1
In the eighteenth year of his rule, on the twenty-second day of the first month, a discussion took place in the palace of King Nebuchadnezzar of the Assyrians, about how to take revenge upon the whole region as he had promised.
2
After calling together all his attendants and all his officials, he laid out before them his secret plan and established, with his own mouth, all the wickedness of the region.
3
They determined to destroy everyone who hadn't obeyed his command.
4
When he finished laying out his plan, King Nebuchadnezzar of the Assyrians called for Holofernes, the general of his army and next in charge after the king himself. The king said to him,
5
“The great king, the master of all the earth, says that you will leave my presence and take with you men who are sure of their own strength, one hundred twenty thousand infantry and twelve thousand cavalry.