10:2a

So Adoni-zedek and his people were greatly alarmed: The words greatly alarmed refer to King Adoni-zedek. They indicate that the king was very afraid.

There is a textual issue here.

(1) The Hebrew Masoretic text and the Septuagint translation into Greek both read “they feared greatly.” For example:

he and his people were very much alarmed (New International Version)

(Berean Standard Bible, New International Version, NET Bible, New American Bible, Revised Edition, God’s Word, New Century Version, New Living Translation (2004), Good News Translation, Contemporary English Version, King James Version)

(2) Some ancient translations such as the Syriac read “he feared greatly.” For example:

he feared greatly (English Standard Version)

(English Standard Version, Revised Standard Version, New American Standard Bible, Tanakh: The Holy Scriptures, Revised English Bible)

It is recommended that you follow option (1). Usually we translate the Hebrew text unless it is very difficult. Your translation could say “they” or it could say “the king and his people.” Here is another way to translate this:

the people of Jerusalem were greatly alarmed (Good News Translation)

If you have translated 10:1 as an independent sentence, you may need to supply some implicit information here. For example, the New Living Translation (2004) supplies this information:

He and his people became very afraid when they heard all this (New Living Translation (2004))

10:2b

because: The word because introduces the reason why the king and his people were afraid.

Gibeon was a great city: In 9:17 it said that Gibeon was actually a group of four towns. The phrase a great city indicates that Gibeon was a large and important place.

Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:

a large city (NET Bible)
-or-
an important city (New International Version)

like one of the royal cities: The phrase like one of the royal cities indicates that Gibeon was equal in size and importance to the towns that had a king to rule them. Gibeon was ruled by an assembly of leaders and did not have a king.

Here is another way to translate this phrase:

as large as any of the cities that had a king (Good News Translation)

10:2c

it was: The words it was introduce a second reason why the king and his people were afraid.

and all its men were mighty: The clause all its men were mighty indicates that all the men of Ai were good at fighting.

Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:

all its men were warriors (NET Bible)
-or-
all its men were good fighters (New International Version)

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