שָׂחָה (sa.chah)
sa.chah
to swim
H:VQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:V
Word Overview
The Hebrew verb sa.chah means simply to swim. It appears only once in the entire Old Testament, found in Isaiah 25:11. In this context, it describes the action of sinking or submerging oneself in water, painting a vivid picture of total immersion.
While the basic meaning is physical swimming, the verse uses it metaphorically to describe a proud person being brought low. The imagery suggests someone who tries to stay above the surface but is instead pulled down into the depths. This single usage highlights how physical actions can powerfully illustrate spiritual states in biblical poetry.
The word’s rarity makes its occurrence stand out. It does not appear elsewhere in Scripture, so translators must rely on this specific context to determine its force. Here, it conveys a sense of defeat or being overwhelmed, contrasting with the stability expected of those who trust in God.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word sa.chah appears only once in Scripture, in Isaiah 25:11. It describes someone swimming or spreading out their hands to stay afloat. This rare verb paints a picture of total immersion, where pride is humbled and the self-effort to remain high is overcome by a deeper reality.
For your faith, this image reminds us that human striving often ends in exhaustion. When we try to maintain our status or control through our own strength, we may find ourselves sinking. The text suggests that true stability comes not from holding ourselves up, but from being brought low before God. His hand reaches out to meet us in our weakness.
This single occurrence invites you to release the need to prove yourself. Instead of striving for recognition or control, you can rest in the knowledge that God sees your efforts and offers a peace that surpasses understanding. Let go of the burden of self-sufficiency and trust in His sustaining grace.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- to/ swim1×
- <the>/ swimmer1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- לִ/שְׂח֑וֹת1×
- הַ/שֹּׂחֶ֖ה1×
Key Verses
-
Isaiah 25:11
He 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.
The verb sa.chah is used metaphorically here to show how pride, like a swimmer spreading hands to stay up, is ultimately humbled by God's action.