14 Holofernes left and called together all the commanders and officers of the Assyrian army.
15 Just as Nebuchadnezzar had ordered, he chose 120,000 of the best foot soldiers and 12,000 cavalry troops who were experts with bows and arrows.
16 Holofernes prepared this army for war.
17 He took enough camels, donkeys, and mules to carry all the equipment, and he also took a large number of sheep, oxen, and goats for food.
18 Each soldier was given plenty food and water and was paid a huge amount of gold and silver from the royal treasury.
19 Holofernes and his army marched out with chariots, cavalry, and foot soldiers to invade the western nations, while King Nebuchadnezzar stayed in Nineveh.
20 Holofernes had more troops than could be counted; they were like a swarm of locusts or like grains of sand on the seashore.