Holoferns – soda ekspedīcijas vadītājs pret rietumu tautām
1 Astoņpadsmitā gada pirmā mēneša divdesmit otrajā dienā asīriešu ķēniņa Nebūkadnecara namā tika nolemts atriebt, kā viņš bija zvērējis, visai zemei. 2 Viņš sasauca kopā visus savus virsniekus un augstmaņus un atklāja viņiem savu slepeno nodomu un pats ar savu muti noteica zemei tās postu, 3 un viņi nolēma iznīcināt visus, kas neklausa vārdam, kas nāk no viņa mutes. 4 Un notika, kad Nebūkadnecars beidza klāstīt savu nodomu, viņš pasauca asīriešu ķēniņu Holofernu, sava karaspēka virspavēlnieku, otro pēc viņa valstī, un tam sacīja: 5 “Tā saka lielais ķēniņš, visas zemes valdnieks: redzi, tu iziesi no manas pilsētas un ņemsi sev līdzi stiprumā pārbaudītus vīrus, kājniekus simt divdesmit tūkstošus, un lielu daudzumu zirgu ar divpadsmit tūkstošiem jātnieku. 6 Tu iziesi pretī visai zemei uz rietumiem, jo viņi nepaklausīja vārdam, kas nāca no manas mutes, 7 un tu pavēlēsi viņiem sagatavot zemi un ūdeni, jo es iziešu pret viņiem dusmu pilns un nosegšu visu zemi ar savu karotāju kājām un atdošu viņus par laupījumu karaspēkam. 8 Viņu kautie piepildīs visas aizas un upju gultnes, un upes pārplūdīs, jo būs pilnas ar viņu mirušajiem, 9 un viņu gūstekņus es izsūtīšu pa visām zemes malām. 10 Tu dosies man pa priekšu un sagrābsi visas viņu zemes, un, ja viņi tev padosies, saglabā viņus man – viņu tiesāšanas dienai. 11 Bet nepaklausīgos tava acs lai nesaudzīgi nodod apkaušanai un izlaupīšanai pa visu tavu zemi. 12 Kā es esmu dzīvs un dzīvs ir manas valsts spēks – ko esmu sacījis, to ar savu spēku darīšu. 13 Bet tu ne nieka nepārkāpsi no tava valdnieka pavēlēm, bet pildīt izpildīsi, kā esmu tev pavēlējis, un nevilcināsies izdarīt līdz galam no tā neko.”
Holoferns atved karaspēku līdz Damaskai
14 Un Holoferns izgāja no sava valdnieka pils un sasauca visus Asīrijas karaspēka komandierus un karavadoņus, un virsniekus 15 un izraudzīja izlases vīrus kaujas ierindām, kā viņa valdnieks bija pavēlējis: kopā simt divdesmit tūkstošus un jātnieku strēlniekus divpadsmit tūkstošus, 16 un sakārtoja tos kā karaspēku pirms došanās kaujā. 17 Tāpat viņš sagādāja kamieļus un ēzeļus, un mūļus kravu nešanai un avis, kazas un vēršus bez skaita karaspēka uzturam, 18 un pārtiku lielā daudzumā, lai pietiktu visiem, un zeltu un sudrabu gana daudz no ķēniņa nama. 19 Tad viņš un viss viņa karaspēks izgāja karagājienā, lai ietu pa priekšu ķēniņam Nebūkadnecaram, un tie apsedza visu zemi uz rietumiem ar kararatiem, jātniekiem un viņa izlases kājniekiem, 20 un tiem līdzi nāca liels sabiedroto pulks kā siseņi un kā zemes smiltis, jo tiem no lielā daudzuma nebija skaita. 21 Viņi izgāja no Ninives un, nogājuši trīs dienu gājumu, nonāca līdz Bektiletas līdzenumam un uzcēla nometni kalnu tuvumā aiz Bektiletas pa kreisi augšpus Kilikijai. 22 Tad viņš, ņēmis visu karaspēku – kājniekus un jātniekus, un kararatus –, no šejienes devās tālāk uz kalnieni 23 un izkāva Fudu un Ludu, un izlaupīja visus rasiešus un ismaēliešus pa līdzenumu uz dienvidiem no heleaniešu zemes. 24 Tad, pārgājis Eifrātas upi, izgāja cauri Mezopotāmijai un izpostīja visas augstienes pilsētas pie Abronas upes gultnes, līdz nonāca pie jūras 25 un sagrāba Kilikijas kalnieni un izkāva visus, kas stājās viņiem pretī, un nonāca līdz Jafeta kalniem, kas uz dienvidiem, sasniedzot Arābiju. 26 Viņš ielenca visus Madiamas ļaudis un nodedzināja viņu mājokļus un izlaupīja to avju laidarus. 27 Viņš nokāpa Damaskas līdzenumā kviešu pļaujas laikā un nodedzināja visus viņu laukus, un izdeldēja sīklopu un liellopu ganāmpulkus, izlaupīja viņu pilsētas, to laukus pārvērta tuksnesī un jauniešus apkāva ar zobenu.
Piekrastes iedzīvotāji pakļaujas brīvprātīgi
28 Un lielas bailes un drebēšana uznāca visiem piekrastes iedzīvotājiem Sidonā un Tīrā un tāpat Sūras un Okinas iedzīvotājiem, un visiem Jemnānas iedzīvotājiem. Tāpat arī dzīvojošie Azotā un Aškelonā no viņa ļoti izbijās.
1 And in the eighteenth year, the two and twentieth day of the first month, there was talk in the house of Nabuchodonosor king of the Assyrians that he should, as he said, avenge himself on all the earth.
2 So he called unto him all his officers, and all his nobles, and communicated with them his secret counsel, and concluded the afflicting of the whole earth out of his own mouth.
3 Then they decreed to destroy all flesh, that did not obey the commandment of his mouth.
4 And when he had ended his counsel, Nabuchodonosor king of the Assyrians called Holofernes the chief captain of his army, which was next unto him, and said unto him.
5 Thus saith the great king, the lord of the whole earth, Behold, thou shalt go forth from my presence, and take with thee men that trust in their own strength, of footmen an hundred and twenty thousand; and the number of horses with their riders twelve thousand.
6 And thou shalt go against all the west country, because they disobeyed my commandment.
7 And thou shalt declare unto that they prepare for me earth and water: for I will go forth in my wrath against them and will cover the whole face of the earth with the feet of mine army, and I will give them for a spoil unto them:
8 So that their slain shall fill their valleys and brooks and the river shall be filled with their dead, till it overflow:
9 And I will lead them captives to the utmost parts of all the earth.
10 Thou therefore shalt go forth. and take beforehand for me all their coasts: and if they will yield themselves unto thee, thou shalt reserve them for me till the day of their punishment.
11 But concerning them that rebel, let not thine eye spare them; but put them to the slaughter, and spoil them wheresoever thou goest.
12 For as I live, and by the power of my kingdom, whatsoever I have spoken, that will I do by mine hand.
13 And take thou heed that thou transgress none of the commandments of thy lord, but accomplish them fully, as I have commanded thee, and defer not to do them.
14 Then Holofernes went forth from the presence of his lord, and called all the governors and captains, and the officers of the army of Assur;
15 And he mustered the chosen men for the battle, as his lord had commanded him, unto an hundred and twenty thousand, and twelve thousand archers on horseback;
16 And he ranged them, as a great army is ordered for the war.
17 And he took camels and asses for their carriages, a very great number; and sheep and oxen and goats without number for their provision:
18 And plenty of victual for every man of the army, and very much gold and silver out of the king’s house.
19 Then he went forth and all his power to go before king Nabuchodonosor in the voyage, and to cover all the face of the earth westward with their chariots, and horsemen, and their chosen footmen.
20 A great number also sundry countries came with them like locusts, and like the sand of the earth: for the multitude was without number.
21 And they went forth of Nineve three days’ journey toward the plain of Bectileth, and pitched from Bectileth near the mountain which is at the left hand of the upper Cilicia.
22 Then he took all his army, his footmen, and horsemen and chariots, and went from thence into the hill country;
23 And destroyed Phud and Lud, and spoiled all the children of Rasses, and the children of Israel, which were toward the wilderness at the south of the land of the Chellians.
24 Then he went over Euphrates, and went through Mesopotamia, and destroyed all the high cities that were upon the river Arbonai, till ye come to the sea.
25 And he took the borders of Cilicia, and killed all that resisted him, and came to the borders of Japheth, which were toward the south, over against Arabia.
26 He compassed also all the children of Madian, and burned up their tabernacles, and spoiled their sheepcotes.
27 Then he went down into the plain of Damascus in the time of wheat harvest, and burnt up all their fields, and destroyed their flocks and herds, also he spoiled their cities, and utterly wasted their countries, and smote all their young men with the edge of the sword.
28 Therefore the fear and dread of him fell upon all the inhabitants of the sea coasts, which were in Sidon and Tyrus, and them that dwelt in Sur and Ocina, and all that dwelt in Jemnaan; and they that dwelt in Azotus and Ascalon feared him greatly.
