Holofernes besiegeth Bethulia. The distress of the besieged.
7:1. But Holofernes on the next day gave orders to his army, to go up
against Bethulia.
7:2. Now there were in his troops a hundred and twenty thousand
footmen, and two and twenty thousand horsemen, besides the preparations
of those men who had been taken, and who had been brought away out of
the provinces and cities of all the youth.
7:3. All these prepared themselves together to fight against the
children of Israel, and they came by the hillside to the top, which
looketh toward Dothain, from the place which is called Belma, unto
Chelmon, which is over against Esdrelon.
7:4. But the children of Israel, when they saw the multitude of them,
prostrated themselves upon the ground, putting ashes upon their heads,
praying with one accord, that the God of Israel would shew his mercy
upon his people.
7:5. And taking their arms of war, they posted themselves at the
places, which by a narrow pathway lead directly between the mountains,
and they guarded them all day and night.
7:6. Now Holofernes, in going round about, found that the fountain
which supplied them with water, ran through an aqueduct without the
city on the south side: and he commanded their aqueduct to be cut off.
7:7. Nevertheless there were springs not far from the walls, out of
which they were seen secretly to draw water, to refresh themselves a
little rather than to drink their fill.
7:8. But the children of Ammon and Moab came to Holofernes, saying: The
children of Israel trust not in their spears, nor in their arrows, but
the mountains are their defence, and the steep hills and precipices
guard them.
7:9. Wherefore that thou mayst overcome them without joining battle,
set guards at the springs that they may not draw water out of them, and
thou shalt destroy them without sword, or at least being wearied out
they will yield up their city, which they suppose, because it is
situate in the mountains, to be impregnable.
7:10. And these words pleased Holofernes, and his officers, and he
placed all round about a hundred men at every spring.
7:11. And when they had kept this watch for full twenty days, the
cisterns, and the reserve of waters failed among all the inhabitants of
Bethulia, so that there was not within the city, enough to satisfy
them, no not for one day, for water was daily given out to the people
by measure.
7:12. Then all the men and women, young men, and children, gathering
themselves together to Ozias, all together with one voice,
7:13. Said: God be judge between us and thee, for thou hast done evil
against us, in that thou wouldst not speak peaceably with the
Assyrians, and for this cause God hath sold us into their hands.
7:14. And therefore there is no one to help us, while we are cast down
before their eyes in thirst, and sad destruction.
7:15. And now assemble ye all that are in the city, that we may of our
own accord yield ourselves all up to the people of Holofernes.
7:16. For it is better, that being captives we should live and bless
the Lord, than that we should die, and be a reproach to all flesh,
after we have seen our wives and our infants die before our eyes.
7:17. We call to witness this day heaven and earth, and the God of our
fathers, who taketh vengeance upon us according to our sins, conjuring
you to deliver now the city into the hand of the army of Holofernes,
that our end may be short by the edge of the sword, which is made
longer by the drought of thirst.
7:18. And when they had said these things, there was great weeping and
lamentation of all in the assembly, and for many hours with one voice
they cried to God, saying:
7:19. We have sinned with our fathers, we have done unjustly, we have
committed iniquity:
7:20. Have thou mercy on us, because thou art good, or punish our
iniquities by chastising us thyself, and deliver not them that trust in
thee to a people that knoweth not thee,
7:21. That they may not say among the Gentiles: Where is their God?
7:22. And when being wearied with these cries, and tired with these
weepings, they held their peace,
7:23. Ozias rising up all in tears, said: Be of good courage, my
brethren, and let us wait these five days for mercy from the Lord.
7:24. For perhaps he will put a stop to his indignation, and will give
glory to his own name.
7:25. But if after five days be past there come no aid, we will do the
things which you have spoken.