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 camp 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 opposite Dothan; and they sent some of them toward the south and toward the east opposite 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 baggage were set in order for 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 Assyria remained about them, both their footmen, chariots and horsemen, four and thirty days, so that all their vessels of water failed all the inhabitants 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 disheartened, 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 Uzziah 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 with the children of Assyria.
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.