2 Kings 10:4
New International Version
But they were terrified and said, “If two kings could not resist him, how can we?”

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?”

English Standard Version
But they were exceedingly afraid and said, “Behold, the two kings could not stand before him. How then can we stand?”

Berean Standard Bible
But they were terrified and reasoned, “If two kings could not stand against him, how can we?”

King James Bible
But they were exceedingly afraid, and said, Behold, two kings stood not 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 American Standard Bible
But they feared greatly and said, “Behold, the two kings did not stand firm before him; how then can we stand?”

NASB 1995
But they feared greatly and said, “Behold, the two kings did not stand before him; how then can we stand?”

NASB 1977
But they feared greatly and said, “Behold, the two kings did not stand before him; how then can we 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?”

Amplified Bible
But they were extremely afraid and said, “Look, the two kings did not stand before Jehu; so how can we stand?”

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

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

American Standard Version
But they were exceedingly afraid, and said, Behold, the two kings stood not before him: how then shall we stand?

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
And they were very afraid when they heard, and they said: “Behold, two Kings have not stood before him! How shall we stand before him?”

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And they feared greatly, and said, Behold, two kings stood not before him: and how shall 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."

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?

English Revised Version
But they were exceedingly afraid, and said, Behold, the two kings stood not before him: how then shall we stand?

GOD'S WORD® Translation
But they panicked. They said, "If two kings couldn't stand up to him, how can we stand up to 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?"

International Standard Version
But they were too terrified, and so they told one another, "Look! Two previous kings couldn't stand up to Jehu, so how can we?"

JPS Tanakh 1917
But they were exceedingly afraid, and said: 'Behold, the two kings stood not before him; how then shall we stand?'

Literal Standard Version
And they fear very greatly, and say, “Behold, the two kings have not stood before him, and how do we stand—we?”

Majority Standard Bible
But they were terrified and reasoned, “If two kings could not stand against him, how can we?”

New American Bible
They were overcome with fright and said, “If the two kings could not withstand him, how can we?”

NET Bible
They were absolutely terrified and said, "Look, two kings could not stop him! How can we?"

New Revised Standard Version
But they were utterly terrified and said, “Look, two kings could not withstand him; how then can we stand?”

New Heart English Bible
But they were exceedingly afraid, and said, "Look, the two kings did not 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?”

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?'

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Jehu Slaughters Ahab's Family
3select the best and most worthy son of your master, set him on his father’s throne, and fight for your master’s house.” 4But they were terrified and reasoned, “If two kings could not stand against him, how can we?” 5So the palace administrator, 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 say. We will not make anyone king. Do whatever is good in your sight.”…

Cross References
2 Kings 9:24
Then Jehu drew his bow and shot Joram between the shoulders. The arrow pierced his heart, and he slumped down in his chariot.

2 Kings 9:27
When King Ahaziah of Judah saw this, he fled up the road toward Beth-haggan. And Jehu pursued him, shouting, "Shoot him too!" So they shot Ahaziah in his chariot on the Ascent of Gur, near Ibleam, and he fled to Megiddo and died there.

2 Kings 10:3
select the best and most worthy son of your master, set him on his father's throne, and fight for your master's house."


Treasury of Scripture

But they were exceedingly afraid, and said, Behold, two kings stood not before him: how then shall we stand?

behold

2 Kings 9:24,27
And Jehu drew a bow with his full strength, and smote Jehoram between his arms, and the arrow went out at his heart, and he sunk down in his chariot…

how then shall

Isaiah 27:4
Fury is not in me: who would set the briers and thorns against me in battle? I would go through them, I would burn them together.

Jeremiah 49:19
Behold, he shall come up like a lion from the swelling of Jordan against the habitation of the strong: but I will suddenly make him run away from her: and who is a chosen man, that I may appoint over her? for who is like me? and who will appoint me the time? and who is that shepherd that will stand before me?

Nahum 1:6
Who can stand before his indignation? and who can abide in the fierceness of his anger? his fury is poured out like fire, and the rocks are thrown down by him.

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2 Kings 10
1. Jehu, by his letters, causes seventy of Ahab's sons to be beheaded
8. He excuses the fact by the prophecy of Elijah
12. At the shearing house he slays forty-two of Ahaziah's brothers
15. He takes Jehonadab into his company
18. By subtilty he destroys all the worshippers of Baal
29. Jehu follows Jeroboam's sins
32. Hazael oppresses Israel
34. Jehoahaz succeeds Jehu














(4) But they were exceedingly afraid.--Literally, And they feared mightily, mightily. (Comp. Genesis 7:19.)

Two kings.--Rather, the two kings. The word kings is emphatic.

Verse 4. - But they wore exceedingly afraid. They were men of peace, not men of war - accustomed to discharge the duties of judges and magistrates, not of commandants and generals. They could not count on the obedience even of the troops in Samaria, much less on that of any others who might be in garrison elsewhere. They would naturally have been afraid of taking up arms under almost any circumstances. What, however, caused them now such excessive fear was probably the tone which Jehu had adopted - his "scornful challenge," as it has been called. He evidently entertained no fear himself. He dared them to do that which he pretended to recommend them to do. They must have felt that he was laughing at them in his sleeve. And said, Behold, two kings stood not before him: how then shall we stand? The kings intended are Joram and Ahaziah, who had confronted Jehu, and had met their deaths. What were they that they should succeed where "two kings" had failed? The argument was fallacious, and a mere cloak for cowardice. The two kings had been taken by surprise, and treacherously murdered. Their fate could prove nothing concerning the probable issue of a civil war, had the "princes" ventured to commence it. It must be admitted, however, that the chance of success was but slight.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
But they were terrified
וַיִּֽרְאוּ֙ (way·yir·’ū)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 3372: To fear, to revere, caus, to frighten

and reasoned,
וַיֹּ֣אמְר֔וּ (way·yō·mə·rū)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 559: To utter, say

“If
הִנֵּה֙ (hin·nêh)
Interjection
Strong's 2009: Lo! behold!

two
שְׁנֵ֣י (šə·nê)
Number - mdc
Strong's 8147: Two (a cardinal number)

kings
הַמְּלָכִ֔ים (ham·mə·lā·ḵîm)
Article | Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 4428: A king

could not
לֹ֥א (lō)
Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808: Not, no

stand
עָמְד֖וּ (‘ā·mə·ḏū)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural
Strong's 5975: To stand, in various relations

against him,
לְפָנָ֑יו (lə·p̄ā·nāw)
Preposition-l | Noun - common plural construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 6440: The face

how
וְאֵ֖יךְ (wə·’êḵ)
Conjunctive waw | Interjection
Strong's 349: How?, how!, where

can we?”
אֲנָֽחְנוּ׃ (’ă·nā·ḥə·nū)
Pronoun - first person common plural
Strong's 587: We


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OT History: 2 Kings 10:4 But they were exceedingly afraid and said (2Ki iiKi ii ki 2 kg 2kg)
2 Kings 10:3
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