But if they refuse may be rendered more fully as “But if they refuse to surrender….”

Your eye shall not spare: This literal image is well covered by Good News Translation‘s simple command “do not spare them” or Contemporary English Version‘s “Show them no mercy.” There is irony in the image, however. It is used in the prophets, particularly Ezekiel (compare Ezek 5.11), to threaten the wrath of God. Here Nebuchadnezzar, the would-be god, is speaking.

You shall hand them over to slaughter and plunder: You shall hand them over to slaughter means “you shall kill them” or “you shall have your soldiers kill them.” Plunder (Good News Translation “loot”) means to “forcibly take the possessions of” (see 1.14).

Throughout your whole region is literally “in your whole land.” It is a strange expression, and some manuscripts say simply “the whole land.” But if the your is original, it can only mean “the entire region under your control,” as Good News Translation puts it.

An alternative translation model for this verse is:

• But if they resist, show them no mercy. Kill them and order your soldiers to take the possessions of all the people in the region that you control.

It is also possible to reorder the clauses in this verse as Contemporary English Version does:

• But destroy those nations that refuse to surrender. Show them no mercy and command your troops to take their possessions.

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.