Thus he took possession of his cities, and came to Ecbatana: The connector Thus should be interpreted as “Then” (Good News Translation); after defeating Arphaxad’s army Nebuchadnezzar took possession of his cities. Good News Translation sees that this clarification is necessary, but it represents his cities by “all the towns in the land of Media” (similarly Contemporary English Version). This avoids another direct mention of Arphaxad who ruled Media. It might be more helpful for the reader if Ecbatana were to be identified not only as a “city,” but as the capital city (compare Tob 1.3). Good News Translation‘s calling the other settlements “towns” rather than cities helps the narrative progress from the outlying areas to the main thrust of the campaign. For comments on “towns” and cities, see Tob 1.2. More vivid ways to translate came to Ecbatana are “advanced against the city of Ecbatana” (Good News Translation) or “attacked the capital city of Ecbatana” (Contemporary English Version).

Captured its towers means that he “destroyed” them, as indicated by the final clause of the verse (see Contemporary English Version‘s model below).

Plundered its markets: Plundered here means to take all the possessions of the inhabitants by force.

Turned its beauty into shame: For the close connection of a city’s “ruin” with the idea of shame, compare Jer 9.19. On turning beauty into shame, compare 13.16, where Judith assures us that she has not been shamed. The idea here is that the city that was proud of its beauty has now become a city that can only be ashamed of its appearance. Good News Translation renders shame as “ruin.”

Contemporary English Version has an excellent model for this verse:

• After Nebuchadnezzar had captured every town in Media, he attacked the capital city of Ecbatana. He destroyed its guard towers, then stole everything of value from the marketplace and turned the proud city into a pile of ruins.

Quoted with permission from Bullard, Roger A. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on Judith. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2001. For this and other handbooks for translators see here.