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.
2 He summoned all his ministers and nobles, laid before them his secret plan, and urged the total destruction of those countries.
3 They decided to do away with all those who had refused to comply with the order he had issued.
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:
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,
6 and proceed against all the land of the West, because they did not comply with the order I issued.
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.
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.
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.
11 As for those who resist, show them no quarter, but deliver them up to slaughter and plunder in each country you occupy.
12 For as I live, and by the strength of my kingdom, what I have spoken I will accomplish by my power.
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."
14 So Holofernes left the presence of his lord, and summoned all the princes, and the generals and officers of the Assyrian army.
15 He mustered a hundred and twenty thousand picked troops, as his lord had commanded, and twelve thousand mounted archers,
16 and grouped them into a complete combat force.
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;
18 abundant provisions for each man, and much gold and silver from the royal palace.
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.
28 The fear and dread of him fell upon all the inhabitants of the coastland, upon those in Sidon and Tyre, and those who dwelt in Sur and Ocina, and the inhabitants of Jamnia. Those in Azotus and Ascalon also feared him greatly.
Versículos relacionados com Judith, 2:
Judith chapter 2 continues the Assyrian invasion narrative and shows how General Holofernes is chosen to lead the campaign against the west nations, including Israel. He is presented as a powerful and cruel man who believes that no God can oppose him. Here are five verses related to the topics covered in Judite 2:
Isaiah 10:7: "But this is not how he thought, nor was it how his heart imagined him, because his purpose was to destroy, and to break down no few nations." This verse talks about the arrogance of the king of Assyria and how he intended to destroy many nations, including Israel.
Isaiah 10:13-14: "For he says, With the strength of my hand I did and with my wisdom, because I am prudent; and removed the boundaries of the peoples, and I stole the things that were deposited, and as a brave slaughter To those who sat upon them. And I found my hand the riches of the peoples like a nest; and, as the abandoned eggs are gathered, so I gathered me to all the earth; and there was no one who moved the wing, or mouth, or pias. " This verse describes how the king of Assyria boast of his own strength and wisdom, stealing the riches of the peoples and annihilating those who opposed him.
Job 12:13: "With God is wisdom and strength; This verse talks about how true wisdom and force belong to God, not arrogant men like the king of Assyria.
Isaiah 14:12-15: "As you have fallen from the sky, O Morning Star, daughter of the Alva! How you were cut by earth, you who weakened the nations! And you said in your heart: I will climb to heaven, above the stars From God I will exalt my throne, and on the hill of the congregation I will sit on the sides of the north. I will climb upon the heights of the clouds, and be similar to the Most High. " This verse talks about the fall of Lucifer, which is also known as Satan, who was arrogant and tried to rise above God.
Proverbs 16:18: "Superb precedes ruin, and the haughtiness of the Spirit precedes the fall." This verse talks about how pride and arrogance always lead to fall and ruin. This is especially true for the king of Assyria in Judith 2, who is so arrogant that he believes that no God can oppose him.
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