry them out, as I’ve commanded you. Don’t delay carrying them out.’ ”

14 So Holofernes went out from the presence of his lord, and called all the governors, the captains, and officers of Ashur’s (Assyria’s) army. 15 He counted chosen men for the battle, as his lord had commanded him, to one hundred and twenty thousand, with twelve thousand archers on horseback. 16 He arranged them as a great multitude is ordered for the war. 17 He took camels, donkeys, and mules for their baggage, a very great multitude, and sheep, oxen, and goats without number for their provision, 18 and a large supply of rations for every man, and a huge amount of gold and silver out of the king’s house. 19 He went out, he and all his army, on their journey, to go before King Nevukadnetsar (Nebuchadnezzar), and to cover all the face of the earth westward with their chariots, horsemen, and chosen footmen. 20 A great company of various nations went out with them like locusts and like the sand of the earth. Because they couldn’t be counted because of their multitude.

21 And they departed out of Nineveh three days’ journey towards the plain of Bectileth, and encamped from Bectileth near the mountain which is at the left hand of the Upper Kilikia. 22 And he took all his army, his footmen, horsemen, and chariots, and went away from there into the hill country, 23 and destroyed Put and Lud, and plundered all the children of Rasses and the children of Yishmael (Ishmael), which were along the wilderness to the south of the land of the Chellians. 24 And he went over Perat (Euphrates), and went through Mesopotamia, and broke down all the high cities that were on the river Arbonai, until you come to the sea. 25 And he took possession of the borders of Kilikia, and killed all who resisted him, and came to the borders of Yefet (Japheth), which were towards the south, opposite Arav. 26 He surrounded all the children of Midyan, and set their tents on fire, and plundered their sheepfolds. 27 He went down into the plain of Damesek (Damascus) in the days of wheat harvest, and set all their fields on fire, and utterly destroyed their flocks and herds, plundered their cities, laid their plains waste, and struck all their young men with the edge of the sword.

28 And the fear and the dread of him fell onto those who lived on the sea coast, on those who were in Tsidon (Sidon) and Tsor (Tyre), those who lived in Sur and Ocina, and all who lived in Yavneh. Those who lived in Azotos and Ashkelon feared him greatly.

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 dwellings, 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.

4 The Israeli people (Israel) who lived in Yehudah heard all that Holofernes the chief captain of Nevukadnetsar king of the Assyrians had done to the nations, and how he’d plundered all their temples and destroyed them utterly. 2 They were extremely afraid at his approach, and were troubled for Yerushalem (Jerusalem) and for the temple of the master their god; 3 because they’d newly come up from the captivity, and all Yehudah’s people were recently gathered together; and the vessels, the altar, and the house were sanctified after being profaned.

4 And they sent into every coast of Shomron (Samaria), to Konae, to Beyt-Horon, Belmaim, Yeriho (Jericho), to Choba, Aesora, and to the valley of Shalem; 5 and they occupied beforehand all the tops of the high mountains, fortified the villages that were in them, and stored supplies for the provision of war, because their fields were newly harvested. 6 Yehoyakim the high priest, who was in those days at Yerushalem, wrote to those who lived in Betulia and Betomesthaim, which is opposite Yizre’el (Jezreel) towards the plain that’s near to Dotan, 7 charging them to seize on the ascents of the hill country; because by them was the entrance into Yehudah, and it was easy to stop them from approaching, since the approach was narrow, with space for two men at the most. 8 And the Israeli people did as Yehoyakim the high priest had commanded them, as did the senate of all Yisrael’s people, which was in session at Yerushalem.

9 And every man of Yisrael cried to God with great earnestness, and with great earnestness they humbled their souls. 10 They, their wives, their children, their cattle, and every sojourner, hireling, and servant bought with their money put sackcloth on their loins. 11 Every man and woman of Yisrael, including the little children and the inhabitants of Yerushalem, fell prostrate before the temple, threw ashes on their heads, and spread out their sackcloth before the master. They put sackcloth around the altar. 12 They cried to the god of Yisrael earnestly with one consent, that he wouldn’t give their children as prey, their wives as plunder, the cities of their inheritance to destruction, and the sanctuary to being profaned and being made a reproach, for the nations to rejoice at. 13 The master heard their voice, and looked at their affliction. The people continued fasting many days in all Yehudah and Yerushalem before the sanctuary of the master Almighty. 14 And Yehoyakim the high priest, and all the priests who stood before the master, and those who ministered to the master, had their loins dressed in sackcloth and offered the continual burnt offering, the vows, and the free gifts of the people. 15 They had ashes on their turbans. They cried to the master with all their power, that he’d look on all the house of Yisrael for good.

5 Holofernes, the chief captain of Ashur’s (Assyria’s) army, was told that the Israeli people had prepared for war, had shut up the passages of the hill country, had fortified all the tops of the high hills, and had set up barricades in the plains. 2 Then he was extremely angry, and he called all the princes of Moav (Moab), Amon’s captains, and all the governors of the sea coast, 3 and he said to them, “Tell me now, you sons of Kena’an (Canaan), who are these people who live in the hill country? What are the cities that they inhabit? How large is their army? Where is their power and their strength? What king is set over them, to be the leader of their army? 4 Why have they turned their backs, that they shouldn’t come and meet me, more than all who live in the west?”

5 Then Ahior, the leader of all the children of Amon, said to him, “Let my lord now hear a word from your servant’s mouth, and I’ll tell you the truth about these people who live in this hill country, near to the place where you live. No lie will come out of your servant’s mouth. 6 These people are descended from the Kasdim (Chaldeans). 7 They sojourned before this in Mesopotamia, because they didn’t want to follow the gods of their fathers, which were in the land of the Kasdim. 8 They departed from the way of their parents, and worshipped the god of heaven, the god whom they knew. Their parents threw them out from the face of their gods, and they fled into Mesopotamia and sojourned there many days. 9 Then their god commanded them to depart from the place where they sojourned, and to go into the land of Kena’an. They lived there, and prospered with gold and silver, and with very large herds of cattle. 10 Then they went down into Mitsrayim (Egypt), for a famine covered all the land of Kena’an. They sojourned there until they’d grown up. They became a great multitude there, so that one couldn’t count the population of their nation. 11 Then the king of Mitsrayim rose up against them, and dealt subtly with them, and brought them low, making them labour in brick,[fn] and made them slaves. 12 They cried to their god, and he struck all the land of Mitsrayim with incurable plagues; so the Mitsrim (Egyptians) threw them out of their sight. 13 God dried up the Red sea before them, 14 and brought them into the way of Sinay Kadesh-Barnea and they threw out all that lived in the wilderness. 15 They lived in the land of the Amorim, and they destroyed by their strength everyone in Heshbon. Passing over Yarden (Jordan), they possessed all the hill country. 16 They threw out before them the Kena’ani (Canaanite), the Perizi, the Yevusi, the Shechemite, and all the Girgashim, and they lived in that country many days.

17 And while they didn’t sin before their god, they prospered, because God who hates iniquity was with them. 18 But when they departed from the way which he appointed them, they were destroyed in many severe battles, and were led captives into a land that wasn’t theirs. Their god’s temple was razed to the ground, and their cities were taken by their adversaries. 19 And now they’ve returned to their god, and have come up from the dispersion where they were dispersed, and have possessed Yerushalem (Jerusalem), where their sanctuary is, and are settled in the hill country; for it was desolate.

20 And now, my lord and master, if there’s any error in this people, and they sin against their god, we’ll find out what this thing is in which they stumble, and we’ll go up and overcome them. 21 But if there’s no lawlessness in their nation, let my lord now pass by, otherwise their master might defend them and their god might take their side, and we’d be disgraced before the whole world.”

22 When Ahior had finished speaking these words, all the people standing around the tent complained. The great men of Holofernes, and all who lived by the sea side and in Moav (Moab), said that he should be cut to pieces. 23 Because, they said, “We won’t be afraid of the Israeli people (Israel), because they’re a people that has no power nor might to make the battle strong. 24 Therefore now we’ll go up, and they’ll be a prey to be devoured by all your army, master Holofernes.”

6 And when the disturbance of the men that were around the council had ceased, Holofernes the chief captain of Ashur’s (Assyria’s) army said to Ahior and to all the children of Moav[fn] before all the people of the foreigners:

2 “And who are you, Ahior, and the mercenaries of Efrayim (Ephraim),[fn] that you’ve prophesied among us as today, and have said that we shouldn’t make war with the race of Yisrael, because their god will defend them? And who’s God but Nevukadnetsar (Nebuchadnezzar)? 3 He’ll send forth his might, and will destroy them from the face of the earth, and their god won’t deliver them; but we his servants will strike them as one man. They won’t sustain the might of our cavalry. 4 Because with them we’ll burn them up. Their mountains will be drunken with their blood. Their plains will be filled with their dead bodies. Their footsteps won’t stand before us, but they’ll surely perish, says King Nevukadnetsar, lord of all the earth; for he said, ‘The words that I’ve spoken[fn] won’t be in vain.’

5 But you, Ahior, hireling of Amon, who’ve spoken these words in the day of your iniquity, will see my face no more from this day, until I’m avenged of the race of those that came out of Mitsrayim (Egypt). 6 And then the sword of my army, and the multitude of those who serve me, will pass through your sides, and you’ll fall among their slain when I return. 7 Then my servants will bring you back into the hill country, and will set you in one of the cities by the passes. 8 You won’t perish until you’re destroyed with them. 9 And if you hope in your heart that they won’t be taken, don’t let your face fall. I’ve spoken it, and none of my words will fall to the ground.”

10 Then Holofernes commanded his servants who waited in his tent to take Ahior, and bring him back to Betulia, and deliver him into the hands of the Israeli people (Israel). 11 So his servants took him, and brought him out of the camp into the plain, and they moved from the middle of the plains into the hill country, and came to the springs that were under Betulia. 12 When the men of the city saw them on the top of the hill, they took up their weapons, and went out of the city against them to the top of the hill. Every man that used a sling kept them from coming up, and threw stones at them. 13 They took cover under the hill, bound Ahior, threw him down, left him at the foot of the hill, and went away to their lord.

14 But the Israeli people descended from their city, and came to him, untied him, led him away into Betulia, and presented him to the rulers of their city, 15 which were in those days Ozias the son of Mikah, of the tribe of Shim’on (Simeon), and Chabris the son of Otniel, and Charmis the son of Malkiel. 16 Then they called together all the elders of the city; and all their young men ran together, with their women, to the assembly. They set Ahior among all their people. Then Ozias asked him what had happened. 17 He answered and declared to them the words of the council of Holofernes, and all the words that he’d spoken among the princes of the children of Ashur (Assyria), and all the great words that Holofernes had spoken against the house of Yisrael. 18 Then the people fell down and worshipped God, and cried, saying, 19 “Oh master God of heaven, look at their arrogance, and pity the low estate of our race. Look on the face of those who are sanctified to you this day.” 20 They comforted Ahior, and praised him highly. 21 Then Ozias took him out of the assembly into his house, and made a feast for the elders. They called on the god of Yisrael for help all that night.

7 The next day Holofernes commanded all his army and all the people who’d come to be his allies, that they should move their camp towards Betulia, seize the passes of the hill country, and make war against the Israeli people. 2 Every mighty man of them moved that day. The army of their men of war was one hundred and seventy thousand footmen, plus twelve thousand horsemen, besides the baggage and the men who were on foot among them—a very great multitude. 3 They encamped in the valley near Betulia, by the fountain. They spread themselves in breadth over Dotan even to Belmaim, and in length from Betulia to Kuamon, which is near Yizre’el (Jezreel).

4 But the Israeli people, when they saw the multitude of them, were terrified, and everyone said to his neighbour, “Now these men will lick up the face of all the earth. Neither the high mountains, nor the valleys, nor the hills will be able to bear their weight. 5 Every man took up his weapons of war, and when they’d kindled fires on their towers, they remained and watched all that night.

6 But on the second day Holofernes led out all his cavalry in the sight of the Israeli people which were in Betulia, 7 viewed the ascents to their city, and searched out the springs of the waters, seized on them, and set garrisons of men of war over them. Then he departed back to his people.

8 All the rulers of the children of Esav (Esau), all the leaders of the people of Moav (Moab), and the captains of the sea coast came to him and said, 9 “Let our lord now hear a word, that there not be losses in your army. 10 Because this people of the Israeli people don’t trust in their spears, but in the height of the mountains wherein they live, for it isn’t easy to come up to the tops of their mountains. 11 And now, my lord, don’t fight against them as men fight who join battle, and there won’t so much as one man of your people perish. 12 Remain in your camp, and keep every man of your army safe. Let your servants get possession of the water spring, which flows from the foot of the mountain, 13 because all the inhabitants of Betulia get their water from there. Then thirst will kill them, and they’ll give up their city. Then we and our people will go up to the tops of the mountains that are near, and will camp on them, to watch that not one man gets out of the city. 14 They’ll be consumed with famine—they, their wives, and their children. Before the sword comes against them they’ll be laid low in the streets where they live. 15 And you’ll pay them back with evil, because they rebelled, and didn’t meet your face in peace.”

16 Their words were pleasing in the sight of Holofernes and in the sight of all his servants; and he ordered them to do as they’d spoken. 17 And the army of the children of Amon moved, and with them five thousand of the children of Ashur (Assyria), and they encamped in the valley. They seized the waters and the springs of the waters of the Israeli people. 18 The children of Esav (Esau) went up with the children of Amon, and encamped in the hill country near Dotan. They sent some of them towards the south, and towards the east, near Ekrebel, which is near Chusi, that’s on the brook Mochmur. The rest of the army of the Assyrians encamped in the plain, and covered all the face of the land. Their tents and baggage were pitched on it in a great crowd. They were a very great multitude.