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 Assur remained about them, both their footmen, chariots, and horsemen, four and thirty days, so that all their vessels of water failed all the inhibitants 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 out of heart, 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 Ozias, 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 of the children of Assur.
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.
26
Now therefore call them unto you, and deliver the whole city for a spoil to the people of Holofernes, and to all his army.
27
For it is better for us to be made a spoil unto them, than to die for thirst: for we will be his servants, that our souls may live, and not see the death of our infants before our eyes, nor our wives nor our children to die.
28
We take to witness against you the heaven and the earth, and our God and Lord of our fathers, which punisheth us according to our sins and the sins of our fathers, that he do not according as we have said this day.
29
Then there was great weeping with one consent in the midst of the assembly; and they cried unto the Lord God with a loud voice.