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.

And the king of Israel answering, said: Tell him: Let not the girded boast himself as the ungirded.

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.'

And the king of Israel said in answer, Say to him, The time for loud talk is not when a man is putting on his arms, but when he is taking them off.

And responding, the king of Israel said, "Tell him that one who is girded should not boast the same as one who is ungirded."

Ahab's reply has the air of a proverb, with which Orientals always love to answer a foe.

Let 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.

And the king of Israel answered and said, Tell [him], Let not him that girdeth on [his harness] boast himself as he that (f) putteth it off.
(f) Do not boast before the victory is won.

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.

Ahab answered this loud boasting with the proverb: "Let not him that girdeth himself boast as he that looseneth the girdle," equivalent to the Latin, ne triumphum canas ante victoriam.

Let not him, &c. - Do not triumph before the victory, for the events of war are uncertain.