1
The next day Holofernes ordered his entire army and all his allies to break camp and move out against Bethulia, occupy the mountain passes, and engage the Israelites in battle.
2
So the entire force broke camp that day. The strength of their forces was one hundred seventy thousand infantry and twelve thousand cavalry, not including the baggage and the men handling it—a very great multitude.
3
They positioned themselves in the valley near Bethulia, beside the spring, and they spilled over Dothan as far as Balbaim, extending from Bethulia as far as Cyamon, which is opposite Esdraelon.
4
When the Israelites saw the great multitude, they were extremely frightened and said to each other: "These people will now devour the whole countryside! Neither the highlands nor the valleys nor the foothills will be able to support their weight!"
5
Nevertheless, they each grabbed their weapons and, after lighting fires on their towers, remained on guard all that night.