1And it was to Holofernes, prince of the chivalry of men of Assyria, that the children of Israel made ready themselves to against-stand him[or that the sons of Israel made them-selves ready to withstand], and that they had closed altogether the ways of the hills.

2And by over-great madness he burnt out into great wrathfulness [or with full much madness he burned out into great wrath]; and he called all the princes of Moab, and the dukes of Ammon,

3and said to them, Say ye to me, who this people is [or who be these people], that besiegeth the hilly places; either which, and what manner, and how great be their cities; also what is the virtue or the strength of them, either what is the multitude of them, either who is the king of their chivalry;

4and why before all men, that dwell in the east, have these men despised me, and they have not gone out to receive us with peace?

5Then Achior, duke of all the sons of Ammon, answered and said, My lord, if thou vouchest safe to hear me, I shall say the truth in thy sight of this people that dwelleth in the hilly places [or in the mountains], and a false word shall not go out of my mouth.

6This people is of the generation of Chaldeans;

7and this people dwelled first in Mesopotamia; for they would not pursue [or follow] the gods of their fathers, that were in the land of Chaldea.

8Therefore they forsook the ceremonies of their fathers, that were with the multitude of gods,

9and they worshipped one God of heaven, which also commanded to them to go out from thence, and to dwell in Canaan. And when hunger had covered all the land, they went down into Egypt, and there they were so multiplied by four hundred years [or there by four hundred years so be multiplied], that the host of them might not be numbered ⁰.

10And when the king of Egypt had grieved them, and had made them subjects in the buildings of his cities in clay and tilestone, they cried to their God, and he smote all the land of Egypt with diverse vengeances.

11And when men of Egypt had cast out from them the men of Israel, and the vengeance had ceased from the men of Egypt, and again when they would take the men of Israel, and again-call them to their service,

12then God of heaven opened the sea to these men of Israel fleeing away, so that on this side and on that side [or on either side] the waters were made firm as walls, and in their walking these men with dry feet passed the deepness of the sea.

13In which place the while unnumberable host of men of Egypt [or of Egyptians] pursued Israel, it was so covered with waters, that there dwelled not namely one man alive, that should tell the deed to after-comers.

14Also the men of Israel went out of the Reed Sea [or the Red Sea], and they occupied the deserts of the hill [or of the mounts] of Sinai, in which deserts there might never man dwell, neither any son of man rest there.

15There bitter wells were made sweet to them for to drink; and by forty years they got livelode from heaven.

16And wherever they entered, their God fought for them, and he over-came their adversaries without bow and arrow, and without shield and sword.

17And there was no man that casted down this people, no but when it went away from the worshipping of their Lord God [or the Lord his God].

18Soothly as often ever as they worshipped any other except that their own God, they were given into prey, and into sword, and into shame [or reproof].

19But as often ever as they repented that they had gone away from the worshipping of their God, God of heaven gave to them virtue to against-stand their enemies.

20Certainly they casted down the kings of Canaanites, and of Jebusites, and of Perizzites, and of Shechemites, and of Girgashites, and of Amorites, and all the mighty men of Heshbon, and they had in possession the lands of them, and the cities of them;

21and till that they had sinned in the sight of their God, good things and prosperity were with them, for the God of them hateth wickedness.

22For why and before these years, when they had gone away from the way which God had given to them, that they should go therein, they were destroyed of diverse nations by many battles, and full many of them were led prisoners [or led captive] into a land not theirs.

23But a while ago they turned again to the Lord their God, and they were gathered together from the scattering, in which they were scattered; and now they have gone up into all these hilly places, and again they have Jerusalem in possession, where the holy of holy things be.

24Now therefore, my lord, inquire thou perfectly, if any wickedness of them is [or if there is any wickedness of them] in the sight of their God, and go we then up to them; for their God betaking shall betake them to thee, and they shall be made subject under the yoke of thy might.

25Truly if none offence of this people is before their God, we may not against-stand them; for the God of them shall defend them, and we shall be into shame to all earth.

26And it was done, when Achior had ceased to speak these words, all the great men of Holofernes were wroth against him, and they thought to slay him, and they said together,

27Who is this that saith, that the sons of Israel, men without armour [or arms], and without virtue or strength, and without knowing of the craft of fighting may against-stand king Nebuchadnezzar and his hosts?

28Therefore that this Achior know, that he deceiveth us, go we up into the hilly places [or the mountains]; and when the mighty men of them be taken, then he shall be pierced with a sword with the same men;

29and all folk know, that Nebuchad-nezzar is god of earth, and except him there is none other.