the power of my kingdom, whatsoever I have spoken, that will I do by mine hand.
[13] And take thou
heed that thou transgress none of the commandments of thy lord, but accomplish them fully, as I have
commanded thee, and defer not to do them.
[14] Then Holofernes went forth from the presence of his
lord, and called ail the governors and captains, and the officers of the army of Assur;
[15] And he mustered
the chosen men for the battle, as his lord had commanded him, unto an hundred and twenty thousand,
and twelve thousand archers on horseback;
[16] And he ranged them, as a great army is ordered for the
war.
[17] And he took camels and asses for their carriages, a very great number; and sheep and oxen
and goats without number for their provision:
[18] And plenty of victual for every man of the army, and
very much gold and silver out of the king's house.
[19] Then he went forth and all his power to go before
king Nabuchodonosor in the voyage, and to cover all the face of the earth westward with their chariots,
and horsemen, and their chosen footmen.
[20] A great number also sundry countries came with them
like locusts, and like the sand of the earth: for the multitude was without number.
[21] And they went forth
of Nineve three days' journey toward the plain of Bectileth, and pitched from Bectileth near the mountain
which is at the left hand of the upper Cilicia.
[22] Then he took all his army, his footmen, and horsemen
and chariots, and went from thence into the hill country;
[23] And destroyed Phud and Lud, and spoiled
all the children of Rasses, and the children of Israel, which were toward the wilderness at the south
of the land of the Chellians.
[24] Then he went over Euphrates, and went through Mesopotamia, and
destroyed all the high cities that were upon the river Arbonai, till ye come to the sea.
[25] And he took
the borders of Cilicia, and killed all that resisted him, and came to the borders of Japheth, which were
toward the south, over against Arabia.
[26] He compassed also all the children of Madian, and burned
up their tabernacles, and spoiled their sheepcotes.
[27] Then he went down into the plain of Damascus
in the time of wheat harvest, and burnt up all their fields, and destroyed their flocks and herds, also he
spoiled their cities, and utterly wasted their countries, and smote all their young men with the edge of
the sword.
[28] Therefore the fear and dread of him fell upon all the inhabitants of the sea coasts, which
were in Sidon and Tyrus, and them that dwelt in Sur and Ocina, and all that dwelt in Jemnaan; and they
that dwelt in Azotus and Ascalon feared him greatly.
Jdt.3
[1] So they sent ambassadors unto him to treat of peace, saying,
[2] Behold, we the servants of Nabuchodonosor
the great king lie before thee; use us as shall be good in thy sight.
[3] Behold, our houses, and all our
places, and all our fields of wheat, and flocks, and herds, and all the lodges of our tents lie before thy
face; use them as it pleaseth thee.
[4] Behold, even our cities and the inhabitants thereof are thy servants; come
and deal with them as seemeth good unto thee.
[5] So the men came to Holofernes, and declared unto
him after this manner.
[6] Then came he down toward the sea coast, both he and his army, and set garrisons
in the high cities, and took out of them chosen men for aid.
[7] So they and all the country round about
received them with garlands, with dances, and with timbrels.
[8] Yet he did cast down their frontiers, and
cut down their groves: for he had decreed to destroy all the gods of the land, that all nations should worship
Nabuchodonosor only, and that all tongues and tribes should call upon him as god.
[9] Also he came
over against Esdraelon near unto Judea, over against the great strait of Judea.
[10] And he pitched between
Geba and Scythopolis, and there he tarried a whole month, that he might gather together all the carriages
of his army.
Jdt.4
[1] Now the children of Israel, that dwelt in Judea, heard all that Holofernes the chief captain of Nabuchodonosor
king of the Assyrians had done to the nations, and after what manner he had spoiled all their temples,
and brought them to nought.
[2] Therefore they were exceedingly afraid of him, and were troubled for
Jerusalem, and for the temple of the Lord their God:
[3] For they were newly returned from the captivity,
and all the people of Judea were lately gathered together: and the vessels, and the altar, and the house,
were sanctified after the profanation.
[4] Therefore they sent into all the coasts of Samaria, and the villages
and to Bethoron, and Belmen, and Jericho, and to Choba, and Esora, and to the valley of Salem:
[5] And
possessed themselves beforehand of all the tops of the high mountains, and fortified the villages that
were in them, and laid up victuals for the provision of war: for their fields were of late reaped.
[6] Also