The Bible and Holy Scriptures conteyned in the Olde and Newe Testament. Translated according to the Ebrue and Greke, and conferred with the best translations in diuers languges. VVith moste profitable annotations vpon all the hard places, and other things of great importance as may appeare in the epistle to the reader

CHAP. VII.

1 Olofernes doeth besiege Bethulia. 8 The counsel of the Idumeans and other against the 〈◊〉〈◊〉. 23 The Be∣thulians murmure against their gouernours 〈◊〉〈◊〉 lacke of water.

1 THe next day, Olofernes commanded all his armie and all his people, which we∣re come to take his parte, that thei shulde remoue their campes against Bethulia, and that they shulde take all the streites of the hill, and to make warre against the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of Israél.

2 Then their strong men remoued their camps in that daye, and the armie of the men of warre was an hundreth thousand and seuentie fotemen, and twelue thousād horsemen, beside the baggage and other men that were afore among them, a very great multitude.

3 And they camped in the plaine nere vnto Bethulia, by the fountaine, and thei spred abroad toward Dothaim vnto Belbaim, & and in length from Bethulia vnto Ciamon, which is ouer against Esdraelom.

4 Now the children of Israél, when they sawe the multitude, were greatly troubled, and said euerie one to gis neighbour, Now wil they shut vp all the whole earth: for ne ther the hie moutaines nor the 〈◊〉〈◊〉, nor the hilles are able to abide their burden.

5 Then euerie one toke his weapōs of warre and burning fyres in their towres, they re∣mained and watched all that night.

6 But in the seconde day, Olofernes broght forthe all his horsemen in the sight of the children of Israél, which were in Bethulia.

7 And vewed the passages vp to their citie, and came to the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of their waters and toke them and set garisons of men of warre ouer then, and remoued toward his people.

8 Then came vntō him all the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of the children of Esau, and all the gouernours of the people of Moab, and all the captaines of the sea coast, and said.

9 Let our captaine now heare a worde, lest an inconuenience come in thine armie.

10 For this people of the childrē of Israel do not trust in their speares, but in the height of the mountaines, wherein they dwell, be cause it is not easy to come vp to the toppes of their mountaines.

11 Now therefore, my lord, fight not against them in battelaray, and there shal not so muche as one man of thy people perish.

12 Remaine in thy campt, and kept all the & & Word & & of thine armie, and let thy men kepe stil the water of the countrey, that cometh forthe at the fote of the mountaine.

13 For alll the inhabitants of Bethulia haue their water thereof: so shal thirst kill them and they shal giue vp their citie: and we and our people wil go vp to the toppes of the mountaines that are nere, and wil campe vpon them, and watche that none go out of the citie.

14 So thei and their wiues, and their childrē shalbe consumed with famine, and befo∣re the sworde come against them, thei shal∣be ouerthrowen in the stretes where thei dwel.

15 Thus shalt thou rēder them an euil reward because thei rebelled and obeied not thy persone peaceably.

16 And these wordes pleased Olofernes and all his soldiers, and he appointed to do as they had spoken.

17 So the campe of the children of Ammon departed, and with them fiue thousand of the Assyrians, and they pitched in the val∣ley, and tok the waters, and the fountaines of the waters of the children of Israél,

18 Then the children of Esau went vp with the children of Ammon, and camped in the mountaines ouer against Dothaim, & thei sent some of thē selues towarde the South and towarde the East, ouer against Rebel, which is nere vnto Chusi, that is vpon the riuer Mochmur: and the rest of the armie of the Assyrians camped in the field, and co∣uered the whole land: for their tents and their baggage were pitched in a wonder∣ful great place.

19 Then the children of Israel cryed vnto the Lord their God, because their heart fai led: for all their enemies had cōpassed thē about, and there was no way to escape out from among them.

20 Thus all the companie of Assur remained about them, bothe their fotemen, chariots and horsemen, foure and thirtie dayes: so that euen all the places of their waters fai∣led all the inhabitants of Bethulia.

21 And the cisternes were emptie, & they had not water ynough to drinke for one day: for they gaue them to drinke by measure.

22 Therefore their children swoned, & their wiues and yong men failed for thirst, & fel downe in the stretes of the citie, and by the passages of the gates, and there was no strength in them.

23 Then all the people assembled to Ozias, & to the chief of the citie, bothe yong men & women, and children, and cryed with a lou de voyce, and said before all the Elders,

24 The * Lord iudge betwene vs and you: for you haue done vs great iniurie, in that ye haue not required peace of the children of Assur.

25 For now we haue no helper: but God ha∣the solde vs into their hands, that we shul∣de be throwen downe before them with thirst and great destruction.

26 Now therefore call them together, and de liuer the whole citie for a spoile to the peo ple of Olofernes, and to all his armie.

27 For it is better for vs to be made a spoile vnto them, then to dye for thirst: for we wil be his seruants that we may liue, and not se the death of our infants before our eyes, nor our wiues, nor our children to dye.

28 We take to witnes against you the heauē and the earth, and our God and Lord of our fathers, which punisheth vs, according to our sinnes & the sinnes of our fathers, that he lay not these things to our charge.

29 Then there was a great crye of all with one consent in the middes of the assemblie and thei cryed vnto the Lord God with a loude voyce.

30 Then said Ozias to thē, Brethren, be of good courage let vs waite yet fiue daies, in the which space the Lord our God may tur ne his mercie toward vs: for he wil not for∣sake vs in the end.

31 And if these daies passe, & there come not helpe vnto vs, I wil do according to your worde.

32 So he separated the people, euerie one vn∣to their charge, & thei wēt vnto the walles and towres of their citie, and sent their wi∣ues and their children into their houses, & they were very lowe broght in the citie.