7 Warn them that they must prepare their offerings of earth and water to show that they have surrendered unconditionally. I will make them feel the full force of my anger and completely destroy them. My armies will march over every foot of their land and plunder it as they go.
8 I will fill the valleys with their dead bodies and will choke up every stream and river with so many corpses that they will all overflow.
9 I will take captive all those who are left alive and carry them off to the ends of the earth.
10 “But you, Holofernes, are ordered to go ahead of me and occupy all their territories in advance. If they surrender to you, hold them for me until I come to punish them.
11 But if they resist, do not spare them. Kill them and loot the entire region under your control.
12 I have taken a solemn vow, and at the risk of my life and my royal power I am determined to do what I have vowed to do.
13 Do not disobey me in any way. I am your king; remember that, and carry out without delay every order that I have given you.”