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, “Say to my lord the king, ‘Everything you demanded of your servant the first time, I will do, but this thing I cannot do.’” So the messengers left and took word back to him. 10Then Ben-hadad sent messengers to him and said, “May the gods punish me and do so severely if Samaria’s dust amounts to a handful for each of the people who follow me.” The king of Israel answered, “Say this: ‘Don’t let the one who puts on his armor boast like the one who takes it off.’” 12When Ben-hadad heard this response, while he and the kings were drinking in their quarters, he said to his servants, “Take your positions.” So they took their positions against the city. 13A prophet approached King Ahab of Israel and said, “This is what the Lord says: ‘Do you see this whole huge army? Watch, I am handing it over to you today so that you may know 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 6:8When the king of Aram was waging war against Israel, he conferred with his servants, “My camp will be at such and such a place.”
• 2 Kings 7:1Elisha replied, “Hear the word of the Lord! This is what the Lord says: ‘About this time tomorrow at Samaria’s gate, six quarts of fine flour will sell for a half ounce of silver and twelve quarts of barley will sell for a half ounce of silver.’”
• 2 Kings 13:23but the Lord was gracious to them, had compassion on them, and turned toward them because of his covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. He was not willing to destroy them. Even now he has not banished them from his presence.
• Isaiah 7:1This took place during the reign of Ahaz, son of Jotham, son of Uzziah king of Judah: Aram’s King Rezin and Israel’s King Pekah son of Remaliah went to fight against Jerusalem, but they were not able to conquer it.
• Ezekiel 20:14But I acted for the sake of my name, so that it would not be profaned in the eyes of the nations in whose sight I had brought them out.
• 1 Kings 20:28Then the man of God approached and said to the king of Israel, “This is what the Lord says: ‘Because the Arameans have said, “The Lord is a god of the mountains and not a god of the valleys,” I will hand over all this whole huge army to you. Then you will know that I am the Lord.’”
• 1 Kings 18:37Answer me, Lord! Answer me so that this people will know that you, the Lord, are God and that you have turned their hearts back.”
• Exodus 14:18The Egyptians will know that I am the Lord when I receive glory through Pharaoh, his chariots, and his horsemen.”
• Exodus 16:12“I have heard the complaints of the Israelites. Tell them: At twilight you will eat meat, and in the morning you will eat bread until you are full. Then you will know that I am the Lord your God.”
• Psalms 83:18May they know that you alone — whose name is the Lord — are the Most High over the whole earth.
• Isaiah 37:20Now, Lord our God, save us from his power so that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that you, Lord, are God — you alone.
• Ezekiel 6:7The slain will fall among you, and you will know that I am the Lord.
• Joel 3:17Then you will know that I am the Lord your God, who dwells in Zion, my holy mountain. Jerusalem will be holy, and foreigners will never overrun it again.

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