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Ekrebel, which is near unto Chusi, that is upon the brook Mochmur; and the rest of the army of the
Assyrians camped in the plain, and covered the face of the whole land; and their tents and carriages
were pitched to a very great multitude.
19
Then 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 out from among
them.
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Thus all the company of Assur remained about them, both their footmen, chariots, and
horsemen, four and thirty days, so that all their vessels of water failed all the inhibitants of Bethulia.
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And the cisterns were emptied, and they had not water to drink their fill for one day; for they
gave them drink by measure.
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Therefore their young children were out of heart, and their women and young men fainted
for thirst, and fell down in the streets of the city, and by the passages of the gates, and there was
no longer any strength in them.
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Then all the people assembled to Ozias, and to the chief of the city, both young men, and
women, and children, and cried with a loud voice, and said before all the elders,
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God be judge between us and you: for ye have done us great injury, in that ye have not required
peace of the children of Assur.
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For now we have no helper: but God hath sold us into their hands, that we should be thrown
down before them with thirst and great destruction.
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Now therefore call them unto you, and deliver the whole city for a spoil to the people of
Holofernes, and to all his army.
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For it is better for us to be made a spoil unto them, than to die for thirst: for we will be his
servants, that our souls may live, and not see the death of our infants before our eyes, nor our wives
nor our children to die.
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We take to witness against you the heaven and the earth, and our God and Lord of our fathers,
which punisheth us according to our sins and the sins of our fathers, that he do not according as
we have said this day.
29
Then there was great weeping with one consent in the midst of the assembly; and they cried
unto the Lord God with a loud voice.
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Then said Ozias to them, Brethren, be of good courage, let us yet endure five days, in the
which space the Lord our God may turn his mercy toward us; for he will not forsake us utterly.
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And if these days pass, and there come no help unto us, I will do according to your word.
32
And he dispersed the people, every one to their own charge; and they went unto the walls and
towers of their city, and sent the women and children into their houses: and they were very low
brought in the city.
CHAPTER 8
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KJV Bible