1 Raja-raja 20:10-12

20:10 Ben Hadad sent another message to him, “May the gods judge me severely ¹  if there is enough dirt left in Samaria for my soldiers to scoop up in their hands.” ²  20:11 The king of Israel replied, “Tell him the one who puts on his battle gear should not boast like one who is taking it off.” ³  20:12 When Ben Hadad received this reply, ⁴  he and the other kings were drinking in their quarters. ⁵  He ordered his servants, “Get ready to attack!” So they got ready to attack the city.

[20:10]  ¹ tn Heb “So may the gods do to me, and so may they add.”

[20:10]  ² tn Heb “if the dirt of Samaria suffices for the handfuls of all the people who are at my feet.”

[20:11]  ³ sn The point of the saying is that someone who is still preparing for a battle should not boast as if he has already won the battle. A modern parallel would be, “Don’t count your chickens before they’re hatched.”

[20:12]  ⁴ tn Heb “When he heard this word.”

[20:12]  ⁵ tn Heb “in the temporary shelters.” This is probably referring to tents.