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2
Then their strong men removed their camps in that day, and the army of the men of war was
an hundred and seventy thousand footmen, and twelve thousand horsemen, beside the baggage,
and other men that were afoot among them, a very great multitude.
3
And they camped in the valley near unto Bethulia, by the fountain, and they spread themselves
in breadth over Dothaim even to Belmaim, and in length from Bethulia unto Cynamon, which is
over against Esdraelon.
4
Now the children of Israel, when they saw the multitude of them, were greatly troubled, and
said every one to his neighbour, Now will these men lick up the face of the earth; for neither the
high mountains, nor the valleys, nor the hills, are able to bear their weight.
5
Then every man took up his weapons of war, and when they had kindled fires upon their towers,
they remained and watched all that night.
6
But in the second day Holofernes brought forth all his horsemen in the sight of the children
of Israel which were in Bethulia,
7
And viewed the passages up to the city, and came to the fountains of their waters, and took
them, and set garrisons of men of war over them, and he himself removed toward his people.
8
Then came unto him all the chief of the children of Esau, and all the governors of the people
of Moab, and the captains of the sea coast, and said,
9
Let our lord now hear a word, that there be not an overthrow in thine army.
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, because it is not easy to come up to the tops of their mountains.
11
Now therefore, my lord, fight not against them in battle array, and there shall not so much as
one man of thy people perish.
12
Remain in thy camp, and keep all the men of thine army, and let thy servants get into their
hands the fountain of water, which issueth forth of the foot of the mountain:
13
For all the inhabitants of Bethulia have their water thence; so shall thirst kill them, and they
shall give up their city, and we and our people shall go up to the tops of the mountains that are near,
and will camp upon them, to watch that none go out of the city.
14
So they and their wives and their children shall be consumed with fire, and before the sword
come against them, they shall be overthrown in the streets where they dwell.
15
Thus shalt thou render them an evil reward; because they rebelled, and met not thy person
peaceably.
16
And these words pleased Holofernes and all his servants, and he appointed to do as they had
spoken.
17
So the camp of the children of Ammon departed, and with them five thousand of the Assyrians,
and they pitched in the valley, and took the waters, and the fountains of the waters of the children
of Israel.
18
Then the children of Esau went up with the children of Ammon, and camped in the hill country
over against Dothaim: and they sent some of them toward the south, and toward the east over against
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KJV Bible