IV. Now the children of Israel, that dwelt in Judea, heard all that Olofernes 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 afor they were newly returned from the captivity, and all the people * of Judea were lately gathered together: and the vessels, and bthe altar, and bthe house, were sanctified after the profanation. 4 Therefore they sent into all the coasts of cSamaria, and the villages, and to dBethoron, and Belmen, and Jericho, and to eChoba, and Esora, and to the valley of fSalem: 5 and gpossessed 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 htheir fields were of late reaped. 6 Also iJoacim the high priest, which was in those days in Jerusalem, wrote to them that dwelt in jBethulia, and kBetomestham, which is over against * Esdraelon toward the * open country near to lDothaim, 7 charging them to keep mthe passages of the hill 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 iJoacim 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 nfervency, and with great nvehemency did they humble their souls: 10 both they, and their wives, and their children, and their cattle, and every stranger and hireling, and their servants bought with money, oput sackcloth upon their loins. 11 Thus every man and woman, and the little children, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, pfell before the temple, and qcast ashes upon their heads, and rspread 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 sfor 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 tlooked upon their afflictions: for the people fasted many days in all Judea and Jerusalem ubefore the sanctuary of the Lord vAlmighty. 14 And iJoacim the high priest, and all the priests that stood before the Lord, and they which ministered unto the Lord, ohad their loins girt with sackcloth, and woffered the daily burnt offerings, with the vows and free gifts of the people, 15 and qhad ashes on their xmitres, and cried unto the Lord with all their power, that he would look upon all the house of Israel graciously.