20. And all the army of Asshur remained about them, their footmen and their chariots and their horsemen, four and thirty days; and all their vessels of water failed all the inhabitants of Bethulia.
21. And the cisterns were emptied, and they had not water to drink their fill for one day: for they gave them drink by measure.
22. And their young children were out of heart, and the women and the young men fainted for thirst, and they fell down in the streets of the city, and in the passages of the gates, and there was no longer any strength in them.
23. And all the people were gathered together against Ozias, and against the rulers of the city, the young men and the women and the children, and they cried with a loud voice, and said before all the elders,
24. God be judge between you and us: because you⌃ have done us great wrong, in that you⌃ have not spoken words of peace with the children of Asshur.
25. And now we have no helper: but God has sold us into their hands, that we should be laid low before them with thirst and great destruction.
26. And now call them to you, and deliver up the whole city for a prey to the people of Holofernes, and to all his host.
27. For it is better for us to be made a spoil to them: for we shall be servants, and our souls shall live, and we shall not see the death of our babes before our eyes, and our wives and our children fainting in death.
28. We take to witness against you the heaven and the earth, and our God and the Lord of our fathers, which punishes us according to our sins and the sins of our fathers, that he do not according as we have said this day.
29. And there was great weeping of all with one consent in the midst of the assembly; and they cried to the Lord God with a loud voice.
30. And Ozias said to them, Brethren, be of good courage, let us yet endure five days, in the which space the Lord our God shall turn his mercy toward us; for he will not forsake us utterly.
31. But if these days pass, and there come no help to us, I will do according to your words.
32. And he dispersed the people, every man to his own camp; and they went away to the walls and towers of their city; and he sent the women and children into their houses: and they were brought very low in the city.