But they were exceedingly afraid, and said, “Behold, the two kings didn’t stand before him! How then shall we stand?”
Parallel Translations
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But they were exceedingly afraid, and said, “Behold, the two kings didn’t stand before him! How then shall we stand?”
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But they were exceedingly afraid, and said, Behold, two kings stood not before him: how then shall we stand?
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But they were exceedingly afraid, and said: 'Behold, the two kings stood not before him; how then shall we stand?'
Cross-references (6)
Passages linked to 2 Kings 10:4 in the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge, ordered by reader-vote popularity; verse text shown in World English Bible.
- 2 Kings 9:24 Jehu drew his bow with his full strength, and struck Joram between his arms; and the arrow went out at his heart, and he sunk down in his chariot.
- 2 Kings 9:27 But when Ahaziah the king of Judah saw this, he fled by the way of the garden house. Jehu followed after him, and said, “Strike him also in the chariot!” They struck him at the ascent of Gur, which is by Ibleam. He fled to Megiddo, and died there.
- Isaiah 27:4 Wrath is not in me, but if I should find briers and thorns, I would do battle! I would march on them and I would burn them together.
- Jeremiah 49:19 “Behold, he will come up like a lion from the pride of the Jordan against the strong habitation: for I will suddenly make them run away from it; and whoever is chosen, I will appoint him over it. For who is like me? Who will appoint me a time? Who is the shepherd who will stand before me?”
- Nahum 1:6 Who can stand before his indignation? Who can endure the fierceness of his anger? His wrath is poured out like fire, and the rocks are broken apart by him.
- Luke 14:31 Or what king, as he goes to encounter another king in war, will not sit down first and consider whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand?
Cross-references from openbible.info (CC BY 4.0)
Explain this verse (11 sources)
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John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain 2Ki 10:4 But they were exceedingly afraid, and said,…
2Ki 10:4 But they were exceedingly afraid, and said, Behold, two kings stood not before him: how then shall we stand?
Ver. 4. But they were exceedingly afraid.] Such was their pusillanimity and perfidy, that they yield upon a little entreaty, and betray their trust. But God had an overruling hand in it, for the rooting out of Ahab’s progeny.
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Behold, two kings, &c.: how then shall we stand?] Say we the same of God’s irresistible power. Ten thousand kings cannot stand before him; and how should we?
John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Matthew Poole 1685 · Public Domain All their power and interest, either in Jezreel, or…
All their power and interest, either in Jezreel, or in the army before or in Ramoth-gilead, could not hinder him from executing his design from killing the two kings, and from invading one of their kingdoms. It is true, he surprised the kings, which a little weakens their argument; but fear and self love made them easily yield to it.
Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
John Gill 1763 · Public Domain But they were exceedingly afraid,.... They were intimidated at…
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:
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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 Kg2 10:2.
John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
Adam Clarke 1810 · Public Domain Verse 4. Two kings stood not before him] That…
Verse 4. Two kings stood not before him] That is Joram and Ahaziah.
Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Joseph Benson 1811 · Public Domain 2Ki 10:4. Behold, two kings stood not before him…
2Ki 10:4. Behold, two kings stood not before him — All the power and interest of two kings, either in Jezreel or in the army, could not prevent his executing his design, his killing them both, and invading the kingdom of one of them. It is true, he surprised these kings, which considerably weakens their argument; but fear and self-love made them easily yield to it.
Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Albert Barnes 1834 · Public Domain Two kings - literally, “the two kings,” i. e.,…
Two kings - literally, “the two kings,” i. e., Jehoram and Ahaziah 2Ki 9:21-28.
Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Daniel D. Whedon 1874 · Public Domain 4. Two kings — Joram and Ahaziah.
4. Two kings — Joram and Ahaziah.
Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges 1878 · Public Domain 4. Behold, two kings stood not before him] Jehu’s…
4. Behold, two kings stood not before him] Jehu’s prompt action had prevented any details of what had been done from reaching Samaria. Perhaps had they known how the two kings had been taken by surprise and shot down as they were expecting to hear a message from the army, the elders of Samaria might have offered some resistance.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers 1878 · Public Domain (4) But they were exceedingly afraid.—Literally, And they feared…
(4) But they were exceedingly afraid.—Literally, And they feared mightily, mightily. (Comp. Gen_7:19.)
Two kings.—Rather, the two kings. The word kings is emphatic.
A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Pulpit Commentary 1880 · Public Domain But they wore exceedingly afraid. They were men of…
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.
The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
unfoldingWord translationNotes 2017 · CC BY-SA 4.0 But they were terrified
But they were terrified
"Then they were very afraid"
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the two kings
"two kings, Joram and Ahaziah"
could not stand before Jehu
Here "stand" means to be able to endure under trouble. AT: "could not endure against Jehu" or "could not resist Jehu"
So how can we stand?
The descendants use the rhetorical question to imply that they cannot stand against Jehu. AT: "We cannot stand against him either!" or "We cannot resist him either!" (See: Rhetorical Question)
the man who was over the city
"the mayor of the city." Here to be "over" something means to have authority and responsibility over it. AT: "the man who was in charge of the city"
they who raised the children
This refers to the people who raised the king's children. AT: "they who raised the king's children" (See: Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information)
Do what is good in your eyes
Here Jehu's "eyes" refer to his "sight." His "sight" refers to what he thinks. AT: "Do what you judge to be right" or "Do whatever you think is the best" (See: Metaphor)
translationWords
king
raise
servant
command
unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.