He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city.
He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty - than a mighty here. The very reverse of the estimate formed by men of the slow to anger, and of mighty heroes respectively.
And he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city. For the war is a more severe one which is waged with one's own passions than that which we wage with others. He who conquers himself is of use to himself, and injures none; whereas a mighty hero conquers with much bloodshed. The mighty hero conquers by the hand of others; he that is slow to anger conquers in himself, and by himself; and conquers not only men (as the mighty hero), but also "the rulers of the darkness of this world" (Ephesians 6:12).