Therefore, Nabuchodonosor was very
angry, and sware by his throne that he would be avenged upon all the
inhabitants of these countries, and would slay them with the sword.
Nabuchodonosor, in the seventeenth year of his reign, marched in battle
array against Arphaxad and overthrew his power and, all his horsemen and
chariots, and took his cities even unto Ecbatane, and spoiled the
streets thereof, and turned the beauty of the city into shame. He also
took Arphaxad in the mountains of Ragau and smote him. So he returned to
Nineve with all his company of sundry nations and feasted. In the
eighteenth year, Nabuchodonosor called the chief captain of his army,
Holofernes, and commanded him to take one hundred and twenty thousand
footmen and twelve thousand horsemen and go against all the west country
because they had disobeyed his commandment. He charged also Holofernes
to spare none that would not yield, and put them to the slaughter, and
spoil them. And the army went forth with a great number of allies like
locusts into Cilicia, and destroyed Phud and Lud, and all the children
of Rasses and Ishmael. Then the army went over Euphrates and went
through Mesopotamia, and destroyed all the high cities on the river
Arbonai to the sea, and then to Japheth over against Arabia, and Media
and Damascus, and burned up their tabernacles, destroyed their flocks
and herds, utterly wasted their countries, and smote all their young men
with the edge of the sword. Then fear fell upon the inhabitants of Tyrus
and Sidon, on the sea coasts, who sent ambassadors unto Holofernes, and
made submission. He received them, yet he cast down their frontiers, cut
down their groves, destroyed all the gods of the land, and decreed that
all the nations should worship Nabuchodonosor only, and call upon him as
God.

Now, the children of Israel that dwelt in Judea, who were newly returned
from captivity, were exceedingly afraid for Jerusalem and for the Temple
of the Lord their God. Therefore, they possessed themselves of all tops
of the high mountains, and fortified the villages, and laid up victuals
for the provision of war. And Joacim and all the priests ministered unto
the Lord in the Temple, and offered sacrifices and prayed that he would
not give the children of Israel for a prey, their wives for a spoil, the
cities of their inheritance to destruction, and the sanctuary to
profanation.

Holofernes was very angry when he heard this. And Achior, captain of