Lectionary Calendar
Monday, November 24th, 2025
the Week of Christ the King / Proper 29 / Ordinary 34
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Read the Bible

New Living Translation

2 Kings 10:4

But they were paralyzed with fear and said, "We've seen that two kings couldn't stand against this man! What can we do?"

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

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

1 Ahab had seventy sons living in the city of Samaria. So Jehu wrote letters and sent them to Samaria, to the elders and officials of the city, and to the guardians of King Ahab's sons. He said, 2 "The king's sons are with you, and you have at your disposal chariots, horses, a fortified city, and weapons. As soon as you receive this letter, 3 select the best qualified of your master's sons to be your king, and prepare to fight for Ahab's dynasty." 4 But they were paralyzed with fear and said, "We've seen that two kings couldn't stand against this man! What can we do?" 5 So the palace and city administrators, together with the elders and the guardians of the king's sons, sent this message to Jehu: "We are your servants and will do anything you tell us. We will not make anyone king; do whatever you think is best." 6 Jehu responded with a second letter: "If you are on my side and are going to obey me, bring the heads of your master's sons to me at Jezreel by this time tomorrow." Now the seventy sons of the king were being cared for by the leaders of Samaria, where they had been raised since childhood. 7 When the letter arrived, the leaders killed all seventy of the king's sons. They placed their heads in baskets and presented them to Jehu at Jezreel. 8 A messenger went to Jehu and said, "They have brought the heads of the king's sons." So Jehu ordered, "Pile them in two heaps at the entrance of the city gate, and leave them there until morning." 9 In the morning he went out and spoke to the crowd that had gathered around them. "You are not to blame," he told them. "I am the one who conspired against my master and killed him. But who killed all these? 10 You can be sure that the message of the Lord that was spoken concerning Ahab's family will not fail. The Lord declared through his servant Elijah that this would happen."

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 coasts of Cyprus; they will oppress Assyria and afflict Eber, but they, too, will be utterly destroyed."
Isaiah 23:1
This message came to me concerning Tyre: Wail, you trading ships of Tarshish, for the harbor and houses of Tyre are gone! The rumors you heard in Cyprus are all true.
Isaiah 23:12
He says, "Never again will you rejoice, O daughter of Sidon, for you have been crushed. Even if you flee to Cyprus, you will find no rest."
Ezekiel 27:12
"Tarshish sent merchants to buy your wares in exchange for silver, iron, tin, and lead.
Ezekiel 27:25
The ships of Tarshish were your ocean caravans. Your island warehouse was filled to the brim!
Daniel 11:30
For warships from western coastlands will scare him off, and he will withdraw and return home. But he will vent his anger against the people of the holy covenant and reward those who forsake the 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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