6908. 'Not even by a strong hand' means that against them the power of those who belong to the spiritual Church will not be strong enough. This is clear from the meaning of 'hand' as power, dealt with in 878, 3387, 4931-4937, and therefore 'not by a strong hand' means power which will not be strong enough. The fact that these words are used to mean the power of those who belong to the spiritual Church is evident from those that immediately follow them, 'And I will stretch out My hand, and strike Egypt with all My wonders', meaning that they are to be overcome through power from the Divine and through the means used by that power.