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1The next day, Holofernes commanded his entire army, together with his allies, to march toward the town of Bethulia and take control of the mountain passes leading there, then to attack the Israelites.
2His army was very large—170,000 foot soldiers and 12,000 cavalry troops, not counting the soldiers who carried the supplies. So they marched out
3and set up camp by the spring in the valley near Bethulia. The camp covered an area that stretched from Dothan to Balbaim, and from Bethulia to Cyamon, a town facing Jezreel Valley.
4When the Israelites saw how many Assyrians were ready to attack, they were terrified and said to one another, “That army will wipe out everything in sight, including the mountains and the valleys.”
5Although the Israelites were afraid, they immediately grabbed their weapons and lit the signal fires in the watchtowers, ready to stand guard all night long.[#1 Macc 12.28,29.]
6The next day, Holofernes led his cavalry troops to a place where the Israelites in Bethulia could see them.
7He inspected every road into the town and found the sources of its water supply. He posted soldiers to guard these springs, then returned to camp.
8All the commanders of the Edomite and Moabite armies, together with the commanders of the troops from the Mediterranean coast, came to Holofernes and said:
16Holofernes and his officials liked what the commanders said, and so he gave orders to carry out their plan at once.
17Part of the Ammonite army and 5,000 Assyrian soldiers marched into the valley and took control of the springs that supplied Bethulia with water.[#7.17 Greek; one ancient translation “Moabite.”]
18The Edomite army and the rest of the Ammonite troops marched into the hills and set up camp opposite the town of Dothan. They also sent some men southeast toward Egrebeh, which is near Chusi, a town on the Mochmur Creek. The rest of the Assyrian army set up camp in the valley. Their army was so large that tents and supplies covered the entire countryside.
19The Israelites lost all hope, when they realized they were surrounded and had no way to escape. So they cried out to the Lord their God for help.
20The entire Assyrian army, including the foot soldiers, the cavalry, and the soldiers in chariots, had surrounded Bethulia. And after 34 days, the town's water supply was almost gone—
21every well and cistern was drying up. So each day, drinking water was carefully measured out to make sure everyone had some water to drink. Finally, there was not enough left to go around.
22The children were getting weak, and all over town young men and women were fainting from thirst. No one had enough strength to survive much longer.
23Then every person in Bethulia, both young and old, gathered around Uzziah and the other town leaders and shouted:
29Everyone then began crying loudly and praying to the Lord God.
30But Uzziah said to them, “Be brave, my friends! Let's wait five more days to see if the Lord our God will have pity on us. I'm sure he won't let us die.
31If he doesn't help us in five days, I will do what you have said.”
32Uzziah then ordered the men to go back to their guard posts on the town walls and in the watchtowers, and he told the women and children to return home. Everyone in Bethulia was still very upset and hopeless.