The Meaning of 1 Kings 20:11 Explained

1 Kings 20:11

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.

YLT: And the king of Israel answereth and saith, 'Speak ye: let not him who is girding on boast himself as him who is loosing his armour.'

Darby: And the king of Israel answered and said, Tell him, Let not him that girdeth on boast himself as he that putteth off!

ASV: And the king of Israel answered and said, Tell him, Let not him that girdeth on his armor boast himself as he that putteth it off.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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. 

What does 1 Kings 20:11 Mean?

Context Summary

1 Kings 20:1-15 - Boasting Before The Battle
Ben-hadad's insolent demand indicated how low Israel had sunk. The worship of Jezebel's gods had wrought moral degeneracy. Let us never forget this lesson. When national religion fades and our churches are deserted; when the Bible loses place in education, and family prayer fades out of the home, dry-rot and decay eat away the strength of the national heart.
Ahab's answer was better than might have been expected from such a man, but it would have amounted to little beyond a stalwart boast if there had not been other influences at work on the behalf of the chosen race. It may be that at this crisis, ceaseless prayer was being offered in the schools of the prophets. Elijah, certainly, was not silent, but on mountain heights or by the Cherith brook, was no doubt pouring out his mighty soul. The advent of this prophet, 1 Kings 20:13, unasked, was a harbinger of good. Notice how God's loving-kindness follows us into a far country. See Ezekiel 36:32. He does not forget, but woos us back. His tools of help, however, are not what we should expect, but ever the weakest and least likely, that no flesh should glory, 1 Corinthians 1:27.
1 Kings 20:1-43 - A Prosperous Nation
What a picture is here given of national contentment and prosperity! We can almost hear the gladsome voice of the myriad-peopled land, teeming with young life and laden with golden harvests. It was the summer of their national existence. The sacred scribe enumerates first the high officials of the court, then the daily provision of the king, his studies, and his fame. Abundant proof was yielded by all these circumstances to the manner in which God kept the pledges which had been made to David, his father.
Here is Solomon "in all his glory," but as we turn from him to the lowly Carpenter of Nazareth, who had nowhere to lay His head; who found His friends among the poor; and who ultimately laid down His life a ransom for many, we realize that, even apart from His divine nature, His was the nobler ideal and the richer existence. "A greater than Solomon is here." Who can measure His empire or resources? What tongue can recount His wisdom? Happy and safe are they that sit at His table, hear His words, and are joint-heirs with Him in His Kingdom! Romans 8:17. [source]

Chapter Summary: 1 Kings 20

1  Ben-Hadad, not content with Ahab's homage, besieges Samaria
13  By the direction of a prophet, the Syrians are slain
22  As the prophet forewarned Ahab, the Syrians come against him in Aphek
28  By the word of the prophet, and God's judgment, the Syrians are smitten again
31  The Syrians submit; Ahab sends Ben-Hadad away with a covenant
35  The prophet, under the parable of a prisoner,
39  making Ahab judge himself, denounces God's judgment against him

What do the individual words in 1 Kings 20:11 mean?

So answered the king of Israel and said Tell [him] not let boast the one who puts on [his armor] like the one who takes [it off]
וַיַּ֤עַן מֶֽלֶךְ־ יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ וַיֹּ֣אמֶר דַּבְּר֔וּ אַל־ יִתְהַלֵּ֥ל חֹגֵ֖ר כִּמְפַתֵּֽחַ

וַיַּ֤עַן  So  answered 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: לְעַנּׄות 
Sense: to answer, respond, testify, speak, shout.
מֶֽלֶךְ־  the  king 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: מֶלֶךְ 
Sense: king.
יִשְׂרָאֵל֙  of  Israel 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יִשְׂרָאֵל  
Sense: the second name for Jacob given to him by God after his wrestling with the angel at Peniel.
וַיֹּ֣אמֶר  and  said 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
דַּבְּר֔וּ  Tell  [him] 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Imperative, masculine plural
Root: דָּבַר 
Sense: to speak, declare, converse, command, promise, warn, threaten, sing.
יִתְהַלֵּ֥ל  let  boast 
Parse: Verb, Hitpael, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: הָלַל 
Sense: to shine.
חֹגֵ֖ר  the  one  who  puts  on  [his  armor] 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: חָגַר  
Sense: to gird, gird on, gird oneself, put on a belt.
כִּמְפַתֵּֽחַ  like  the  one  who  takes  [it  off] 
Parse: Preposition-k, Verb, Piel, Participle, masculine singular
Root: פָּתַח 
Sense: to open.