9. Let our lord now hear a word, that there be not an overthrow in your host.
10. 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.
11. And now, my lord, fight not against them as men fight who join battle, and there shall not so much as one man of your people perish.
12. Remain in your camp, and keep safe every man of your host, and let your servants get possession of the fountain of water, which issues forth of the foot of the mountain:
13. because all the inhabitants of Bethulia have their water thence; 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.
14. 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.
15. And you shall render them an evil reward; because they rebelled, and met not your face in peace.
16. And their words were pleasing in the sight of Holofernes and in the sight of all his servants; and he appointed to do as they had spoken.
17. 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.
18. And the children of Esau went up with the children of Ammon, and encamped in the hill country over against Dothaim: and they sent some of them toward the south, and toward the east, over against Ekrebel, which is near to Chusi, that is upon the brook Mochmur; 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 in a great crowd, and they were an exceeding great multitude.
19. And the children of Israel cried to the Lord their God, for their spirit fainted; for all their enemies had compassed them round about, and there was no way to escape out from among them.
20. And all the army of Asshur remained about them, their footmen and their chariots and their horsemen, four and thirty days; and 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. And their young children were out of heart, and the women and the young men fainted for thirst, and they fell down in the streets of the city, and in the passages of the gates, and there was no longer any strength in them.
23. And all the people were gathered together against Ozias, and against the rulers of the city, the young men and the women and the children, and they cried with a loud voice, and said before all the elders,
24. God be judge between you and us: because you⌃ have done us great wrong, in that you⌃ have not spoken words of peace with the children of Asshur.
25. And now we have no helper: but God has sold us into their hands, that we should be laid low before them with thirst and great destruction.
26. And now call them to you, and deliver up the whole city for a prey to the people of Holofernes, and to all his host.
27. For it is better for us to be made a spoil to them: for we shall be servants, and our souls shall live, and we shall not see the death of our babes before our eyes, and our wives and our children fainting in death.