And the king of Israel answered, “Tell him, ‘Let not him who straps on his armor boast himself as he who takes it off.’”
Ben-Hadad of Syria had surrounded Samaria and sent Ahab his demands. Ahab had already offered him everything he owned. Then the demands grew worse, and the king of Israel answered with one proverb about armour. The words are wiser than the man who spoke them, and the chapter that follows tests whether he believed them.
The saying itself
Picture a soldier putting on his armour before a battle, and taking it off after it. Only the second man has anything to boast about. One writer applies the line to Ruth, who kept working in the field until the day ended:
C. KnappShe made a good beginning, as many do. But, unlike most, she made just as good an ending. It is fairly easy to start, but very hard to keep going. "Let not him who straps on his armor boast himself as he who takes it off." That was a very good proverb, though spoken by a very bad king (1 Kings 20:11).
The man who spoke it
Ahab's boldness arrives late. He had already surrendered in principle, and only stiffened when his own people refused to go further. A study of the kings reads his collapse and his sudden courage as two sides of the same character:
C. KnappWhen the messengers came back with even ruder demands, the king would probably have accepted the humiliating terms. His bolder, more patriotic subjects advised against it, saying, "Do not listen or consent." A wicked man is never really anything but a weak man. Only "the righteous are bold as a lion," as the proverb says. When Ahab does refuse the Syrian king's demand — a demand no soldier should accept — he says, almost as an apology, "this thing I cannot do."
Courage without God
The reply is bold. But Ahab says nothing about God. One commentator follows his thinking and names what is missing:
H. L. RossierSo those who do not know God reason things out... There again, Ahab does not return to God; to him it is more important to call together and consult with the elders of the land. They are for resistance; he would accept the first terms and reject the second. At this answer Ben-Hadad's anger no longer knows any limits. Ahab replies with spirit: "Let not him who straps on his armor boast himself as he who takes it off" (v. 11), but he still does not take God into account.
Ahab against his own proverb
The armour did come off, and Ahab won. Then he broke his own rule. Instead of thanking God for the victory, he made a friend of God's enemy.
The Bible TreasuryAt first he gave in to Ben-Hadad like a slave. Later, with unusual spirit, he says, "Let not him who straps on his armor boast himself as he who takes it off." Then God showed His supremacy, in the plains as well as in the hills. For His own name's sake He gave Ahab victory over the Syrians, and so gave Israel another chance to return to His worship. Yet the wretched, blinded Ahab welcomes Ben-Hadad, embraces him, and claims kinship with Israel's foe — God's enemy! There is not even the appearance of thanks to God for His wonderful mercy and deliverance.
The boast belongs at the end
The proverb still speaks to anyone in the middle of a fight. One writer applies it to the Christian's daily battle, and points first to Christ's own victory:
The Christian's FriendThe Lord Jesus has gone through this scene before us. He has "plundered" the house of the enemy in triumph, and delivered his captives out of his hand... Whatever others may do, you must crush every movement of your own will that rises against your calling as a Christian. You do this by the power of the Spirit, as the Word teaches... The battle is not over yet, so to anyone who would boast, say, "Let not him who straps on his armor boast himself as he who takes it off."
A worked example
The pattern is not rare. One writer ends the story of a king who began far better than he finished:
The Christian's FriendHe began well. His beginning was very bright. Had he gone on in simplicity and in the energy of faith, what a different story would stand on record. Instead he came into port like a ship that had met a great hurricane — disabled and broken, without mast or sail. He could have come in with flags flying and all sail set.
Summary
- Armour on — the boast belongs to the man taking his armour off, not the man putting it on. Starting is easy; continuing is hard.
- Wrong mouth — a very good proverb from a very bad king. Ahab found courage only when his own people refused to surrender.
- No God in it — he answered Ben-Hadad with spirit, but he never took God into account.
- Armour off — victory came, and Ahab embraced God's enemy with no thanks to God. He broke his own rule.
- Still fighting — the battle is not over yet, so hand anyone tempted to boast Ahab's own words.