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Ships

Sea Travel Among the Egyptians

Shipping nations. Egyptian ships early plied the Mediterranean Sea, and light-weight "vessels of bulrushes [papyrus]" (Isaiah 18:1, 2), were piloted by both Egyptians and Ethiopians on the Nile River. [Manners And Customs of Bible Lands]...

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Sea Travel Among the Phoenicians and Philistines

The Phoenicians were the most famous sea-merchants and travelers of ancient times. The ship in which Jonah took his voyage was no doubt navigated by these seamen (Jonah 1). The Islands of Crete and Cyprus became famous shipping centers, and the Philistines of old had their ships upon the waters of the Mediterranean. [Manners And Customs of Bible La...

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Sea Travel Among the Greeks and Romans

In New Testament times it was the Greeks and Romans who were especially noted for their shipping activities. [Manners And Customs of Bible Lands]...

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Sea Travel in Israel's History

But what about the Hebrews? Were they seamen? The patriarch Jacob made this prediction concerning the tribe of Zebulun: "He shall be for an haven of ships" (Genesis 49:13). But the Israel seacoast was not occupied at all times by the Hebrew people. Other nations became navigators, and for the most part the Jews probably contented themselves with o...

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Ship Oars and Sails

How ships were propelled. Two methods were used. Ships of war, although furnished with sails were propelled mainly by means of oars. Merchant vessels depended for the most part on sails, but many of the navigators resorted to oars when it became necessary. Thus the men who piloted Jonah's ship, which was a merchant ship, "rowed hard to bring it to ...

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Ship Travel Routes

Ship routes. It is important to remember that in Bible times, vessels that traveled in the Mediterranean Sea kept as close as possible to land. Thus the trade routes were along the coast or from one headland to another one. When the Apostle Paul was returning from one of his missionary journeys, he traveled by ship from Ephesus to Caesarea. His shi...

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Paul Traveling by Ship

The ship in which Paul was to sail for Rome got into difficulties because those in charge risked getting the ship to another harbor before winter set in. "And because the haven was not commodious to winter in, the more part advised to depart thence also, if by any means they might attain to Phenice, and there to winter" (Acts 27:12). The Psalmist h...

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