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 Ahab told the messengers from Ben-hadad, “Say this to my lord the king: ‘I will give you everything you asked for the first time, but I cannot accept this last demand of yours.’” So the messengers returned to Ben-hadad with that response. 10Then Ben-hadad sent this message to Ahab: “May the gods strike me and even kill me if there remains enough dust from Samaria to provide even a handful for each of my soldiers.” The king of Israel sent back this answer: “A warrior putting on his sword for battle should not boast like a warrior who has already won.” 12Ahab’s reply reached Ben-hadad and the other kings as they were drinking in their tents. “Prepare to attack!” Ben-hadad commanded his officers. So they prepared to attack the city. 13Then a certain prophet came to see King Ahab of Israel and told him, “This is what the Lord says: Do you see all these enemy forces? Today I will hand them all over to you. Then you will 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 at war with Israel, he would confer with his officers and say, “We will mobilize our forces at such and such a place.”
• 2 Kings 7:1Elisha replied, “Listen to this message from the Lord! This is what the Lord says: By this time tomorrow in the markets of Samaria, six quarts of choice flour will cost only one piece of silver, and twelve quarts of barley grain will cost only one piece of silver.”
• 2 Kings 13:23But the Lord was gracious and merciful to the people of Israel, and they were not totally destroyed. He pitied them because of his covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. And to this day he still has not completely destroyed them or banished them from his presence.
• Isaiah 7:1When Ahaz, son of Jotham and grandson of Uzziah, was king of Judah, King Rezin of Syria and Pekah son of Remaliah, the king of Israel, set out to attack Jerusalem. However, they were unable to carry out their plan.
• Ezekiel 20:14But again I held back in order to protect the honor of my name before the nations who had seen my power in bringing Israel out of Egypt.
• 1 Kings 20:28Then the man of God went to the king of Israel and said, “This is what the Lord says: The Arameans have said, ‘The Lord is a god of the hills and not of the plains.’ So I will defeat this vast army for you. Then you will know that I am the Lord.”
• 1 Kings 18:37O Lord, answer me! Answer me so these people will know that you, O Lord, are God and that you have brought them back to yourself.”
• Exodus 14:18When my glory is displayed through them, all Egypt will see my glory and know that I am the Lord!”
• Exodus 16:12“I have heard the Israelites’ complaints. Now tell them, ‘In the evening you will have meat to eat, and in the morning you will have all the bread you want. Then you will know that I am the Lord your God.’”
• Psalms 83:18Then they will learn that you alone are called the Lord, that you alone are the Most High, supreme over all the earth.
• Isaiah 37:20Now, O Lord our God, rescue us from his power; then all the kingdoms of the earth will know that you alone, O Lord, are God.”
• Ezekiel 6:7The place will be littered with corpses, and you will know that I alone am the Lord.
• Joel 3:17“Then you will know that I, the Lord your God, live in Zion, my holy mountain. Jerusalem will be holy forever, and foreign armies will never conquer her 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