The Meaning of Isaiah 25:11 Explained

Isaiah 25:11

KJV: 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.

YLT: And 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.

Darby: and 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.

ASV: And 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.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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. 

What does Isaiah 25:11 Mean?

Context Summary

Isaiah 25:1-12 - Sorrow Turned To Gladness
Here is a song of thanksgiving at the fall of Babylon. When she fell, a sigh of relief passed over the whole world, and strong, terrible nations over which she had exerted her tyranny gratefully recognized the goodness and righteousness of Jehovah. We may anticipate, as we read these glowing words, what that song will be when the spirited Babylon is overthrown, Revelation 19:1-7.
Notice how God suits Himself to our need, whether for strength, or refuge, or shadow. Take from Him what you are needing most. As the cloud draws its veil over the burning sunshine to mitigate its heat, so does God interpose to reduce the sufferings of His own. The branch, that is, the exulting song of the terrible ones, their song of triumph, shall be hushed. From Isaiah 25:6 we learn that the hunger of man for God can only be satisfied in Jesus; and from Isaiah 25:7, that the dread of death and the hereafter, which has lain heavily on humanity as a pall shall be forever ended, when Jesus comes the second time unto salvation. Compare 1 Corinthians 15:54. God will not only wipe tears from our eyes but the fountains of tears shall be dried up, Revelation 21:4. [source]

Chapter Summary: Isaiah 25

1  Song of Praise for God's Favor

What do the individual words in Isaiah 25:11 mean?

And He will spread out His hands in their midst as reaches out a swimmer to swim and He will bring down their pride Together with the trickery of their hands
וּפֵרַ֤שׂ יָדָיו֙ בְּקִרְבּ֔וֹ כַּאֲשֶׁ֛ר יְפָרֵ֥שׂ הַשֹּׂחֶ֖ה לִשְׂח֑וֹת וְהִשְׁפִּיל֙ גַּֽאֲוָת֔וֹ עִ֖ם אָרְבּ֥וֹת יָדָֽיו

וּפֵרַ֤שׂ  And  He  will  spread  out 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Piel, Conjunctive perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: פָּרַשׂ  
Sense: to spread, spread out, stretch, break in pieces.
יָדָיו֙  His  hands 
Parse: Noun, fdc, third person masculine singular
Root: יָד  
Sense: hand.
בְּקִרְבּ֔וֹ  in  their  midst 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: קֶרֶב  
Sense: midst, among, inner part, middle.
יְפָרֵ֥שׂ  reaches  out 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: פָּרַשׂ  
Sense: to spread, spread out, stretch, break in pieces.
הַשֹּׂחֶ֖ה  a  swimmer 
Parse: Article, Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: שָׂחָה  
Sense: to swim.
לִשְׂח֑וֹת  to  swim 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: שָׂחָה  
Sense: to swim.
וְהִשְׁפִּיל֙  and  He  will  bring  down 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hifil, Conjunctive perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: שָׁפֵל  
Sense: to be or become low, sink, be humbled, be abased.
גַּֽאֲוָת֔וֹ  their  pride 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: גַּאֲוָה  
Sense: pride, majesty, a rising up.
עִ֖ם  Together  with 
Parse: Preposition
Root: עִם  
Sense: with.
אָרְבּ֥וֹת  the  trickery 
Parse: Noun, feminine plural construct
Root: אָרְבָּה  
Sense: artifice, deceit, trick.
יָדָֽיו  of  their  hands 
Parse: Noun, fdc, third person masculine singular
Root: יָד  
Sense: hand.