Isaiah 25:11

11 They will spread out their hands in Mo'av, like a swimmer using his hands to tread water; but their pride will be humbled and sunk, no matter how clever the strokes of their hands.

Isaiah 25:11 Meaning and Commentary

Isaiah 25:11

And he shall spread forth his hands in the midst of them,
&c.] In the midst of Moab, in the midst of the enemies of the church of God; and so it denotes the utter destruction of them; for the spreading forth of the hands is to be understood of the Lord, that should do so: as he that swimmeth spreadeth forth [his hands] to swim;
signifying, that as he should exert the power of his might, in the midst of them, he should strike on both sides, as a swimmer does; and as easily and utterly destroy them as the swimmer parts the waters, and has the command of them; though some interpret this of Moab stretching out his hands as the swimmer, either in a way of submission and supplication, or as catching, as men drowning do, at anything, to save them. But the former sense agrees best with what follows: and he shall bring down their pride;
that is, God shall bring down the pride of Moab, which was notorious in them, and hateful to God, and was the cause of their ruin, ( Isaiah 16:6 ) with this compare the pride of the Romish antichrist, which God will humble, ( Revelation 17:7 Revelation 17:8 ) : together with the spoils of their hands;
which their hands are full of; and which they have spoiled or robbed others of; or, "with the wiles of their hands" ^F15, as some, which they had by craft and insidious methods taken from others; these shall be taken from them, and they be stripped of them; or the words may, be rendered, "with the elbows", or "armholes of his hands" ^F16; as the swimmer with his arms keeps the water under him, and himself above it, so the Lord with the strength of his arm would bring down and destroy those enemies of his.

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FOOTNOTES:

F15 (wydy twbra Me) "insidiis, vel cum insidiis manuum suarum", Montanus, Piscator.
F16 "Cum cubitis, vel axillis manuum suarum", Pagninus, Tigurine version; and Ben Melech, who mentions both senses.

Isaiah 25:11 In-Context

9 On that day they will say, "See! This is our God! We waited for him to save us. This is ADONAI ; we put our hope in him. We are full of joy, so glad he saved us!"

10 For on this mountain the hand of ADONAI will rest. But Mo'av will be trampled down where they are, like straw trampled into a pile of manure.

11 They will spread out their hands in Mo'av, like a swimmer using his hands to tread water; but their pride will be humbled and sunk, no matter how clever the strokes of their hands.

12 Your high, fortified walls he will level, strike to the ground, lay in the dust.