3 Tobit giveth instructions to his son, 8 specially to leave Nineve; 11 he and his wife die, and are buried. 12 Tobias removeth to Ecbatane, 14 and there dieth, after he had heard of the destruction of Nineve.

O Tobit made an end of praising God.

2 And he was eight and fifty years old when he lost his sight, which was restored to him after eight years and he gave alms, and he increased in the fear of the Lord God, and praised him.

3 And when he was very aged, he called his son, and the six sons of his son, and said to him, My son, take thy children; for behold, I am aged, and am ready to depart out of this life.

4 Go into Media, my son, for I surely believe those things which Jonas the prophet spake of Nineve, that it shall be overthrown; and that for a time peace shall rather be in Media; and that our brethren shall lie scattered in the earth from that good land: and Jerusalem shall be desolate, and the house of God in it shall be burned, and shall be desolate for a time;

Apocrypha and all those which love the Lord God in truth and justice shall rejoice, shewing mercy to our brethren.

8 And now, my son, depart out of Nineve, because that those things which the prophet Jonas spake shall surely come to pass.

5 And that again God will have mercy on them, and bring them again into the land, where they shall build a temple, but not like to the first, until the time of that age be fulfilled; and afterward they shall return from all places of their captivity, and build up Jerusalem gloriously, and the house of God shall be built in it for ever with a glorious building, as the prophets have spoken thereof.

9 But keep thou the law and the commandments, and shew thyself merciful and just, that it may go well with thee.

6 And all nations shall turn, and fear the Lord God truly, and shall bury their idols.

7 So shall all nations praise the Lord, and his people shall confess God, and the Lord shall exalt his people;

10 And bury me decently, and thy mother with me; but tarry no longer at Nineve. Remember, my son, how Aman handled Achiacharus that brought him up, bow out of light he brought him into darkness, and how he rewarded him again: yet Achiacharus was saved, but the other had his reward: for he wentdown into darkness. Manasses gave alms, and escaped the snares of death which they had set for him: but Aman fell into the snare, and perished.

11 Wherefore now, my son, consider what alms doeth, and how righteousness doth deliver. When he had said these things, he gave up the ghost in the bed, being an hundred and eight and fifty years old; and he buried him honourably.

12 And when Anna his mother was dead, he buried her with his father. But Tobias departed with his wife and children to Ecbatane to Raguel his father-in-law,

13 Where he became old with honour, and he buried his father and mother-in-law honourably, and he inherited their substance, and his father Tobit's.

14 And he died at Ecbatane in Media, being an hundred and seven and twenty years old.

15 But before he died, he heard of the destruction of Nineve, which was taken by Nabuchodonosor and Assuerus: and before his death he rejoiced over Nineve.

CHAPTER I.

JUDITH.

2 Arphaxad doth fortify Ecbatane. 5 Nabuchodonosor maketh war against him, 7 and craveth aid. 12 He threateneth those that would not aid him, 15 and killeth Arphaxad, 16 and returneth to Nineve.

IN the twelfth year of the reign of Nabuchodonosor, who reigned in Nineve, the great city; in the days of Arphaxad, which reigned over the Medes in Ecbatane,

2 And built in Ecbatane walls round about of stones newn three cubits broad and six cubits long, and made the height of the wall seventy cubits, and the breadth thereof fifty cubits:

3 And set the towers thereof upon the gates of it, an hundred cubits high, and the breadth thereof in the foundation threescore cubits :

4 And he made the gates thereof, even gates that were raised to the height of seventy cubits, and the breadth of them was forty cubits, for the going forth of his mighty armies, and for the setting in array of his footmen:

5 Even in those days king Nabuchodonosor made war with king Arphaxad in the great plain, which is the plain n the borders of Ragau.

6 And there came unto him all they that dwelt in the hill-country, and all they that dwelt by Euphrates, and

Tigres, and Hydaspes, and the plain of Arioch the king of the Elymeans, and very many nations of the sons of Chelod, assembled themselves to the battle.

7 Then Nabuchodonosor king of the Assyrians sent unto all that dwelt in Persia, and to all that dwelt westward, and to those that dwelt in Cilicia, and Damascus, and Libanus, and Antilibanus, and to all that dwelt upon the sea-coast,

8 And to those among the nations that were of Carmel, and Galaad, and the higher Galilee, and the great plain of Esdrelom,

9 And to all that were in Samaria and the cities thereof and beyond Jordan unto Jerusalem, and Betane, an Chellus, and Kades; and the river of Égypt, and Taphnes. and Ramesse, and all the land of Gesem,

10 Until ye come beyond Tanis and Memphis, and to all the inhabitants of Egypt, until ye come to the borders of Ethiopia.

11 But all the inhabitants of the land made light of the commandment of Nabuchodonosor king of the Assyrians, neither went they with him to the battle; for they were not afraid of him: yea, he was before them as one man, and they sent away his ambassadors from them without effect, and with disgrace

CHAPTER JIL Apocrypha 12 Therefore Nabuchodonosor was very angry with 12 For as I live, and by the power of my kingdom all this country, and sware by his throne and kingdom whatsoever I have spoken, that will I do by mine hand. that he would surely be avenged upon all those coasts of 13 And take thou heed that thou transgress none of Cilicia, and Damascus, and Syria, and that he would slay the commandments of thy lord, but accomplish them with the sword all the inhabitants of the land of Moab, fully, as I have commanded thee, and defer not to do and the children of Ammon, and all Judea, and all that them. were in Egypt, till ye come to the borders of the two seas. 13 Then he marched in battle-array with his power against king Arphaxad in the seventeenth year, and he prevailed in his battle: for he overthrew all the power of Arphaxad, and all his horsemen, and all his chariots,

14 And became lord of his cities, and came unto Ecbatane, and took the towers, and spoiled the streets there-back; of, and turned the beauty thereof into shame.

15 He took also Arphaxad in the mountains of Ragau, and smote him through with his darts, and destroyed him utterly that day.

16 So he returned afterward to Nineve, both he and all his company of sundry nations, being a very great multitude of men of war, and there he took his ease, and banqueted, both he and his army, an hundred and twenty days.

Apocrypha.

Apocrypha

10 Both they, and their wives, and their children, and their cattle, and every stranger and hireling, and their servants bought with money, put sackcloth upon their loins.

JUDITH. 2 Behold, we the servants of Nabuchodonosor the great king lie before thee; use us as shall be good in thy sight. 3 Behold, our houses, and all our places, and all our fields of wheat, and flocks, and herds, and all the lodges of our tents, lie before thy face; use them as it pleaseth thee. 4 Behold, even our cities and the inhabitants thereof are thy servants; come and deal with them as seemeth ood unto thee.

5 So the men came to Holofernes, and declared unto nim after this manner.

6 Then came he down towards the sea-coast, both he and his army, and set garrisons in the high cities, and took out of them chosen men for aid.

7 So they and all the country round about received them with garlands, with dances, and with timbrels.

8 Yet he did cast down their frontiers, and cut down their groves: for he had decreed to destroy all the gods of the land, that all nations should worship Nabuchodonosor only, and that all tongues and tribes should call upon him as god.

9 Also he came over against Esdraelon near unto Judea, over against the great strait of Judea.

10 And he pitched between Geba and Scythopolis, and there he tarried a whole month, that he might gather together all the carriages of his army.

CHAPTER IV.

1 The Jews are afraid of Holofernes, 5 and fortify the hills: 6 They of Bethulia take charge of the passages. 9 All Israel fall to fasting and prayer.

11 Thus every man and woman, and the little children, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, fell before the temple, and cast ashes upon their heads, and spread out their sackcloth before the face of the Lord: also they put sackcloth about the altar,

12 And cried to the God of Israel all with one consent earnestly, that he would not give their children for a prey, and their wives for a spoil, and the cities of their inheritance to destruction, and the sanctuary to profanation and reproach, and for the nations to rejoice at.

13 So God heard their prayers, and looked upon their afflictions: for the people fasted many days in all Judea and Jerusalem before the sanctuary of the Lord Almighty.

14 And Joacim the high priest, and all the priests that stood before the Lord, and they which ministered unto the Lord, had their loins girt with sackcloth, and offered the daily burnt-offerings, with the vows and free gifts of the people,

15 And had ashes on their mitres, and cried unto the Lord with all their power, that he would look upon all the house of Israel graciously.

CHAPTER V.

1 Achior telleth Holofernes what the Jews are, 8 and what their God had done for them; 21 and adviseth not to med dle with them. 22 Åll that heard him were offended at him. NHEN was it declared to Holofernes, the chief cap

was it declared to

TOW the children of Israel that dwelt in Judea,tain of the army of Assur, that the children of NOW heard all that Holofernes the chief captain of Nabuchodonosor king of the Assyrians had done to the nations, and after what manner he had spoiled all their temples, and brought them to nought.

2 Therefore they were exceedingly afraid of him, and were troubled for Jerusalem, and for the temple of the Lord their God:

3 For they were newly returned from the captivity, and all the people of Judea were lately gathered together: and the vessels, and the altar, and the house, were sanctified after the profanation.

4 Therefore they sent into all the coasts of Samaria, and the villages, and to Bethoron, and Belmen, and Jericho, and to Choba, and Esora, and to the valley of Salem :

5 And possessed themselves beforehand of all the tops of the high mountains, and fortified the villages that were in them, and laid up victuals for the provision of war: for their fields were of late reaped.

6 Also Joacim the high priest, which was in those days in Jerusalem, wrote to them that dwelt in Bethulia, and Betomestham, which is over against Esdraelon towards the open country, near to Dothaim,

Israel had prepared for war, and had shut up the passages of the hill-country, and had fortified all the tops of the high hills, and had laid impediments in the campaign countries: 2 Wherewith he was very angry, and called all the princes of Moab, and the captains of Ammon, and all the governors of the sea-coast,

3 And he said unto them, Tell me now, ye sons of Chanaan, who this people is that dwelleth in the hillcountry, and what are the cities that they inhabit, and what is the multitude of their army, and wherein is their power and strength, and what king is set over them, or captain of their army;

4 And why have they determined not to come and meet me, more than all the inhabitants of the west.

5 Then said Achior, the captain of all the sons of Ammon, Let my lord now hear a word from the mouth of thy servant, and I will declare unto thee the truth concerning this people, which dwelleth near thee, and inhabiteth the hill-countries: and there shall no lie come out of the mouth of thy servant.

6 This people are descended of the Chaldeans:
7 And they sojourned heretofore in Mesopotamia, be-

which were in the land of Chaldea.

7 Charging them to keep the passages of the hill-cause they would not follow the gods of their fathers, country for by them there was an entrance into Judea, and it was easy to stop them that would come up, because the passage was strait, for two men at the most.

8 And the children of Israel did as Joacim the high priest had commanded them, with the ancients of all the people of Israel, which dwelt at Jerusalem.

9 Then every man of Israel cried to God with great fervency, and with great vehemency did they humble their

souls:

40

8 For they left the way of their ancestors, and worship ped the God of heaven, the God whom they knew so they cast them out from the face of their gods, and they fled into Mesopotamia, and sojourned there many days.

9 Then their God commanded them to depart from the place where they sojourned, and to go into the land of Chanaan: where they dwelt, and were increased with. gold and silver, and with very much cattle

CHAPTER VI.

10 But when a famine covered all the land of Chanaan, || them: but we his servants will destroy them as one man ; they went down into Egypt, and sojourned there, while for they are not able to sustain the power of our horses. they were nourished, and became there a great multitude, 4 For with them we will tread them under foot, and so that one could not number their nation. their mountains shall be drunken with their blood, and their fields shall be filled with their dead bodies, and their footsteps shall not be able to stand before us, for they shall utterly perish, saith king Nabuchodonosor, lord of all the earth: for he said, None of my words shall be in vain.

15 So they dwelt in the land of the Amorites, and they destroyed by their strength all them of Esebon, and pass-titude of them that serve me, pass through thy sides, and

Apocrypha 18 Then the children of Esau went up with the chil dren of Ammon, and camped in the hill-country over against Dothaim: and they sent some of them towards the south, and towards the east, over against Ekrebel, which is near unto Chusi, that is upon the brook Mochmur; and the rest of the army of the Assyrians camped in the plain, and covered the face of the whole land; and their tents and carriages were pitched to a very great multitude.

19 Then the children of Israel cried unto the Lord their God, because their heart failed, for all their enemies had compassed them round about, and there was no way to escape out from among them.

20 Thus all the company of Assur remained about them, both their footmen, chariots, and horsemen, four and thirty days, so that 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.

12 Remain in thy camp, and keep all the men of thine army, and let thy servants get into their hands the fountain of water, which issueth forth of the foot of the mountain: 13 For all the inhabitants of Bethulia have their water thence: so shall thirst kill them, and they shall give up their city, and we and our people shall go up to the tops of the mountains that are near, and will camp upon them, to watch that none go out of the city.

22 Therefore their young children were out of heart, and their women and young men fainted for thirst, and fell down in the streets of the city, and by the passages of the gates, and there was no longer any strength in them.

14 So they and their wives and their children shall be consumed with famine, and before the sword come against them, they shall be overthrown in the streets where they dwell.

15 Thus shalt thou render them an evil reward; because they rebelled, and met not thy person peaceably. 16 And these words pleased Holofernes and all his servants, and he appointed to do as they had spoken.

17 So the camp of the children of Ammon departed, and with them five thousand of the Assyrians, and they pitched in the valley, and took the waters, and the founrains of the waters of the children of Israel.