1 They therefore sent messengers to Holofernes offering him terms of peace: 2 “See, we consider ourselves as servants of Nebuchadnezzar, the great king, do with us as you will. 3 All our farms, our whole territory, all our wheatfields, our oxen and our sheepfolds lie before you – use them as you please. 4 See, our towns and all their inhabitants are yours, deal with them as you wish.” 5 These men went to Holofernes and repeated these words.
6 Then Holofernes moved down to the seacoast with his army. He stationed garrisons in the hill cities and took from them men whom he chose as auxiliaries. 7 The people of these cities received him, as did all the people of the sur rounding countryside, with garlands, singing and dancing to the music of tambou rines. 8 Nevertheless, he still laid waste all their land, cut down their sacred woods and destroyed all their gods, that all people of all languages and nations might worship Nebu chadnezzar alone and proclaim him as god.
9 Then he arrived opposite Esdraelon, near Dothan, facing the great chain of Judean hills. 10 He encamped between Geba Scythopolis, and remained there a month in order to re organize the provisions of his army.
- 2 Maccabees 6,7
