Judith 7

On the next day, Holofernes commanded his armies to advance against Bethulia.

There were one hundred and twenty thousand infantry soldiers and twenty-two thousand cavalry, besides the levies of those men whom captivity had claimed and who had been carried off from the provinces and cities — all their young men.

They all prepared themselves together for battle against the children of Israel and came along the mountain ridge to the summit that overlooks Dothan, from the place called Belma as far as Chelmon, which faces Esdraelon.

When the children of Israel saw their multitude, they prostrated themselves upon the ground, casting ashes on their heads, praying with one mind that the God of Israel would show his mercy upon his people.

Taking up their weapons of war, they stationed themselves at the places that lead along the path of the narrow route between the mountains, and they guarded them day and night.

Meanwhile, as Holofernes rode around the circuit, he discovered that the spring feeding their aqueduct flowed from the south side outside the city, and he ordered their aqueduct to be cut.

There were, however, springs not far from the walls from which they were seen drawing water furtively — more to sustain life than truly to drink.

But the sons of Ammon and Moab approached Holofernes, saying: The children of Israel trust not in lance or arrow, but the mountains defend them and the hills fortify them, set as they are upon steep heights.

So that you may overcome them without joining battle, post guards at the springs so they cannot draw water from them, and you will slay them without the sword. Or at the very least, worn out, they will surrender their city — which they believe, set in the mountains, cannot be taken.

These words pleased Holofernes and his attendants, and he posted centurions around every spring.

When this blockade had lasted for twenty days, the cisterns and all the water reserves of the inhabitants of Bethulia ran dry, so that there was not enough within the city to satisfy them for even a single day.

For day after day, water had been distributed to the people by measure.

Then all gathered before Uzziah — men and women, young and old, all together with one voice.

They said: God be judge between us and you, for you have done evil against us by refusing to speak peaceably with the Assyrians, and because of this God has sold us into their hands.

And therefore there is no one to help us, as we are laid low before their eyes by thirst and utter ruin.

Now therefore assemble all who are in the city, that we may surrender ourselves willingly to the people of Holofernes.

For it is better that we bless the Lord as captives while still living, than that we die and become a disgrace to all flesh, having watched our wives and children die before our eyes.

We call heaven and earth to witness today, and the God of our fathers who punishes us according to our sins, that you must now hand over the city to the army of Holofernes — let our end be brief by the edge of the sword, rather than prolonged by the drought of thirst.

When they had said this, there arose great weeping and wailing in the assembly from everyone, and for many hours they cried out to God with one voice, saying:

We have sinned with our fathers; we have acted unjustly; we have committed iniquity.

You who are merciful, have pity on us — or avenge our iniquities with your own scourge, but do not hand over those who confess you to a people who do not know you.

Lest the nations say: Where is their God?

And when, exhausted by these cries and worn out by this weeping, they fell silent,

Uzziah rose, his face drenched in tears, and said: Be of steady heart, brothers, and let us wait these five days for mercy from the Lord.

For perhaps he will cut short his indignation and give glory to his name.

But if after five days no help has come, we will do as you have said.