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:
5 I am Nebuchadnezzar, the great king, the ruler of the earth! I want you to choose 120,000 foot soldiers and 12,000 cavalry troops—all of them brave and experienced in war.
6 Then attack the nations of the west, because they refused to help me fight King Arphaxad.
7 Tell those nations that I am prepared to attack, and so they have no choice but to surrender. I will command my troops to invade every bit of their land and take everything of value.