1 Holofernis autem altera die praecepit exercitibus suis
ut ascenderent contra Bethuliam
2 erant autem pedites bellatorum centum viginti milia
et equites viginti duo milia
praeter praeparationes virorum illorum quos occupaverat captivitas
et adducti fuerant de provinciis et urbibus universae
iuventutis
3 omnes pariter paraverunt se ad pugnam contra
filios Israhel
et venerunt per crepidinem montis usque ad apicem
qui respicit super Dothain
a loco qui dicitur Belma
usque Chelmo qui est contra Hesdraelon
4 filii autem Israhel ut viderunt multitudinem illorum
prostraverunt se super terram
mittentes cinerem super capita sua unianimes orantes
ut Deus Israhel misericordiam suam ostenderet super populum suum
5 et adsumentes arma sua bellica sederunt per loca
quae angusti itineris tramitem dirigunt inter montuosa
et erant custodientes ea tota die et nocte
6 porro Holofernis dum circuit per gyrum
repperit quod fons qui influebat aquaeductum illorum
a parte australi extra civitatem dirigeret
incidi praecepit aquaeductum eorum
7 erant tamen non longe a muris fontes
ex quibus furtim videbantur haurire aquam
ad refocilandum potius quam ad potandum
8 sed filii Ammon et Moab accesserunt ad Holofernem dicentes
filii Israhel non in lancea nec in sagitta confidunt
sed montes defendunt illos
et muniunt illos colles in praecipitio constituti
9 ut ergo sine congressione pugnae possis superare eos
pone custodes fontium ut non hauriant ex eis
et sine gladio interficies eos
vel certe fatigati tradent civitatem suam
quam putant civitatem montibus positam superari non posse
10 et placuerunt verba haec coram Holoferne
et coram omnibus satellitibus eius
et constituit per gyrum centenarios per singulos fontes
11 cumque ista custodia per dies viginti fuisset expleta
defecerunt cisternae et collectiones aquarum
omnibus inhabitantibus in Bethuliam
ita ut non esset intra civitatem unde satiarentur
vel una die
quoniam ad mensuram dabatur populis aqua cotidie
12 tunc ad Oziam congregati
omnes viri feminaeque iuvenes et parvuli
simul omnes una voce
13 dixerunt
iudicet Deus inter nos et te
quoniam fecisti in nos mala
nolentes loqui pacifice cum Assyriis
et propter hoc vendidit nos Deus in manibus eorum
14 et ideo non est qui adiuvet
cum prosternamur ante oculos eorum in siti et perditione magna
15 et nunc congregate universos qui in civitate sunt
ut sponte nos tradamus omnes populo Holofernis
16 melius est enim ut captivi benedicamus Deum viventes
quam moriamur et simus obprobrium omni carni
cum videamus uxores nostras et infantes nostros mori ante oculos nostros
17 contestamur hodie caelum et terram et Deum patrum nostrorum
qui ulciscitur nos secundum peccata nostra
ut iam tradatis civitatem in manu militiae Holofernis
et sit finis noster brevis in ore gladii
qui longior efficitur in ariditate sitis
18 et cum haec dixissent
factus est fletus et ululatus magnus in ecclesia omnibus
et per multas horas una voce clamaverunt ad Deum dicentes
19 peccavimus cum patribus nostris iniuste egimus iniquitatem fecimus
20 tu quia pius es miserere nostri
aut in tuo flagello vindica iniquitates nostras
et noli tradere confitentes te populo qui ignorat
te
21 ut non dicant inter gentes ubi est Deus eorum
22 et cum fatigati his clamoribus et his fletibus lassati siluissent
23 exsurgens Ozias infusus lacrimis dixit
aequo animo estote fratres
et hos quinque dies expectemus a Domino misericordiam
24 forsitan enim indignationem suam abscidet
et dat gloriam nomini suo
25 si autem transactis quinque diebus non venerit
adiutorium
faciemus haec verba quae locuti estis
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.