1And when the uproar of the men around the council ceased, Holofernes, commander-in-chief of the army of Asshur, said to Achior in the presence of all the foreign people:
2“And who are you, Achior, and you mercenaries of Ephraim, that you have prophesied in our midst today and said not to make war on the nation of Israel, because their god will defend them? And who is god, if not Nebuchadnezzar? He will send forth his might and will utterly destroy them from the face of the earth, and their god will not deliver them.
3But we, his servants, will strike them down as one man, and they will not withstand the might of our cavalry.
4For we will burn them in their mountains, and their hills will be drunk with their blood, and their plains will be filled with their dead. Not even a footprint of theirs will stand before us, but they will perish completely, says King Nebuchadnezzar, lord of all the earth. For he has spoken, and none of his words will be in vain.
5But you, Achior, mercenary of Ammon, who have spoken these words on the day of your iniquity, you will no longer see my face from this day until I take vengeance on this nation from Egypt.
6And then the sword of my army and the host of my attendants will pass through your sides, and you will fall among their wounded when they are turned back.
7And my servants will take you to the hill country and place you in one of the cities of the mountain passes,
8and you will not perish until you are utterly destroyed along with them.
9And if you hope in your heart that they will not be captured, do not let your face be downcast. I have spoken, and not one of my words will fail.”
10Then Holofernes commanded his servants, who were standing by in his tent, to seize Achior, take him to Bethulia, and hand him over to the sons of Israel.
11So his servants seized him and led him out of the camp into the plain. And they went up from the middle of the plain into the hill country and came to the springs that were below Bethulia.
12When the men of the city saw them on the ridge of the mountain, they took up their weapons and went out of the city to the summit of the mountain. And all the slingers blocked their ascent and threw stones at them.
13So slipping down below the mountain, they bound Achior and left him thrown at the foot of the mountain, and they departed to their master.
14But the sons of Israel came down from their city and came upon him. And untying him, they led him to Bethulia and set him before the rulers of their city,
15who in those days were Uzziah son of Micah of the tribe of Simeon, Chabris son of Gothoniel, and Charmis son of Melchiel.
16And Uzziah summoned all the elders of the city, and all their young men and the women ran together to the assembly. And they set Achior in the midst of all their people, and Uzziah questioned him about what had happened.
17And he answered and reported to them the words of Holofernes’ council, and all the words that he had spoken in the midst of the rulers of the sons of Asshur, and all the arrogant things Holofernes had boasted against the house of Israel.
18And the people fell down and worshiped God, and they cried out, saying:
19“Lord, the God of heaven, look upon their arrogance, and have mercy on the humiliation of our nation, and look upon the face of those who are consecrated to you on this day.”
20And they comforted Achior and praised him greatly.
21And Uzziah took him from the assembly to his own house and held a banquet for the elders. And they called upon the God of Israel for help all that night.
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