1 In the eighteenth year of Nebuchadnezzar's rule, on the twenty-second day of the first month, he and his officials decided to keep his promise and take revenge on the nations that had refused to help him fight Arphaxad.
2 Nebuchadnezzar called together his highest officials and respected leaders, then explained that some nations had refused to be his allies. He told how he planned to destroy these rebellious nations,
3 and every one of his officials agreed it must be done.
4 After that meeting, King Nebuchadnezzar of Assyria called for Holofernes, the general of his army, who ranked second only to the king himself. Nebuchadnezzar said to Holofernes: