Original Word: שָׂחָה
Part of Speech: Verb
Transliteration: sachah
Pronunciation: sah-KHAH
Phonetic Spelling: (saw-khaw')
KJV: (make to) swim
NASB: swim, swimmer
Word Origin: [a primitive root]

1. to swim
2. causatively, to inundate

make to swim

A primitive root; to swim; causatively, to inundate -- (make to) swim.

Word Origin
a prim. root
Definition
to swim
NASB Translation
swim (2), swimmer (1).

[שָׂחָה] verb swim (Late Hebrew סָחוּ swimming; Targum סְחָא, Syriac swim, bathe, also סָחְיָא, סַחְיָנָא, שָׂחְיָנָא swimmer; Aph`el wash); —

Qal Participle + Infinitive construct כַּאֲשֶׁר יְפָרֵשׂ הַשּׂחֶה לִשְׂחוֺת Isaiah 25:11.

Hiph`il Imperfect1singular אַשְׂחֶה Psalm 6:7 I make my bed swim (with my tears; another view below שִׂיחַQal 1).

Root Idea and Imagery

שָׂחָה paints the picture of a body moving through or under liquid, whether by swimming, wading, or being submerged. In Hebrew thought, water is frequently a metaphor for overwhelming circumstances (Psalms 69:1-3; Jonah 2:3-6). The verb therefore carries connotations of exertion, struggle, and humbling dependence on forces greater than oneself.

Canonical Occurrences

1. Psalms 6:6 – David laments, “All night I flood my bed with weeping and drench my couch with tears.” The verb describes tears “making the bed swim,” turning private grief into a figurative sea in which the psalmist feels submerged.
2. Isaiah 25:11a – In the LORD’s judgment on Moab, “he will spread out his hands within it, as a swimmer spreads his hands to swim.”
3. Isaiah 25:11b – The same verse repeats the verb for emphasis, portraying futile thrashing against God’s decisive lowering of pride.

Exegetical Observations

Psalms 6:6 places שָׂחָה at the center of penitential lament. David is not merely sad; he is overwhelmed. The verb adds physicality to spiritual anguish, allowing worshipers to voice feelings of drowning in sorrow while still turning to God for mercy (Psalms 6:9).

In Isaiah 25, the imagery shifts from supplicant to adversary. Moab’s proud resistance is pictured as frantic swimming in a cesspool of judgment. Hands that once labored for self-exaltation now flail uselessly. The duplication of the verb intensifies the futility: no matter how vigorously one “swims,” God’s hand presses down (Isaiah 25:10).

Thus the verb operates on two poles—honest lament from the faithful and humiliating defeat of the wicked—both driving the reader toward humble reliance on the covenant LORD.

Theological Significance

1. Human Frailty before Divine Sovereignty: Whether a repentant king or a rebellious nation, all discover that self-effort cannot keep them afloat apart from God (Psalms 46:1-3; Isaiah 2:11).
2. Repentance and Restoration: David’s “swimming bed” becomes the prelude to answered prayer, modeling contrition that is met with divine acceptance (Psalms 6:9-10).
3. Judgment and Justice: Moab’s thrashing reveals that the same God who hears contrite tears also opposes the proud (James 4:6), fulfilling His promise to bring low every lofty thing (Isaiah 2:17).

Historical Background

Psalm 6 is traditionally linked to David’s early reign, a time marked by domestic and military turmoil. Ancient Near Eastern laments often used water imagery to portray distress; Scripture redeploys that motif, grounding it in covenant relationship.

Isaiah 25 forms part of an oracle (Isaiah 24–27) envisioning global judgment and eschatological salvation. Moab, occupying the high plateau east of the Dead Sea, epitomizes human arrogance. Their skill in irrigation and viticulture made “swimming” an apt satire: the very people confident in manipulating water are shown helpless within it.

Ministry Applications

• Pastoral Counseling: שָׂחָה validates believers who feel overwhelmed. It encourages honest expression of sorrow while guiding them to God’s deliverance (2 Corinthians 1:8-10).
• Preaching on Humility: Isaiah 25:11 warns against self-reliance, offering a vivid illustration when calling congregations to repent of pride (1 Peter 5:5-6).
• Worship and Liturgy: Incorporating Psalms 6 in corporate confession helps worshipers move from drowning grief to confident assurance that “the LORD has heard” (Psalms 6:9).
• Missions and Justice: The demise of Moab invites reflection on nations that exalt themselves today, reminding the Church to proclaim both mercy and impending judgment (Acts 17:30-31).

Christological Foreshadowing

Jesus Christ enters the waters of humiliation in His baptism and, ultimately, the flood of divine wrath on the cross (Luke 12:50). Yet He alone “walks on the sea” (Matthew 14:25), proving sovereign over the chaos that drowns humanity. All who trust in Him are lifted from overwhelming guilt into resurrection life (Romans 6:4).

Key Cross-References

• Psalms 69:1-2 – “Save me, O God, for the waters are up to my neck.”
• Jonah 2:3-6 – The prophet’s descent beneath the waves prefigures the plight expressed by שָׂחָה.
• Isaiah 43:2 – Divine promise to be present when “you pass through the waters.”
• James 4:6 – “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble,” summarizing the lesson of Isaiah 25:11.

Summary

שָׂחָה brings the reader face-to-face with moments when life feels like deep water—inescapable without divine aid. For the penitent, it is an invitation to pour out tears before the LORD who hears. For the proud, it is a warning that no amount of frantic effort can resist His judgment. In both cases, the verb directs attention away from human strength to the sovereign grace revealed most fully in Jesus Christ.

אַשְׂחֶ֣ה אשחה הַשֹּׂחֶ֖ה השחה לִשְׂח֑וֹת לשחות ’aś·ḥeh ’aśḥeh asCheh haś·śō·ḥeh hassoCheh haśśōḥeh liś·ḥō·wṯ lisChot liśḥōwṯInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts