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Christian Standard Bible ®

2 Kings 10:4

However, they were terrified and reasoned, “Look, two kings couldn’t stand against him; how can we?”

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Ahab;   Children;   Enthusiasm;   Government;   Homicide;   Jehu;   Massacre;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Jezreel;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Ahab;   Jehu;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Jezreel;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Letter;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Jehu;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Jezreel ;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Jehu;  

Parallel Translations

Hebrew Names Version
But they were exceedingly afraid, and said, Behold, the two kings didn't stand before him: how then shall we stand?
King James Version
But they were exceedingly afraid, and said, Behold, two kings stood not before him: how then shall we stand?
English Standard Version
But they were exceedingly afraid and said, "Behold, the two kings could not stand before him. How then can we stand?"
New Century Version
But the officers and leaders of Jezreel were frightened. They said, "Two kings could not stand up to Jehu, so how can we?"
New English Translation
They were absolutely terrified and said, "Look, two kings could not stop him! How can we?"
Amplified Bible
But they were extremely afraid and said, "Look, the two kings did not stand before Jehu; so how can we stand?"
New American Standard Bible
But they feared greatly and said, "Behold, the two kings did not stand firm before him; how then can we stand?"
Geneva Bible (1587)
But they were exceedingly afraid, and saide, Behold two Kings coulde not stande before him, how shall we then stand?
Legacy Standard Bible
But they feared exceedingly greatly and said, "Behold, the two kings did not stand before him; how then can we stand?"
Contemporary English Version
The officials and leaders read the letters and were very frightened. They said to each other, "Jehu has already killed King Joram and King Ahaziah! We have to do what he says."
Complete Jewish Bible
They were panic-stricken and said, "If the other two kings couldn't withstand him, how will we?"
Darby Translation
And they were exceedingly afraid, and said, Behold, the two kings stood not before him; and how shall we stand?
Easy-to-Read Version
But the rulers and leaders of Jezreel were very afraid. They said, "The two kings could not stop Jehu. So we cannot stop him either!"
George Lamsa Translation
But when they heard the letter, they were exceedingly afraid and said, Behold, two kings could not stand before Jehu; how then shall we stand before him?
Good News Translation
The rulers of Samaria were terrified. "How can we oppose Jehu," they said, "when neither King Joram nor King Ahaziah could?"
Lexham English Bible
But they were very afraid, and they said, "Look, two kings could not stand before him; how can we stand?"
Literal Translation
And they were greatly afraid, and said, Behold, the two kings have not stood before him, and how shall we stand?
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Neuertheles they were sore afrayed, and sayde: Beholde, two kynges were not able to stonde before him, how wyl we then endure?
American Standard Version
But they were exceedingly afraid, and said, Behold, the two kings stood not before him: how then shall we stand?
Bible in Basic English
But they were full of fear, and said, The two kings have gone down before him: how may we keep our place?
Bishop's Bible (1568)
But they were exceedingly afrayde, & sayde: See, two kinges were not able to stande before him: howe shall we then be able to stande?
JPS Old Testament (1917)
But they were exceedingly afraid, and said: 'Behold, the two kings stood not before him; how then shall we stand?'
King James Version (1611)
But they were exceedingly afraid, and said, Behold, two kings stood not before him: how then shall we stand?
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And they feared greatly, and said, Behold, two kings stood not before him: and how shall we stand?
English Revised Version
But they were exceedingly afraid, and said, Behold, the two kings stood not before him: how then shall we stand?
Berean Standard Bible
But they were terrified and reasoned, "If two kings could not stand against him, how can we?"
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And thei dredden greetli, and seiden, Lo! twei kyngis myyten not stonde bifor hym, and how schulen we mowe ayenstonde hym?
Young's Literal Translation
And they fear very greatly, and say, `Lo, the two kings have not stood before him, and how do we stand -- we?'
Update Bible Version
But they were exceedingly afraid, and said, Look, the two kings didn't stand before him: how then shall we stand?
Webster's Bible Translation
But they were exceedingly afraid, and said, Behold, two kings stood not before him: how then shall we stand?
World English Bible
But they were exceedingly afraid, and said, Behold, the two kings didn't stand before him: how then shall we stand?
New King James Version
But they were exceedingly afraid, and said, "Look, two kings could not stand up to him; how then can we stand?"
New Living Translation
But they were paralyzed with fear and said, "We've seen that two kings couldn't stand against this man! What can we do?"
New Life Bible
But they were filled with fear, and said, "See, the two kings could not stand in front of him. How can we stand?"
New Revised Standard
But they were utterly terrified and said, "Look, two kings could not withstand him; how then can we stand?"
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Then feared they very greatly, and said, Lo! two kings, stood not before him; how then, should, we, stand?
Douay-Rheims Bible
But they were exceedingly afraid, and said: Behold two kings could not stand before him, and how shall we be able to resist?
Revised Standard Version
But they were exceedingly afraid, and said, "Behold, the two kings could not stand before him; how then can we stand?"
THE MESSAGE
They were absolutely terrified at the letter. They said, "Two kings have already been wiped out by him; what hope do we have?"
New American Standard Bible (1995)
But they feared greatly and said, "Behold, the two kings did not stand before him; how then can we stand?"

Contextual Overview

1Since Ahab had seventy sons in Samaria, Jehu wrote letters and sent them to Samaria to the rulers of Jezreel, to the elders, and to the guardians of Ahab’s sons, saying: 2Your master’s sons are with you, and you have chariots, horses, a fortified city, and weaponry, so when this letter arrives 3select the most qualified of your master’s sons, set him on his father’s throne, and fight for your master’s house. 4However, they were terrified and reasoned, “Look, two kings couldn’t stand against him; how can we?”5So the overseer of the palace, the overseer of the city, the elders, and the guardians sent a message to Jehu: “We are your servants, and we will do whatever you tell us. We will not make anyone king. Do whatever you think is right.” 6Then Jehu wrote them a second letter, saying: 7When the letter came to them, they took the king’s sons and slaughtered all seventy, put their heads in baskets, and sent them to Jehu at Jezreel. 8When the messenger came and told him, “They have brought the heads of the king’s sons,” the king said, “Pile them in two heaps at the entrance of the city gate until morning.” 9The next morning when he went out and stood at the gate, he said to all the people, “You are innocent. It was I who conspired against my master and killed him. But who struck down all these? 10Know, then, that not a word the Lord spoke against the house of Ahab will fail, for the Lord has done what he promised through his servant Elijah.”

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Behold: 2 Kings 9:24, 2 Kings 9:27

how then shall: Isaiah 27:4, Jeremiah 49:19, Nahum 1:6, Luke 14:31

Reciprocal: Job 41:8 - General Luke 14:32 - and desireth

Cross-References

Numbers 24:24
Ships will come from the coast of Kittim;they will carry out raids against Asshur and Eber,but they too will come to destruction.
Isaiah 23:1
A pronouncement concerning Tyre:
Isaiah 23:12
He said,“You will not celebrate anymore,ravished young woman, daughter of Sidon.Get up and cross over to Cyprus—even there you will have no rest!”
Ezekiel 27:12
“‘Tarshish was your trading partner because of your abundant wealth of every kind. They exchanged silver, iron, tin, and lead for your merchandise.
Ezekiel 27:25
Ships of Tarshish were the carriers for your goods.
Daniel 11:30
Ships of Kittim will come against him, and being intimidated, he will withdraw. Then he will rage against the holy covenant and take action. On his return, he will favor those who abandon the holy covenant.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

But they were exceedingly afraid,.... They were intimidated at once; for they saw the purport of those letters, that should they attempt anything of this kind, he would come upon them with his forces:

and said, behold, two kings stood not before him; the kings of Israel and Judah, Joram and Ahaziah; but they were unarmed, and therefore how should they stand before an armed body of men Jehu had with him? this shows the pusillanimity of these men to make use of such an argument as this:

how then shall we stand? that is, before Jehu; but they were in much better circumstances than the two kings, as they are truly represented in 2 Kings 10:2.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Two kings - literally, “the two kings,” i. e., Jehoram and Ahaziah 2 Kings 9:21-28.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 2 Kings 10:4. Two kings stood not before him — That is Joram and Ahaziah.


 
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