1 Kings 20:11

11 The king of Israel answered and said, "Tell [him], 'Let not him who girds on his armor boast as one who takes off his armor.'"

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 the messengers of Ben-Hadad, "Say to my lord the king, 'All that you demanded from your servant at the first, I will do, but this thing I am not able to do.'" Then the messengers went and {made a report to him}.

10 Then Ben-Hadad sent to him and said, "Thus may the gods do to me and thus may they add if the dust of Samaria is sufficient for the hollow of a hand for all of the people who are at my feet."

11 The king of Israel answered and said, "Tell [him], 'Let not him who girds on his armor boast as one who takes off his armor.'"

12 It happened at the moment he heard this word, he and the kings [were] drinking in the {tents}. He said to his servants, "Get ready [to attack]." So they got ready [to attack] the city.

13 Suddenly a certain prophet approached Ahab king of Israel and said, "Thus says Yahweh: 'Have you seen all this great crowd? Behold, I [am] giving it into your hand today, that you may know that I [am] Yahweh.'"