1
The next day Holofernes commanded all his army, and all his people who had come to take his part, that they should move their camp against Bethulia to take beforehand the ascents of the hill country, and to make war against the children of Israel.
2
Then their strong men moved their camps in that day, and the army of the men of war was a hundred and seventy thousand footmen and twelve thousand horsemen, besides the baggage and other men who were on foot 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 Dothan even to Belmaim, and in length from Bethulia unto Cyamon, 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 neighbor, "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 on the second day Holofernes brought forth all his horsemen in the sight of the children of Israel who were in Bethulia,
7
and viewed the passages up to the city, and came to the fountain 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 seacoast, 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 from the foot of the mountain;
13
for all the inhabitants of Bethulia have their water from 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 famine 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."