1So they sent messengers to sue for peace, and said, 2“Behold, we the servants of Nebuchadnez'zar, the Great King, lie prostrate before you. Do with us whatever you will. 3Behold, our buildings, and all our land, and all our wheat fields, and our flocks and herds, and all our sheepfolds with their tents, lie before you; do with them whatever you please. 4Our cities also and their inhabitants are your slaves; come and deal with them in any way that seems good to you.”

5The men came to Holofer'nes and told him all this. 6Then he went down to the seacoast with his army and stationed garrisons in the hilltop cities and took picked men from them as his allies. 7And these people and all in the country round about welcomed him with garlands and dances and tambourines. 8And he demolished all their shrines3.8 Syr: Gk a borders and cut down their sacred groves; for it had been given to him to destroy all the gods of the land, so that all nations should worship Nebuchadnez'zar only, and all their tongues and tribes should call upon him as god.

9Then he came to the edge of Esdrae'lon, near Dothan, fronting the great ridge of Judea; 10here he camped between Geba and Scythop'olis, and remained for a whole month in order to assemble all the supplies for his army.