The In-Dept Study of the Bible
Judith 07
1 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.
2 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.
3 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.
4 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.
5 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 on the second day Holofernes led
out all his cavalry in the sight of the
children of Israel which were in Bethulia,
7 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.
8 All the rulers ofthe children of Esau, all
the leaders of the people of 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 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.
11 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.
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 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 campuponthem,to watchthatnot one
man gets out of the city.
14 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.
15 And you will 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 had spoken.
17 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.
18 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.
19 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.
20 All the army of Asshur remained
around them, their footmen and their
chariots and their horsemen, for thirtyfour
days. Alltheir vessels of water randry
for all the inhabitants of Bethulia.
21 The cisterns were emptied, and they
had no water to drink their fill for one day;
for they rationed drink by measure.
22 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.
23 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,
24 “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.
25 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.
26 And now summon them, and deliver
up the whole city as prey to the people of
Holofernes, and to all his army.
27 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.
28 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!”
29 And there was great weeping of all
with one consentin the midst ofthe assembly;
and they cried to the Lord God with a
loud voice.
30 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.
31 But if these days pass, and no help
comes to us, I will do what you say.”
32 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