Isaiah 25 · Verse 11

Isaiah 25:11

And he shall spread forth his hands in the midst of them, as he that swimmeth spreadeth forth his hands to swim: and he shall bring down their pride together with the spoils of their hands.
Isaiah 25:11, King James Version

Isaiah 25:11 in other translations

BSBHe will spread out his hands within it, as a swimmer spreads his arms to swim. His pride will be brought low, despite the skill of his hands.
WEBHe will spread out his hands in the middle of it, like one who swims spreads out hands to swim, but his pride will be humbled together with the craft of his hands.
ASVAnd he shall spread forth his hands in the midst thereof, as he that swimmeth spreadeth forth his hands to swim; but Jehovah will lay low his pride together with the craft of his hands.
YLTAnd he spread out his hands in its midst, As spread out doth the swimmer to swim; And He hath humbled his excellency With the machinations of his hands.
DARBYand he shall spread forth his hands in the midst of them, as he that swimmeth spreadeth them forth to swim; and he shall bring down their pride together with the plots of their hands.
BBEAnd if he puts out his hands, like a man stretching out his hands in swimming, the Lord will make low his pride, however expert his designs.
WebsterAnd he will spread forth his hands in the midst of them, as he that swimmeth spreadeth forth his hands to swim: and he will bring down their pride together with the spoils of their hands.

What does Isaiah 25:11 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
11. he--Jehovah shall spread His hands to strike the foe on this side and on that, with as little effort as a swimmer spreads forth his arms to cleave a passage through the water [Calvin]. (Zec 5:3). Lowth takes "he" as Moab, who, in danger of sinking, shall strain every nerve to save himself; but Jehovah (and "he") shall cause him to sink ("bring down the pride" of Moab, Is 16:6). with the spoils of ... hands--literally, "the craftily acquired spoils" of his (Moab's) hands [Barnes]. Moab's pride, as well as the sudden gripe of his hands (namely, whereby he tries to save himself from drowning) [Lowth]. "Together with the joints of his hands," that is, though Moab struggle against Jehovah hand and foot [Maurer].

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 11 As he that swimmeth spreadeth forth his hands to swim "As he that sinketh stretcheth out his hands to swim" - There is great obscurity in this place: some understand God as the agent; others, Moab. I have chosen the latter sense, as I cannot conceive that the stretching out of the hands of a swimmer in swimming can be any illustration of the action of God stretching out his hands over Moab to destroy it. I take השחה hashshocheh, altering the point on the ש sin. on the authority of the Septuagint, to be the participle of שחה shachah, the same with שוח shuach, and שחח shachach, to bow down, to be depressed; and that the prophet designed a paronomasia here, a figure which he frequently uses between the similar words שהח shachah, and שחות shechoth. As תחתיו tachtaiv, in his place, or on the spot, as we say in the preceding verse, gives us an idea of the sudden and complete destruction of Moab; so בקרבו bekirbo, in the midst of him, means that this destruction shall be open, and exposed to the view of all: the neighboring nations shall plainly see him struggling against it, as a man in the midst of the deep waters exerts all his efforts by swimming, to save himself from drowning. - L.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Isaiah 25:9-12

With joy and praise will those entertain the glad tidings of the Redeemer, who looked for him; and with a triumphant song will glorified saints enter into the joy of their Lord. And it is not in vain to wait for him; for the mercy comes at last, with abundant recompence for the delay. The hands once stretched out upon the cross, to make way for our salvation, will at length be stretched forth to destroy all…

Read the full comment on Isaiah 25:9-12 →

Isaiah 25:11 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וּפֵרַ֤שׂu.fe.Rasand it will spread outH6566
יָדָיו֙ya.Davhands itsH3027
בְּקִרְבּ֔וֹbe.kir.Boin midst itsH7130
כַּאֲשֶׁ֛רka.'a.Sherjust asH834
יְפָרֵ֥שׂye.fa.Reshe spreads [them] outH6566
הַשֹּׂחֶ֖הha.so.Cheh<the> swimmerH7811
לִשְׂח֑וֹתlis.Chotto swimH7811
וְהִשְׁפִּיל֙ve.hish.Piland he will bring lowH8213
גַּֽאֲוָת֔וֹga.'a.va.Tohaughtiness itsH1346
עִ֖ם'imwithH5973
אָרְבּ֥וֹת'a.re.Bot[the] tricks ofH698
יָדָֽיו\׃ya.Davhands itsH3027

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Isaiah 25:11

  • Isaiah 16:6

    We have heard of the pride of Moab; he is very proud: even of his haughtiness, and his pride, and his wrath: but his lies shall not be so.

  • Isaiah 5:25

    Therefore is the anger of the Lord kindled against his people, and he hath stretched forth his hand against them, and hath smitten them: and the hills did tremble, and their carcases were torn in the midst of the streets. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still.

  • Isaiah 14:26

    This is the purpose that is purposed upon the whole earth: and this is the hand that is stretched out upon all the nations.

  • Isaiah 2:11

    The lofty looks of man shall be humbled, and the haughtiness of men shall be bowed down, and the Lord alone shall be exalted in that day.

  • Isaiah 16:14

    But now the Lord hath spoken, saying, Within three years, as the years of an hireling, and the glory of Moab shall be contemned, with all that great multitude; and the remnant shall be very small and feeble.

  • Isaiah 65:2

    I have spread out my hands all the day unto a rebellious people, which walketh in a way that was not good, after their own thoughts;

  • Jeremiah 50:31-32

    Behold, I am against thee, O thou most proud, saith the Lord God of hosts: for thy day is come, the time that I will visit thee. And the most proud shall stumble and fall, and none shall raise him up: and I will kindle a fire in his cities, and it shall devour all round about him.

  • Daniel 4:37

    Now I Nebuchadnezzar praise and extol and honour the King of heaven, all whose works are truth, and his ways judgment: and those that walk in pride he is able to abase.

  • Jeremiah 48:42

    And Moab shall be destroyed from being a people, because he hath magnified himself against the Lord.

  • Jeremiah 51:44

    And I will punish Bel in Babylon, and I will bring forth out of his mouth that which he hath swallowed up: and the nations shall not flow together any more unto him: yea, the wall of Babylon shall fall.

  • James 4:6

    But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.

  • Colossians 2:15

    And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
he shall spread.
5:25; 14:26; 65:2; Col 2:15
he shall bring.
5; 2:11; 10:33; 13:11; 16:6; 53:12; Ps 2:5,8-12; 110:1-7
Jer 48:29,42; 50:31,32; 51:44; Da 4:37; Jas 4:6; Re 18:6-8
Re 19:18-20

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Isaiah 25:10

    For in this mountain shall the hand of the Lord rest, and Moab shall be trodden down under him, even as straw is trodden down for the dunghill.

  • Isaiah 25:11

    And he shall spread forth his hands in the midst of them, as he that swimmeth spreadeth forth his hands to swim: and he shall bring down their pride together with the spoils of their hands.

  • Isaiah 25:12

    And the fortress of the high fort of thy walls shall he bring down, lay low, and bring to the ground, even to the dust.

Read all of Isaiah 25

Isaiah 25:11 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y extenderá su mano por en medio de él, como la extiende el nadador para nadar: y abatirá su soberbia con los miembros de sus manos:
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		et il étendra ses mains au milieu de Moab comme celui qui nage les étend pour nager, et il abaissera son orgueil ainsi que les artifices de ses mains.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Und er wird seine Hände darin ausbreiten, wie der Schwimmer sie ausbreitet, um zu schwimmen; und er wird seinen Hochmut niederzwingen samt den Ränken seiner Hände.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Et extendet manus suas sub eo sicut extendit natans ad natandum; et humiliabit gloriam ejus cum allisione manuum ejus.