Holofernes besieges Bethulia. The distress of the besieged.
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The next day Holofernes commanded all his army and all the people who had come to be his allies, that they should move their camp toward Bethulia, seize the passes of the hill country, and make war against the children of Israel.
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Every mighty man of them moved that day. The army of their men of war was one hundred seventy thousand footmen, plus twelve thousand horsemen, besides the baggage and the men who were on foot among them—an exceedingly great multitude.
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They encamped in the valley near Bethulia, by the fountain. They spread themselves in breadth over Dothaim even to Belmaim, and in length from Bethulia to Cyamon, which is near Esdraelon.
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But the children of Israel, when they saw the multitude of them, were terrified, and everyone said to his neighbor, “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.
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Every man took up his weapons of war, and when they had kindled fires upon their towers, they remained and watched all that night.
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But on the second day Holofernes led out all his cavalry in the sight of the children of Israel which were in Bethulia,
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viewed the ascents to their city, and searched out the springs of the waters, seized upon them, and set garrisons of men of war over them. Then he departed back to his people.
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All the rulers of the children of Esau, all the leaders of the people of Moab, and the captains of the sea coast came to him and said,
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“Let our lord now hear a word, that there not be losses in your army.
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For this people of the children of Israel do not trust in their spears, but in the height of the mountains wherein they dwell, for it is not easy to come up to the tops of their mountains.
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And now, my lord, don’t fight against them as men fight who join battle, and there will not so much as one man of your people perish.
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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,
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because all the inhabitants of Bethulia get their water from there. Then thirst will kill them, and they will give up their city. Then we and our people will go up to the tops of the mountains that are near, and will camp upon them, to watch that not one man gets out of the city.
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They will be consumed with famine—they, their wives, and their children. Before the sword comes against them they will be laid low in the streets where they dwell.
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And you will pay them back with evil, because they rebelled, and didn’t meet your face in peace.”
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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 had spoken.
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And the army of the children of Ammon moved, and with them five thousand of the children of Asshur, and they encamped in the valley. They seized the waters and the springs of the waters of the children of Israel.
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The children of Esau went up with the children of Ammon, and encamped in the hill country near Dothaim. They sent some of them toward the south, and toward the east, near Ekrebel, which is near Chusi, that is upon 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 upon it in a great crowd. They were an exceedingly great multitude.
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The children of Israel cried to the Lord their God, for their spirit fainted; for all their enemies had surrounded them. There was no way to escape out from among them.
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All the army of Asshur remained around them, their footmen and their chariots and their horsemen, for thirty-four days. All their vessels of water ran dry for all the inhabitants of Bethulia.
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The cisterns were emptied, and they had no water to drink their fill for one day; for they rationed drink by measure.
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Their young children were discouraged. The women and the young men fainted for thirst. They fell down in the streets of the city, and in the passages of the gates. There was no longer any strength in them.
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All the people, including the young men, the women, and the children, were gathered together against Ozias, and against the rulers of the city. They cried with a loud voice, and said before all the elders,
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“God be judge between all of you and us, because you have done us great wrong, in that you have not spoken words of peace with the children of Asshur.
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Now we have no helper; but God has sold us into their hands, that we should be laid low before them with thirst and great destruction.
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And now summon them, and deliver up the whole city as prey to the people of Holofernes, and to all his army.
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For it is better for us to be captured by them. For we will be servants, and our souls will live, and we will not see the death of our babies before our eyes, and our wives and our children fainting in death.
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We take to witness against you the heaven and the earth, and our God and the Lord of our fathers, who punishes us according to our sins and the sins of our fathers. Do what we have said today!”
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And there was great weeping of all with one consent in the midst of the assembly; and they cried to the Lord God with a loud voice.
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And Ozias said to them, “Brethren, be of good courage! Let us endure five more days, during which the Lord our God will turn his mercy toward us; for he will not forsake us utterly.
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But if these days pass, and no help comes to us, I will do what you say.”
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Then he dispersed the people, every man to his own camp; and they went away to the walls and towers of their city. He sent the women and children into their houses. They were brought very low in the city.