SHIP

The ships of the ancients were very imperfect in comparison with modern ones. Navigators crept carefully along the shores, from one headland or prominent point to another, making a harbor if practicable every night; and when out of sight of land, being ignorant of the compass and quadrant, they guided their course by the sun and certain stars. Even in St. Paul’s time, vessels passing from Palestine to Italy, sometimes wintered on the way! Ac 27:12 28:11. The ancient ships were in general small, though a few large ships are on record. They were often highly ornamented both at the prow and the stern; and the figurehead or "sign," by which the vessel was known, was sometimes an image of its tutelar divinity. They were usually propelled by oars often in several "banks" or rows one above another, as well as by sails. In war, the galley tried to pierce and run down its antagonist. The Phoenicians were celebrated for their ships and their extensive commerce, as appears from Ezekiel’s description, Eze 27:1-36, as well as from numerous ancient historians. Though Joppa and in Christ’s time Caesarea were Jewish ports, 2Ch 2:18 Jon 1:3, yet the Jews were never a maritime people, and most of their foreign navigation would appear to have been carried on by the aid of Phoenicians, 1Ki 9:26 10:22 22:49,50. Paul’s graphic and faithful description of his voyage and shipwreck in Ac 27:1-44, discloses many of the peculiarities of ancient navigation. For the "ship of Tarshish," see TARSHISH.

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SHIP. → Built
* By Noah Ge 6:13-22
* By Solomon 1Ki 9:26; 2Ch 8:17
* By Jehoshaphat 1Ki 22:48; 2Ch 20:35,36
* Of gopher wood Ge 6:1,4
* Of fir wood Eze 27:5
* Of bulrushes Isa 18:2
* Sealed with pitch (tar?) Ge 6:15

→ Equipped with
* A helm Jas 3:4
* A rudder Ac 27:40
* Tackling Isa 33:23; Ac 27:19

→ Sails Isa 33:23; Ac 27:1,9,17,40 → Sails embroidered Eze 27:7 → Masts Isa 33:23; Eze 27:5 → Oars Jon 1:13; Mr 6:48 → Figurehead Ac 28:11 → An anchor Ac 27:29,30,40; Heb 6:19 → Lifeboats Ac 27:30,32 → Used in commerce Ac 21:3; 27:10 → Used in commerce
* With Tarshish 1Ki 22:48; Isa 60:9; Jon 1:3
* With Ophir 1Ki 10:11; 2Ch 8:18
* With Adramyttium Ac 27:2
* For passenger traffic Isa 60:9; Jon 1:3; Ac 20:13; 27:2,37; 28:11
* For ferriage 2Sa 19:18

→ Repaired by caulking Eze 27:9 → Wrecked at Ezion-geber 1Ki 22:48; 2Ch 20:35-37 → At Melita (Malta) Ac 27:14,44 → Warships used by Chittim Nu 24:24; Da 11:30 → See MARINERS

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ship. Ship, n. a vessel with three masts, square rigged

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Ship (?), n. [[AS. scipe.]] Pay; reward. In withholding or abridging of the ship or the hire or the wages of servants. Chaucer.