1 Kings 20:11

1 Kings 20:11 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And the king of Israel answered and said, Tell him, Let not him that girdeth on his harness boast himself as he that putteth it off.
• New International Version (NIV)The king of Israel answered, “Tell him: ‘One who puts on his armor should not boast like one who takes it off.’ ”
• English Standard Version (ESV)And the king of Israel answered, "Tell him, 'Let not him who straps on his armor boast himself as he who takes it off.'"
• New King James Version (NKJV)So the king of Israel answered and said, “Tell him, ‘Let not the one who puts on his armor boast like the one who takes it off.’ ”

Context of 1 Kings 20:11

9So he said to Ben-hadad’s messengers, “Tell my lord the king, ‘Every demand you first sent to your servant I will do, but I cannot do this [additional] thing [as a condition of peace].’ ” And the messengers left; then they brought him word again. 10Ben-hadad sent word to him and said, “May the gods do so to me, and more also, if there is enough dust left of Samaria for handfuls for all the [armed] people who follow me.” The king of Israel answered, “Tell him, ‘A man who puts on [his armor to go to battle] should not boast like the man who takes it off [after the battle has been won].’ ” 12When Ben-hadad heard this message, as he and the kings were drinking in the temporary shelters, he said to his servants, “Station yourselves.” So they stationed themselves against the city [of Samaria]. 13Then a prophet approached Ahab king of Israel and said, “Thus says the Lord: ‘Have you seen all this great army? Behold, I will hand them over to you, and you shall know [without any doubt] that I am the Lord.’ ”

1 Kings 20:11 word by word

וַיַּ֤עַן מֶֽלֶךְ־יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ וַיֹּ֣אמֶר דַּבְּר֔וּ אַל־יִתְהַלֵּ֥ל חֹגֵ֖ר כִּמְפַתֵּֽחַ׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And the kingמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4428
• of Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3478
• answeredעָנָה‛ânâh · to answerH6030
• and saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• Tellדָבַרdâbar · to speak: speakH1696
• Let not him that girdethחָגַרchâgar · to girdH2296
• boastהָלַלhâlal · to boast: boastH1984
• himself as he that putteth it offפָּתַחpâthach · to openH6605

Cross-references for 1 Kings 20:11

• 2 Kings 6:8Now the king of Aram (Syria) was making war against Israel, and he consulted with his servants, saying, “My camp shall be in such and such a place.”
• 2 Kings 7:1Then Elisha said, “Hear the word of the Lord. Thus says the Lord, ‘Tomorrow about this time a measure of finely-milled flour will sell for a shekel, and two measures of barley for a shekel, at the gate of Samaria.’ ”
• 2 Kings 13:23But the Lord was gracious to them and had compassion on them and turned toward them for the sake of His covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and He was unwilling to destroy them, and did not cast them from His presence until now.
• Isaiah 7:1Now it came to pass in the days of Ahaz the son of Jotham, the son of Uzziah, king of Judah, that Rezin king of Aram (Syria) and Pekah the son of Remaliah, king of Israel, went up to Jerusalem to wage war against it, but they could not conquer it.
• Ezekiel 20:14But I acted for My Name’s sake, that it would not be profaned in the sight of the [pagan] nations in whose sight I had brought them out [of slavery].
• 1 Kings 20:28A man of God approached and said to the king of Israel, “Thus says the Lord, ‘Because the Arameans have said, “The Lord is a god of the hills, but He is not a god of the valleys,” I will give this great army into your hand, and you shall know [by experience] that I am the Lord.’ ”
• 1 Kings 18:37Answer me, O Lord, answer me, so that this people may know that You, O Lord, are God, and that You have turned their hearts back [to You].”
• Exodus 14:18And the Egyptians shall know [without any doubt] and acknowledge that I am the Lord, when I am glorified and honored through Pharaoh, through his war-chariots and his charioteers.”
• Exodus 16:12“I have heard the murmurings of the Israelites; speak to them, saying, ‘At twilight you shall eat meat, and in the morning you shall be filled with bread; and you shall know that I am the Lord your God.’ ”
• Psalms 83:18That they may know that You alone, whose name is the Lord, Are the Most High over all the earth.
• Isaiah 37:20Now, O Lord our God, save us from his hand so that all the kingdoms of the earth may know and fully realize that You alone, Lord, are God.”
• Ezekiel 6:7The slain will fall among you, then you shall know [without any doubt] that I am the Lord.
• Joel 3:17Then you will know and understand fully that I am the Lord your God, Dwelling in Zion, My holy mountain. Then Jerusalem will be holy, And strangers [who do not belong] will no longer pass through it.

Commentaries on 1 Kings 20:11

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 11Let not him that girdeth on - This was no doubt a proverbial mode of expression. Jonathan translates, "Tell him, Let not him who girds himself and goes down to the battle, boast as he who has conquered and returned from it.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 11Ahab‘s reply has the air of a proverb, with which Orientals always love to answer a foe.Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 10-11Ben-hadad’s third group gave an ultimatum: Surrender or die. His harsh threat to plunder Samaria was reinforced with a curse. This was a form of psychological warfare common in the ancient Near East (see 2 Kings 18:19–35). Ahab’s third response to Ben-hadad included wise sayings. The conflict's outcome was still uncertain.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2-122-12. Thus said Ben-hadad, Thy silver and thy gold is mine--To this message sent him during the siege, Ahab returned a tame and submissive answer, probably thinking it meant no more than an exaction of tribute. But the demand was repeated with greater insolence; and yet, from the abject character of Ahab, there is reason to believe he would have yielded to this arrogant claim also, had not the voice of his subjects been raised against it. Ben-hadad's…Read the comment

Topics related to 1 Kings 20:11

• Confidence
• False Confidence
• Pride
• Proverbs
• Sarcasm

In the dictionaries

• Israel
• Ahab
• Armour
• Mark
• Proverb
• Samaria
• Benhadad
• Games
• Israel, Kingdom of
• Samaria, City of

Commentaries on 1 Kings 20

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary