Here the narrative slows. After the whirlwind conquest of nearly all the western region, the action slows to focus on a scene describing the submission of the Palestinian coastal towns mentioned in 2.28. Holofernes is still only a man of action; he still does not speak.

They sent messengers to sue for peace: The subject they needs to be identified here at the beginning of a new chapter. They are of course the towns named in 2.28. To sue for peace is a purpose clause, but in the Greek text it is literally “with peaceful words.” This phrase becomes a description of the messengers in Good News Translation: “a peace delegation.” But a serious problem with Good News Translation is that the delegation does not go to Nebuchadnezzar, who is still back in Nineveh. They go to Holofernes, whose army is their immediate threat. The translator would do well to specify to whom the envoys go, but it is Holofernes. Contemporary English Version is helpful with “So they sent messengers to Holofernes to say” (the content of the message appears in verses 2-4). Another model is “So they sent messengers to Holofernes to make peace with the Assyrians. They said….” Some translators will wish to connect this verse with the previous chapter. One way to do this is the following: “Everyone living along the Mediterranean coast was so terrified by Holofernes’ actions that they sent messengers to him….”

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.