olofernes led out all his horse in the sight
of the children of Israel which were in Bethulia, and viewed the
ascents to their city, and searched out the fountains of the waters,
and seized upon them, and set garrisons of men of war over them, and
himself departed to his people.

And there came to him all the rulers of the children of Esau, and all
the leaders of the people of Moab, and the captains of the sea coast,
and said,--

"Let our lord now hear a word, that thy host be not overthrown. For
this people of the children of Israel do not trust in their spears,
but in the height of the mountains wherein they dwell, for it is not
easy to come up to the tops of their mountains. And now, my lord,
fight not against them in battle array, and there shall not so much as
one man {84} of thy people perish. Remain in thy camp, and keep safe
every man of thy host, and let thy servants get possession of the
fountain of water, which issueth forth at the foot of the mountain:
because all the inhabitants of Bethulia have their water hence; and
thirst shall kill them, and they shall give up their city: and we and
our people will go up to the tops of the mountains that are near, and
will encamp upon them, to watch that not one man go out of the city.
And they shall be consumed with famine, they and their wives and their
children, and before the sword come against them they shall be laid
low in the streets where they dwell. And thou shalt render them an
evil reward; because they rebelled, and met thee not in peace."

And their words were pleasing in the sight of Holofernes and in the
sight of all his servants; and he commanded to do as they had spoken.
And the army of the children of Ammon removed, and with them five
thousand of the children of Asshur, and they encamped in the valley,
and seized upon the waters and the fountains of the waters of the
children of Israel. And the children of Esau went up with the children
of Ammon, and encamped in the hill country; and the rest of the army
of the Assyrians encamped in the plain, and covered all the face of
the land; and their tents and baggage were pitched upon it, and they
were an exceeding great multitude.

And 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 from among them. And all the
army of Asshur {85} remained about them, their footmen and their
chariots and t