The orientals swam anciently in the manner their descendants swim, hand over hand. So the Assyrian sculptures represent swimmers. This illustrates Isa 25:11, "He shall spread forth His hands in the midst of them (the foes), as he that swimmeth spreadeth forth ... to swim" (compare Zec 5:3) the swimmer beating down with his hands, i.e. bringing down each hand forcibly.
And he will spread out his hands in the middle of it As a swimmer spreads out his hands to swim, But the Lord will lay low his pride together with the trickery of his hands.
Then he said to me, "This is the curse that is going forth over the face of the whole land; surely everyone who steals will be purged away according to the writing on one side, and everyone who swears will be purged away according to the writing on the other side.
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