Judith 2

NEW AMERICAN BIBLE	CATHOLIC PUBLIC DOMAIN
1 In the eighteenth year, on the twenty-second day of the first month, there was a discussion in the palace of Nebuchadnezzar, king of the Assyrians, about taking revenge on the whole world, as he had threatened.	1 In the thirteenth year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar, on the twenty-second day of the first month, the word went forth from the house of Nebuchadnezzar, king of the Assyrians, that he would defend himself.
2 He summoned all his ministers and nobles, laid before them his secret plan, and urged the total destruction of those countries.	2 And he called all the native leaders, and all the commanders, and his officers of war, and he met with them in his secret council.
3 They decided to do away with all those who had refused to comply with the order he had issued.	3 And he said to them that his thoughts were to subjugate all the earth to his authority.
4 When he had completed his plan, Nebuchadnezzar, king of the Assyrians, summoned Holofernes, general in chief of his forces, second to himself in command, and said to him:	4 And when this saying pleased them all, king Nebuchadnezzar called Holofernes, the leader of his military.
5 "Thus says the great king, the lord of all the earth: Go forth from my presence, take with you men of proven valor, a hundred and twenty thousand infantry and twelve thousand cavalry,	5 And he said to him: “Go out against all the kingdoms of the west, and against those in particular who showed contempt for my authority.
6 and proceed against all the land of the West, because they did not comply with the order I issued.	6 Your eye must not spare any kingdom, and all the fortified cities you will subjugate to me.”
7 Tell them to have earth and water ready, for I will come against them in my wrath; I will cover all the land with the feet of my soldiers, to whom I will deliver them as spoils.	7 Then Holofernes called the commanders and the magistrates of the army of the Assyrians. And he numbered men for the expedition, just as the king had instructed him: one hundred and twenty thousand foot-soldiers, and twelve thousand archers on horseback.
8 Their slain shall fill their ravines and wadies, the swelling torrent shall be choked with their dead; 9 and I will deport them as exiles to the very ends of the earth.	8 And he caused his entire expeditionary force to go ahead with an innumerable multitude of camels, with whatever was needed in abundance for the armies, and with herds of cattle, and flocks of sheep, which could not be numbered.
	9 He appointed grain to be prepared from all of Syria, as he passed through it.
10 "You go before me and take possession of all their territories for me. If they surrender to you, guard them for me till the day of their punishment.	10 In fact, he took up gold and silver from the house of the king in great abundance.
11 As for those who resist, show them no quarter, but deliver them up to slaughter and plunder in each country you occupy.	11 And he set out, he and all the army, with the four-horse chariots, and horsemen, and archers. And they covered the face of the earth like locusts.
12 For as I live, and by the strength of my kingdom, what I have spoken I will accomplish by my power.	12 And when he had crossed over the borders of the Assyrians, he came to the great mountains of Ange, which are on the left of Cilicia. And he ascended to all their castles, and he prevailed over all the fortifications.
13 Do not disobey a single one of the orders of your lord; fulfill them exactly as I have commanded you, and do it without delay."	13 Moreover, he broke open the renowned city of Melothus, and he pillaged all the sons of Tarshish, and the sons of Ishmael, who were opposite the face of the desert and to the south of the land of Cellon.
14 So Holofernes left the presence of his lord, and summoned all the princes, and the generals and officers of the Assyrian army.	14 And he crossed over the Euphrates and came into Mesopotamia. And he crushed all the lofty cities that were there, from the torrent of Mambre, even until one passes through to the sea.
15 He mustered a hundred and twenty thousand picked troops, as his lord had commanded, and twelve thousand mounted archers,	15 And he occupied its furthest regions, from Cilicia all the way to the coastlines of Japheth, which are towards the south.
16 and grouped them into a complete combat force.	16 And he carried away all the sons of Midian, and he plundered them in all their wealthy regions. And all who resisted him, he slew with the edge of the sword.
17 He took along a very large number of camels, asses, and mules for their baggage; innumerable sheep, cattle, and goats for their food supply;	17 And after these things, he descended to the plains of Damascus, in the days of the harvest, and he set fire to all the crops, and he caused all the trees and the vineyards to be cut down.
18 abundant provisions for each man, and much gold and silver from the royal palace.	18 And the fear of them fell upon all the inhabitants of the land.
19 Then he and his whole army proceeded on their expedition in advance of King Nebuchadnezzar, to cover all the western region with their chariots and cavalry and regular infantry.
20 A huge, irregular force, too many to count, like locusts or the dust of the earth, went along with them.
21 After a three-day march from Nineveh, they reached the plain of Bectileth, and from Bectileth they next encamped near the mountains to the north of Upper Cilicia.
22 From there Holofernes took his whole force, the infantry, cavalry, and chariots, and marched into the mountain region.
23 He devastated Put and Lud, and plundered all the Rassisites and the Ishmaelites on the border of the desert toward the south of Chaldea.
24 Then, following the Euphrates, he went through Mesopotamia, and battered down every fortified city along the Wadi Abron, until he reached the sea.
25 He seized the territory of Cilicia, and cut down everyone who resisted him. Then he proceeded to the southern borders of Japheth, toward Arabia.
26 He surrounded all the Midianites, burned their tents, and plundered their sheepfolds.
27 Descending to the plain of Damascus at the time of the wheat harvest, he set fire to all their fields, destroyed their flocks and herds, despoiled their cities, devastated their plains, and put all their youths to the sword.