With verses 17-20 compare Isa 59.17 and Eph 6.14-17. In verses 18-20 various aspects of God’s revealed character (righteousness, justice, holiness, wrath) are compared to parts of a soldier’s equipment. This verse prefaces all that by comparing the Lord’s steadfast determination to a soldier’s armor.

The Lord will take his zeal as his whole armor: Good News Translation does not use the metaphor here. “Go into battle” establishes the military imagery that will follow, and “determined to defeat his enemies” translates take his zeal as his whole armor. (Zeal is determination.) However, in cultures where the metaphor of armor is understood, we may say something like “Eagerness [or, Zeal] will be like armor for the Lord.”

And will arm all creation to repel his enemies: Compare Jdg 5.20; Sir 39.28-31. This means that God will use the forces of nature to fight those who oppose him; they will be described in verses 21-23. As the Revised Standard Version footnote indicates, the verb translated repel (“drive back”) can also be translated “punish.” The Good News Translation translation has introduced the enemies in the preceding line, which makes it unnecessary to translate this Greek verb by any particular English verb; the idea is clearly understood from the context.

An alternative model for this verse is:

• Eagerness [or, Zeal] will be like armor for the Lord, and he will use all creation [or, all the things he has created] like a weapon to defeat his enemies.

Quoted with permission from Bullard, Roger A. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on The Wisdom of Solomon. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2004. For this and other handbooks for translators see here.