1 Kings 20:11

11 The king of Israel answered, "Say this: 'Let not him who puts on his armor boast like the one who takes it off.' "

1 Kings 20:11 Meaning and Commentary

Ver. 11 And the king of Israel answered and said
Very mildly and very wisely:

tell him, let not him that girdeth on his harness boast himself as he
that putteth it off;
that is, he that prepares for the battle as he that has got the victory; the sense is, let no man triumph before the battle is over and the victory won; the events of war are uncertain; the battle is not always to the strong.

1 Kings 20:11 In-Context

9 So 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.

10 Then 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."

11 The king of Israel answered, "Say this: 'Let not him who puts on his armor boast like the one who takes it off.' "

12 When Ben-hadad heard this response, while he and the kings were drinking in the tents, he said to his servants, "Take [your] positions." So they took [their] positions against the city.

13 A prophet came to Ahab king of Israel and said, "This is what the Lord says: 'Do you see this entire immense horde? Watch, I am handing it over to you today so that you may know that I am the Lord.' "