King James Bible, 1611 [1611], THE HOLY BIBLE, Conteyning the Old Testament, AND THE NEW: Newly Translated out of the Originall tongues: & with the former Translations diligently compared and reuised by his Maiesties speciall C&obar;mandement Appointed to be read in Churches (Imprinted... by Robert Barker [etc.], London) [word count] [B10000].
To look up a word in a dictionary, select the word with your mouse and press 'd' on your keyboard.
¶2; IVDETH.
969
CHAP. I.
2 Arphaxad doeth fortifie Ecbatane. 5 Nabuchodonosor
maketh warre against him,
7 and craueth aide. 12 Hee threatneth those
that would not aide him, 15 and killeth Arphaxad,
16 and returneth to Nineue.
1
In the twelfth
yeere of þe; reigne
of Nabuchodonosor,
who reigned
in Nineue
the great citie, (in
the dayes of Arphaxad,
which
reigned ouer the
Medes in Ecbatane,
2
And built in Ecbatane walles
round about of stones hewen, three cubites
broad, and sixe cubites long, and
made the height of the wall seuenty cubites,
and the breadth thereof fiftie cubites:
3
And set the towers thereof vpon
the gates of it, an hundred cubites high,
and the breadth thereof in the foundation
threescore cubites.
4
And he made the gates thereof,
euen gates that were raised to the
height of seuentie cubites, ∧ the breadth
of them was fourtie cubites, for the going
foorth of his mightie armies, and
for the setting in aray of his footmen.)
5
Euen in those dayes, king Nabuchodonosor
-- --
made warre with king Arphaxad
in the great plaine, which is the
plaine in the borders of Ragau.
6
And there came vnto him, all
they that dwelt in the hill countrey, and
all that dwelt by Euphrates, and Tigris,
and Hydaspes, and the plaine of Arioch
the king of the Elimeans, and
very many nations of the sonnes of
Chelod, assembled themselues to the
battell.
7
Then Nabuchodonosor king of
the Assyrians, sent vnto all that dwelt
in Persia, and to all that dwelt Westward,
and to those that dwelt in Cilicia,
and Damascus and Libanus, and Antilibanus,
and to all that dwelt vpon
the Sea coast,
8
And to those amongst the nations
that were of Carmel, and Galaad, and
the higher Galile, and the great plaine
of Esdrelon,
9
And to all that were in Samaria,
and the cities thereof: and beyond Iordan
vnto Ierusalem, and Betane, and
Chellus, and Kades, and the riuer of Egypt,
and Taphnes, and Ramesse, and
all the land of Gesem,
10
Untill you come beyond Tanis,
and Memphis, and to all the inhabitants
of Egypt, vntill you come to the
borders of Ethiopia.
11
But all the inhabitants of the
land made light of the commandement
of Nabuchodonosor king of the Assyrians,
neither went they with him to the
battell: for they were not afraid of him:
yea he was before them as one man,
and they sent away his Ambassadours
from them without effect, and with disgrace.
12
Therefore Nabuchodonosor was
very angry with all this countrey, and
sware by his throne and kingdome, that
hee would surely be auenged vpon all
those coasts of Cilicia, and Damascus,
and Syria, and that he would slay with
the sword all the inhabitants of the land
of Moab, and the children of Ammon,
and all Iudea, and all that were in Egypt,
till you come to the borders of the
two Seas.
13
Then he marched in battell aray
with his power against king Arphaxad
in the seuenteenth yeere, and he preuailed
in his battell: for he ouerthrew
all the power of Arphaxad, and all his
horsemen and all his chariots,
14
And became Lord of his cities,
and came vnto Ecbatane, and tooke the
towers, and spoiled the streetes thereof,
and turned the beauty thereof into
shame.
15
Hee tooke also Arphaxad in the
mountaines of Ragau, and smote him
through with his dartes, and destroyed
him vtterly that day.
16
So he returned afterward to
Nineue, both he and all his company
of sundry nations: being a very great
multitude of men of warre, and there
he tooke his ease and banketted, both he
and his armie an hundred and twenty
dayes.
970
CHAP. II.
4 Olofernes is appointed generall, 11 and
charged to spare none, that will not yeeld. 15
His armie and prouision, 23 the places which
he wonne and wasted, as he went.
1
And in the eighteenth
yeere, the two and twentieth
day of the first month,
there was talke in the
house of Nabuchodonosor
king of the Assyrians, that he should as
he said auenge himselfe on all the earth.
2
So he called vnto him all his officers,
and all his nobles, and communicated
with them his secret counsell, note and
concluded the afflicting of the whole
earth out of his owne mouth.
3
Then they decreed to destroy all
flesh that did not obey the commaundement
of his mouth.
4
And when he had ended his counsell,
Nabuchodonosor king of the Assyrians
called Olofernes the chiefe captaine
of his army, which was note next vnto
him, and said vnto him,
5
Thus saith the great king, the
Lord of the whole earth: behold, thou
shalt goe forth from my presence, and
take with thee men that trust in their
owne strength, of footemen an hundred
and twenty thousand, and the number
of horses with their riders twelue thousand.
6
And thou shalt goe against all
the West countrey, because they disobeyed
my commandement.
7
And thou shalt declare vnto
them that they prepare for me note earth
and water: for I will goe forth in my
wrath against them, and will couer the
whole face of the earth with the feete of
mine armie, and I will giue them for a
spoile vnto them.
-- --
8
So that their slaine shall fill their
vallies, and brookes, and the riuer shall
be filled with their dead, til it ouerflow.
9
And I will lead them captiues to
the vtmost parts of all the earth.
10
Thou therefore shalt goe foorth,
and take before hand for me all their
coasts, and if they will yeeld themselues
vnto thee, thou shalt reserue them for
me till the day of their punishment.
11
But concerning them that rebell,
let not thine eye spare them: but put
them to the slaughter, and spoile them
wheresoeuer thou goest.
12
For as I liue, and by the power
of my kingdome, whatsoeuer I haue
spoken, that will I doe by mine hand.
13
And take thou heede that thou
transgresse none of the Commaundements
of thy Lord, but accomplish
them fully, as I haue commaunded
thee, and deferre not to doe them.
14
Then Olofernes went foorth
from the presence of his Lord, and called
all the gouernours and Captaines,
and the officers of the army of Assur.
15
And he mustered the chosen men
for the battell, as his Lord had commaunded
him, vnto an hundred and
twenty thousand, ∧ twelue thousand
archers on Horsebacke.
16
And he ranged them as a great
army is ordered for the warre.
17
And he tooke Camels, and Asses
for their cariages a very great number,
and sheepe, and Oxen, ∧ Goates without
number, for their prouision,
18
And plenty of vittaile for euery
man of the army, and very much gold,
and siluer, out of the Kings house.
19
Then he went foorth and all his
power to go before King Nabuchodonosor
in the voyage, and to couer al the
face of the earth Westward with their
charets, and horsemen, and their chosen
footmen.
20
A great multitude also of sundry
countries came with them, like locusts,
and like the sand of the earth: for the
multitude was without number.
21
And they went foorth of Nineue,
three dayes iourney toward the plaine
of Bectileth, and pitched from Bectileth
neere the mountaine, which is at the
left hand of the vpper Cilicia.
22
Then he tooke all his armie, his
footmen, and horsemen and chariots,
and went from thence into the hill
countrey,
23
And destroyed Phud, and Lud:
and spoiled all the children of Rasses,
and the children of Ismael, which were
toward the wildernesse at the South
of the land of the Chellians.
24
Then he went ouer Euphrates,
and went through Mesopotamia, and
destroyed all the high cities that were
vpon the riuer Arbonai, till you come
to the sea.
25
And hee tooke the borders of Cilicia,
and killed all that resisted him, and
came to the borders of Iapheth, which
were toward the South, ouer against
Arabia.
26
He compassed also all the children
of Madian, and burnt vp their tabernacles,
and spoiled their sheepcoats.
27
Then hee went downe into the
plaine of Damascus in the time of
wheat haruest, and burnt vp all their
fieldes, and destroyed their flockes, and
heards, also he spoiled their cities, and
vtterly wasted their countreys, and
smote all their yong men with the edge
of the sword.
28
Therefore the feare and dread of
him, fell vpon all the inhabitants of
the sea coastes, which were in Sidon
and Tyrus, and them that dwelt in
Sur, and Ocina, and all that dwelt in
Ienmaan, and they that dwelt in Azotus,
and Aschalon feared him greatly.
971
CHAP. III.
1 They of the Sea-coasts entreat for peace. 7
Olofernes is receiued there: 8 Yet he destroyeth
their gods, that they might worship
onely Nabuchodonosor. 9 He commeth
neere to Iudea.
1
So they sent Embassadours
vnto him, to treat
of peace, saying,
2
Behold, we the seruants
of Nabuchodonosor
the great king lie before thee; vse vs
as shall be good in thy sight.
3
Behold, our houses, and all our
places, and all our fieldes of wheat, and
flockes, and heards, and all the lodges
of our tents, lie before thy face: vse
them as it pleaseth thee.
4
Behold, euen our cities and the
inhabitants thereof are thy seruants,
come and deale with them, as seemeth
good vnto thee.
5
So the men came to Holofernes,
∧ declared vnto him after this maner.
6
Then came hee downe toward
-- --
the Sea coast, both hee and his armie,
and set garisons in the high cities, and
tooke out of them chosen men for aide.
7
So they and all the countrey
round about, receiued them with garlands,
with dances, and with timbrels.
8
Yet hee did cast downe their frontiers,
and cut downe their groues: for
hee had decreed to destroy all the gods
of the land, that all nations should worship
Nabuchodonosor onely, and that
all tongues and tribes should call vpon
him as God.
9
Also he came ouer against note Esdraelon
neere vnto note Iudea, ouer against
the note great strait of Iudea.
10
And hee pitched betweene Geba,
and Scythopolis, and there hee taried
a whole moneth, that he might gather
together all the cariages of his
armie.
972
CHAP. IIII.
4 The Iewes are afraid of Holofernes, 5 and
fortifie the hilles. 6 They of Bethulia take
charge of the passages. 9 All Israel fall to
fasting and prayer.
1
Now the children of Israel
that dwelt in Iudea,
heard all that Holofernes
the chiefe captaine of Nabuchodonosor
king of the
Assyrians had done to the nations, and
after what manner hee had spoiled all
their Temples, and brought them to
nought.
2
Therefore they were exceedingly
afraid of him, and were troubled for
Ierusalem, and for the Temple of the
Lord their God.
3
For they were newly returned
from the captiuitie, and all the people
note of Iudea were lately gathered together:
and the vessels, and the Altar, and
the house, were sanctified after the profanation.
4
Therefore they sent into all the
coasts of Samaria, and the villages,
and to Bethoron, and Belmen, and Iericho,
and to Choba, and Esora, and to
the valley of Salem,
5
And possessed themselues beforehand
of all the tops of the high mountaines,
and fortified the villages that
were in them, and laid vp victuals for
the prouision of warre: for their fieldes
were of late reaped.
6
Also Ioacim the hie Priest which
was in those daies in Ierusalem, wrote
to them that dwelt in Bethulia, and
Betomestham which is ouer against
note Esdraelon toward the note open countrey
neere to Dothaim,
7
Charging them to keepe the passages
of the hill countrey: for by them
there was an entrance into Iudea, and
it was easie to stoppe them that would
come vp, because the passage was strait
note for two men at the most.
8
And the children of Israel did as
Ioacim the hie Priest had commanded
them, with the note ancients of all the people
of Israel, which dwelt at Ierusal&ebar;.
9
Then euery man of Israel cryed
to God with great feruencie, and with
great vehemency did they humble their
soules:
10
Both they and their wiues, and
their children, and their cattell, and euery
stranger and hireling, and their seruants
bought with money, put sackecloth
vpon their loynes.
11
Thus euery man and woman,
and the little children, ∧ the inhabitants
of Ierusalem fell before the temple, and
cast ashes vpon their heads, and spread
out their sackcloth before the face of the
Lord: also they put sackecloth about
the Altar,
12
And cryed to the God of Israel
all with one consent earnestly, that hee
would not giue their children for a pray,
and their wiues for a spoile, and the cities
of their inheritance to destruction,
and the Sanctuary to profanation and
reproch, ∧ for the nations to reioyce at.
13
So God heard their prayers, and
looked vpon their afflictions: for the
people fasted many dayes in all Iudea,
and Ierusalem, before the Sanctuary
of the Lord Almighty.
14
And Ioacim the high Priest, and
all the Priestes that stood before the
Lord, and they which ministred vnto
the Lord, had their loines girt with
sackecloth, and offered the daily burnt
offerings, with the vowes and free
gifts of the people,
15
And had ashes on their miters, and
cried vnto the Lord with all their power,
that hee would looke vpon all the
house of Israel graciously.
973
CHAP. V.
5 Achior telleth Holofernes what the Iewes are,
8 and what their God had done for them:
21 and aduiseth not to meddle with them.
22 All that heard him, were offended at him.
-- --
1
Then was it declared to Holofernes
the chief captaine
of the armie of Assur that
the children of Israel had
prepared for warre, and
had shut vp the passages of the hill
countrey, and had fortified note all the tops
of the high hilles, and had laide impediments
in the champion countreys.
2
Wherewith he was very angry,
and called all the princes of Moab, and
the captaines of Ammon, and all the gouernours
of the Sea coast.
3
And he said vnto them, Tell mee
now, ye sonnes of Canaan, who this
people is that dwelleth in the hill countrey?
and what are the cities that they
inhabite? and what is the multitude of
their armie? and wherein is their power
and strength, and what king is set ouer
them, or captaine of their armie?
4
And why haue they determined
not to come and meet me, more then all
the inhabitants of the West?
5
noteThen said Achior, the captaine
of all the sonnes of Ammon: Let my
lord now heare a word from the mouth
of thy seruant, and I will declare vnto
thee the trueth, concerning this people
which dwelleth neere thee, and inhabiteth
the hill countreys: and there shall
no lie come out of the mouth of thy seruant.
6
This people are descended of the
Caldeans,
7
noteAnd they soiourned heretofore in
Mesopotamia, because they would not
follow the gods of their fathers, which
were in the land of Caldea.
8
For they note left the way of their ancestours,
and worshipped the God of
heauen, the God whom they knew: so
they cast them out from the face of their
gods, and they fled into Mesopotamia,
and soiourned there many dayes.
9
Then note their God commaunded
them to depart from the place where
they soiourned, and to goe into the land
of Chanaan, where they dwelt, and
were increased with gold and siluer, and
with very much cattell.
10
But when a famine couered all the
land of Chanaan, they went downe into
Egypt, and soiourned there, while
they were nourished, and became there
a great multitude, so that one could not
number their nation.
11
Therefore the king of Egypt rose
vp against them, and dealt subtilly with
them, and brought them low, with labouring
in bricke, ∧ made them slaues. note
12
Then they cried vnto their God,
and he smote all the land of Egypt with
incurable plagues, so the note Egyptians
cast them out of their sight.
13
And note God dried the red Sea before
them:
14
And note brought them to mount
note Sina, and Cades Barne, and cast forth
all that dwelt in the wildernesse.
15
So they dwelt in the land of the
Amorites, and they destroyed by their
strength all them of Esebon, and passing
ouer Iordan they possessed all the
hill countrey.
16
noteAnd they cast forth before them,
the Chanaanite, the Pheresite, the Iebusite,
and the Sychemite, and all the
Gergesites, and they dwelt in that countrey
many dayes.
17
And whilest they sinned not before
their God, they prospered, because the
God that hateth iniquitie, was with
them.
18
But note when they departed from
the way which he appointed them, they
were destroyed in many battels very
sore, note and were led captiues into a land
that was not theirs, and the Temple
of their God was cast to the ground,
and their cities were taken by the enemies.
19
But note nowe are they returned
to their God, and are come vp from
the places, where they were scattered,
and haue possessed Ierusalem, where
their Sanctuary is, and note are seated in
the hill countrey, for it was desolate.
20
Now therefore, my lord and gouernour,
if there be any errour in this
people, ∧ they sinne against their God,
let vs consider that this shal be their ruine,
and let vs goe vp, and we shal ouercome
them.
21
But if there be no iniquitie in their
nation, let my lord now passe by, lest
their Lord defend them, and their God
be for them, and wee become a reproch
before all the world.
22
And when Achior had finished
these sayings, all the people standing
round about the tent, murmured, and
the chiefe men of Holofernes, and all
that dwelt by the Sea side, and in Moab,
spake that he should kill him.
23
For, say they, we will not be afraid
of the face of the children of Israel, for
loe, it is a people that haue no strength,
-- --
nor power note for a strong battell.
24
Now therefore, Lord Holofernes,
we will goe vp, and they shall be a
pray, to be deuoured of all thine armie.
974
CHAP. VI.
3 Holofernes despiseth God. 7 He threatneth
Achior and sendeth him away. 14 The Bethulians
receiue and heare him. 18 They
fall to prayer, and comfort Achior.
1
And when the tumult of
men that were about the
councell was ceased, Holofernes
the chiefe captaine
of the armie of Assur, said
vnto Achior and all the Moabites, before
all the company of other nations,
2
And who art thou Achior and the
hirelings of Ephraim, that thou hast
prophesied amongst vs as to day, and
hast said, that we should not make
warre with the people of Israel, because
their God will defend them? and
who is God but Nabuchodonosor?
3
He will send his power, and will
destroy them from the face of the earth,
and their God shall not deliuer them:
but we his seruants will destroy them
as one man, for they are not able to sustaine
the power of our horses.
4
For with them we will tread
them vnder foote, and their mountains
shall be drunken with their blood, and
their fields shall be filled with their
dead bodies, and their footesteps shall
not be able to stand before vs, for they
shal vtterly perish, saith king Nabuchodonosor
Lord of all the earth; for hee
said, none of my words shall be in vaine.
5
And thou Achior, an hireling of
Ammon, which hast spoken these
words in the day of thine iniquity, shalt
see my face no more, from this day vntill
I take vengeance of this nation that
came out of Egypt.
6
And then shall the sword of mine
armie, and the multitude of them that
serue me, passe through thy sides, and
thou shalt fal among their slaine, when
I returne.
7
Now therefore my seruants shall
bring thee backe into the hill countrey,
and shall set thee in one of the cities of
the passages.
8
And thou shalt not perish till thou
be destroyed with them.
9
And if thou perswade thy selfe in
thy minde, that they shall not be taken,
let not thy countenance fall: I haue spoken
it, and none of my words shall be
in vaine.
10
Then Holofernes commanded
his seruants that waited in his tent, to
take Achior and bring him to Bethulia,
and deliuer him into the hands of the
children of Israel.
11
So his seruants tooke him, and
brought him out of the campe into the
plaine, and they went from the midst of
the plaine into the hill countrey, and
came vnto the fountaines that were
vnder Bethulia.
12
And when the men of the citie saw
them, they tooke vp their weapons,
and went out of the citie to the toppe of
the hill, and euery man that vsed a sling
from comming vp by casting of stones
against them.
13
Neuerthelesse hauing gotten priuily
vnder the hill, they bound Achior
and cast him downe, and left him at the
foote of the hill, and returned to their
Lord.
14
But the Israelites descended
from their citie, and came vnto him, and
loosed him, and brought him into Bethulia,
and presented him to the gouernours
of the citie,
15
Which were in those dayes Ozias
the sonne of Micha of the tribe of Simeon,
and Chabris the sonne of Gothoniel,
and Charmis the sonne of Melchiel.
16
And they called together all the
ancients of the citie, and all their youth
ranne together, and their women to
the assembly, and they set Achior in the
midst of all their people. Then Ozias
asked him of that which was done.
17
And he answered and declared
vnto them the words of the counsell of
Holofernes, and all the words that he
had spoken in the midst of the princes of
Assur, and whatsoeuer Holofernes had
spoken proudly against the house of
Israel.
18
Then the people fell downe, and
worshipped God, and cryed vnto God,
saying,
19
O Lord God of heauen, behold
their pride, and pity the low estate of our
nation, and looke vpon the face of those
that are sanctified vnto thee this day.
20
Then they comforted Achior and
praised him greatly.
21
And Ozias tooke him out of the
assembly vnto his house, and made a
-- --
feast to the Elders, ∧ they called on the
God of Israel all that night for helpe.
975
CHAP. VII.
1 Holofernes besiegeth Bethulia, 7 and stoppeth
the water from them. 22 They faint
and murmure against the gouernours, 30
Who promise to yeeld within fiue dayes.
1
The next day Holofernes
commanded all his army,
and all his people which
were come to take his
part, that they should remooue
their campe against Bethulia,
to take aforehand the ascents of the hill
countrey, and to make warre against
the children of Israel.
2
Then their strong men remoued
their campes in that day, and the armie
of the men of warre was, an hundred
and seuenty thousand footmen, and
twelue thousand horsemen, beside the
baggage, ∧ other men that were afoot
amongst them, a very great multitude.
|
