In the Bible, ships are mentioned as significant means of transportation, trade, and warfare. They are often depicted in the context of ancient maritime activities, reflecting the importance of seafaring in biblical times.

Old Testament References

1. Trade and Commerce: Ships were crucial for trade, especially for the Israelites and their neighbors. King Solomon is noted for his fleet of ships. In 1 Kings 9:26-28, it is recorded that "King Solomon also built a fleet of ships at Ezion-geber, which is near Eloth on the shore of the Red Sea, in the land of Edom. And Hiram sent his servants, men who knew the sea, to serve in the fleet with Solomon’s servants. They sailed to Ophir and imported gold from there, bringing 420 talents back to King Solomon."

2. Symbol of Wealth and Power: Ships are often associated with wealth and power. In Isaiah 2:16, ships are mentioned in the context of human pride and the things that will be humbled before the Lord: "against every ship of Tarshish, and against every stately vessel."

3. Prophetic Imagery: The prophets used ships as symbols in their messages. Ezekiel 27 provides a lamentation over Tyre, likening the city to a majestic ship that will be destroyed: "Your oarsmen take you out to the high seas. But the east wind will break you to pieces in the heart of the sea" (Ezekiel 27:26).

New Testament References

1. Jesus and the Disciples: Ships are frequently mentioned in the Gospels, particularly in the ministry of Jesus. He often taught from a boat to address the crowds on the shore, as seen in Luke 5:3: "He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked him to put out a little from shore. Then He sat down and taught the people from the boat."

2. Miracles and Teachings: The calming of the storm is a significant event involving a ship, demonstrating Jesus' authority over nature. In Mark 4:39, it is written, "Then He got up and rebuked the wind and the sea. 'Silence!' He commanded. 'Be still!' And the wind died down, and it was perfectly calm."

3. Apostle Paul’s Journeys: Ships played a crucial role in the missionary journeys of the Apostle Paul. His travels across the Mediterranean are well-documented, including his shipwreck on the way to Rome. Acts 27:41 describes the shipwreck: "But the ship struck a sandbar and ran aground. The bow stuck fast and would not move, and the stern was being broken up by the pounding of the waves."

Cultural and Historical Context

In biblical times, ships were primarily constructed from wood and powered by sails and oars. The Mediterranean Sea was a major route for trade and travel, and cities like Tyre and Sidon were renowned for their maritime prowess. The "ships of Tarshish" mentioned in several passages (e.g., Isaiah 23:1) likely refer to large, ocean-going vessels used for long-distance trade.

Spiritual Symbolism

Ships in the Bible often symbolize the journey of faith, the church navigating through the world, and the protection and guidance of God amidst life's storms. The imagery of a ship can also represent the soul's voyage towards salvation, with Christ as the captain steering believers safely to their eternal destination.Ship

No one writer in the whole range of Greek and Roman literature has supplied us with so much information concerning the merchant-ships of the ancients as St. Luke in the narrative of St. Paul's voyage to Rome. Acts 27,28. It is important to remember that he accomplished it in three ships: first, the Adramyttian vessel which took him from Caesarea to Myra, and which was probably a coasting-vessel of no great size, (Acts 27:1-6) secondly, the large Alexandrian corn-ship, in which he was wrecked on the coast of Malta (Acts 27:6-28) :1; and thirdly, another large Alexandrian corn-ship, in which he sailed from Malta by Syracuse and Rhegium to Puteoli. (Acts 28:11-13)

1. Size of ancient ships . --The narrative which we take as our chief guide affords a good standard for estimating this. The ship, in which St. Paul was wrecked had persons on board, (Acts 27:37) besides a cargo of wheat, ibid. (Acts 27:10,38) and all these passengers seem to have been taken on to Puteoli in another ship, ibid, (Acts 28:11) which had its own crew and its own cargo. Now, in modern transport-ships, prepared far carrying troops, it is a common estimate to allow a toll and a half per man. On the whole, if we say that an ancient merchant-ship might range from 500 to 1000 tons, we are clearly within the mark.
2. Steering apparatus . --Some commentators have fallen into strange perplexities from observing that in (Acts 27:40) ("the fastenings of the rudders") St. Luke uses the plural. Ancient ships were in truth not steered at all by rudders fastened or hinged to the stern, but by means of two paddle-rudders one on each quarter, acting in a rowlock or through a port-hole as the vessel might be small or large.
3. Build and ornaments of the hull. --It is probable that there was no very marked difference between the bow and the stern. The "hold," (Jonah 1:5) would present no special peculiarities. That personification of ships which seems to be instinctive led the ancients to paint an eye on each side of the bow. Comp. (Acts 27:15) An ornament of the ship which took Paul from Malta to Pozzuoli is more explicitly referred to. The "sign" of that ship, (Acts 28:11) was Castor and Pollux; and the symbols of those heroes were doubtless painted or sculptured on each side of the bow.
4. Under-girders . --The imperfection of the build, and still more (see below, 6) the peculiarity of the rig, in ancient ships, resulted in a greater tendency than in our times to the starting of the pranks and consequently to leaking and foundering. Hence it was customary to take on board peculiar contrivances, suitable called helps," (Acts 27:17) as precautions against such dangers. These were simply cables or chains, which in case of necessity could be passed round the frame of the ship, at right angles to its length, and made tight.
5. Anchors. --Ancient anchors were similar in form to those which we use now. except that they were without flukes. The ship in which Paul was sailing had four anchors on board. The sailors on this occasion anchored by the stern. (Acts 27:29)
6. Masts, sails, ropes and yards . -The rig of an ancient ship was more simple and clumsy than that employed in modern times. Its great feature was one large mast, with one large square sail fastened to a yard of great length. Hence the strain upon the hull, and the danger of starting the planks, were greater than under the present system, which distributes the mechanical pressure more evenly over the whole ship. Not that there were never more masts than one, or more sails than one on the same mast, in an ancient merchantman; but these were repetitions, so to speak, of the same general unit of rig. Another feature of the ancient, as of the modern , feature of the ancient, as of ship is the flag at the top of the mast. Isai l.c., and (Isaiah 30:17) We must remember that the ancients had no compass, and very imperfect charts and instruments, if any at all.
7. Rate of sailing . --St. Paul's voyages furnish excellent data for approximately estimating this; and they are quite in harmony with what we learn from other sources. We must notice here, however--what commentators sometimes curiously forget-that winds are variable. That the voyage between Troas and Philippi, accomplished on one occasion, (Acts 16:11,12) in two days, occupied on another occasion, (Acts 20:6) five days. With a fair wind an ancient ship would sail fully seven knots an hour.
8. Sailing before the wind. --The rig which has been described is, like the rig of Chinese junks, peculiarly favorable to a quick run before the wind. (Acts 16:11; 27:16) It would, however, be a great mistake to suppose that ancient ships could not work to windward. The superior rig and build, however, of modern ships enable them to sail nearer to the wind than was the case in classical times. A modern ship, if the weather is not very boisterous, will sail within six points of the wind. To an ancient vessel, of which the hull was more clumsy and the yards could not be braced so tight, it would be safe to assign seven points as the limit. Boats on the Sea Of Galilee . --In the narrative of the call of the disciples to be "fishers of men," (Matthew 4:18-22; Mark 1:16,20; Luke 5:1-11) there is no special information concerning the characteristics of these. With the large population round the Lake of Tiberias, there must have been a vast number of both fighting-boats and pleasure-boats, and boat-building must have been an active trade on its shores.

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!

Acts 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, Ezekiel 27:1-36, as well as from numerous ancient historians. Though Joppa and in Christ's time Caesarea were Jewish ports, 2 Chronicles 2:18 Jonah 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, 1 Kings 9:26 10:22 22:49,50. Paul's graphic and faithful description of his voyage and shipwreck in Acts 27:1-44, discloses many of the peculiarities of ancient navigation. For the "ship of Tarshish," see TARSHISH.

1. (n.) Pay; reward.

2. (n.) Any large seagoing vessel.

3. (n.) Specifically, a vessel furnished with a bowsprit and three masts (a mainmast, a foremast, and a mizzenmast), each of which is composed of a lower mast, a topmast, and a topgallant mast, and square-rigged on all masts

4. (n.) A dish or utensil (originally fashioned like the hull of a ship) used to hold incense.

5. (v. t.) To put on board of a ship, or vessel of any kind, for transportation; to send by water.

6. (v. t.) By extension, in commercial usage, to commit to any conveyance for transportation to a distance; as, to ship freight by railroad.

7. (v. t.) Hence, to send away; to get rid of.

8. (v. t.) To engage or secure for service on board of a ship; as, to ship seamen.

9. (v. t.) To receive on board ship; as, to ship a sea.

10. (v. t.) To put in its place; as, to ship the tiller or rudder.

11. (v. i.) To engage to serve on board of a vessel; as, to ship on a man-of-war.

12. (v. i.) To embark on a ship.

13. (n.) A suffix denoting state, office, dignity, profession, or art; as in lordship, friendship, chancellorship, stewardship, horsemanship.

3491. naus -- a ship
... a ship. Part of Speech: Noun, Feminine Transliteration: naus Phonetic Spelling:
(nowce) Short Definition: a ship, vessel Definition: a ship, vessel. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/3491.htm - 6k

4403. prumna -- the stern (of a ship)
... the stern (of a ship). Part of Speech: Noun, Feminine Transliteration: prumna Phonetic
Spelling: (proom'-nah) Short Definition: the stern of a ship Definition ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/4403.htm - 6k

4408. prora -- the prow (of a ship)
... the prow (of a ship). Part of Speech: Noun, Feminine Transliteration: prora Phonetic
Spelling: (pro'-ra) Short Definition: the prow of a ship Definition: the ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/4408.htm - 6k

4358. prosormizo -- to bring (a ship) to anchor at
... to bring (a ship) to anchor at. Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: prosormizo
Phonetic Spelling: (pros-or-mid'-zo) Short Definition: I anchor at a place ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/4358.htm - 6k

1117. gomos -- a ship's freight, cargo
... a ship's freight, cargo. Part of Speech: Noun, Masculine Transliteration: gomos
Phonetic Spelling: (gom'-os) Short Definition: a cargo, freight Definition: a ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/1117.htm - 6k

3490. naukleros -- a shipowner, shipmaster
... shipmaster. Part of Speech: Noun, Masculine Transliteration: naukleros Phonetic
Spelling: (now'-klay-ros) Short Definition: a master of a ship Definition: a ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/3490.htm - 6k

4143. ploion -- a boat
... a boat. Part of Speech: Noun, Neuter Transliteration: ploion Phonetic Spelling:
(ploy'-on) Short Definition: a ship, vessel Definition: a ship, vessel, boat. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/4143.htm - 6k

501. antleo -- to bail out, draw water
... Word Origin from antlos (a ship's hold, bilge water in a ship's hold) Definition
to bail out, draw water NASB Word Usage draw (3), drawn (1). draw out water. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/501.htm - 6k

1546. ekbole -- a throwing out, ie spec. a throwing overboard (of ...
... ekbole Phonetic Spelling: (ek-bol-ay') Short Definition: a throwing out, a jettisoning
Definition: a throwing out, a jettisoning of cargo to lighten a ship. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/1546.htm - 6k

4142. ploiarion -- a little boat
... boat, small ship. Neuter of a presumed derivative of ploion; a boat -- boat, little
(small) ship. see GREEK ploion. (ploiaria) -- 2 Occurrences. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/4142.htm - 6k

5600. sephinah -- a vessel, ship
... 5599b, 5600. sephinah. 5601 . a vessel, ship. Transliteration: sephinah
Phonetic Spelling: (sef-ee-naw') Short Definition: ship. ...
/hebrew/5600.htm - 6k

591. oniyyah -- a ship
... oniyyah. 592 . a ship. Transliteration: oniyyah Phonetic Spelling: (on-ee-yaw')
Short Definition: ships. ... shipmen. Feminine of 'oniy; a ship -- ship((-men)). ...
/hebrew/591.htm - 6k

6716. tsiy -- a ship
... tsiy. 6716a . a ship. Transliteration: tsiy Phonetic Spelling: (tsee) Short
Definition: ship. ship From tsavah; a ship (as a fixture) -- ship. see HEBREW tsavah ...
/hebrew/6716.htm - 5k

6716a. tsi -- a ship
... tsi. 6716b . a ship. Transliteration: tsi Short Definition: ships. Word Origin
of foreign origin Definition a ship NASB Word Usage ship (1), ships (3). ...
/hebrew/6716a.htm - 5k

7914b. sekiyyah -- perhaps ship
... perhaps ship. Transliteration: sekiyyah Short Definition: craft. Word Origin from
the same as sekvi Definition perhaps ship NASB Word Usage craft (1). ...
/hebrew/7914b.htm - 5k

7227. rab -- much, many, great
... elder, enough, exceedingly, full, great(-ly, man, one), increase, long (enough,
(time)), (do, have) many(-ifold, things, a time), ((ship-))master, mighty, more ...
/hebrew/7227.htm - 6k

4945. mashqeh -- butler, cupbearer
... properly, causing to drink, ie A butler; by implication (intransitively), drink
(itself); figuratively, a well-watered region -- butler(-ship), cupbearer, drink ...
/hebrew/4945.htm - 5k

590. oni -- ships, a fleet
... galley, navy of ships. Probably from 'anah (in the sense of conveyance); -a ship
or (collectively)a fleet -- galley, navy (of ships). see HEBREW 'anah. ...
/hebrew/590.htm - 6k

7175. qeresh -- perhaps to tear down
... bench, board From an unused root meaning to split off; a slab or plank; by implication,
a deck of a ship -- bench, board. 7174b, 7175. qeresh. 7175a . ...
/hebrew/7175.htm - 5k

919. bedeq -- a fissure, rent, breach
... breach, caulker. From badaq; a gap or leak (in a building or a ship) -- breach, +
calker. see HEBREW badaq. 918, 919. bedeq. 920 . Strong's Numbers.
/hebrew/919.htm - 6k

Lines on "Kallihirua in the Ship"
... Lines on "Kallihirua in the Ship". Kalli was a twin. His father, whose grave
has ... the "Assistance"". KALLI IN THE SHIP. A frost, like ...
/.../murray/kalli the esquimaux christian /lines on kallihirua in the.htm

The Freighted Ship
... CHAPTER XVIII THE FREIGHTED SHIP. LET us think as we read the Master's words, if
we in our own hearts have known the joy the Lord had given to him? ...
/.../bevan/three friends of god/chapter xviii the freighted ship.htm

Her Majesty's Ship "Assistance"
... Her Majesty's Ship "Assistance". Erasmus Augustine York, whose native name
was Kallihirua, was brought to England on board Her Majesty's ...
/.../murray/kalli the esquimaux christian /her majestys ship assistance.htm

Certain Presbyters Burnt in a Ship by Order of Valens. Famine in ...
... Book IV. Chapter XVI."Certain Presbyters burnt in a Ship by Order of Valens.
Famine in Phrygia. Certain pious men of the clerical ...
/.../chapter xvi certain presbyters burnt in.htm

The Ship on Fire --A Voice of Warning
... The Ship on Fire"A Voice of Warning. A Sermon (No.550). Delivered on Sunday Evening,
November 8th, 1863, on the. burning of the Ship "Amazon," by the. Rev. ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 10 1864/the ship on firea voice.htm

Jesus Asleep on a Pillow"And He was in the Hinder Part of the Ship ...
... JESUS ASLEEP ON A PILLOW"And He was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a
pillow: and they awake Him, and say unto Him, Master, carest Thou not that we ...
//christianbookshelf.org/spurgeon/till he come/jesus asleep on a pillowand.htm

Of the Words which were Spoken Out of the Ship on the Subject of ...
... The Prologue. Chapter XLI."Of the Words Which Were Spoken Out of the
Ship on the Subject of the Sower... Chapter XLI."Of the ...
/.../augustine/the harmony of the gospels/chapter xli of the words which.htm

Paul's Shipwreck
... We went on board a ship which was bound for the seaports of Asia Minor. ... There the
officer found a ship from Alexandria bound for Italy and put us on board. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/sherman/the childrens bible/pauls shipwreck.htm

The Fact of the Redeemer's Return is Illustrated in the Gospel ...
... after our Lord had fed the five thousand, He retired into a mountain while His
disciples went down unto the sea, and entering into a ship, they essayed to ...
//christianbookshelf.org/pink/the redeemers return/6 the fact of the.htm

Faith in the Sacred Scriptures.
... faith in that person himself. Let us illustrate. A ship is ready to sail,
but lacks a captain. Two men present themselves to the ...
/.../kuyper/the work of the holy spirit/xxxvii faith in the sacred.htm

Ship (122 Occurrences)
... 4. (n.) A dish or utensil (originally fashioned like the hull of a ship)
used to hold incense. 5. (vt) To put on board of a ship...
/s/ship.htm - 36k

Ship's (5 Occurrences)
... Multi-Version Concordance Ship's (5 Occurrences). ... Acts 27:19 On the third day, they
threw out the ship's tackle with their own hands. (WEB WEY NAS NIV). ...
/s/ship's.htm - 7k

Ship-boards (1 Occurrence)
Ship-boards. Ship, Ship-boards. Shiphi . Multi-Version Concordance
Ship-boards (1 Occurrence). Ezekiel 27:5 They have ...
/s/ship-boards.htm - 6k

Ship-master (2 Occurrences)
Ship-master. Shipmaster, Ship-master. Shipmasters . Multi-Version
Concordance Ship-master (2 Occurrences). Revelation ...
/s/ship-master.htm - 7k

Tarshish-ship (1 Occurrence)
Tarshish-ship. Tarshish-fleet, Tarshish-ship. Tarshish-ships .
Multi-Version Concordance Tarshish-ship (1 Occurrence). ...
/t/tarshish-ship.htm - 6k

Phoenix (2 Occurrences)
... The Alexandrian corn ship carrying Paul and the author of Acts, after it left Myra
in Lycia, was prevented by adverse winds from holding a straight course to ...
/p/phoenix.htm - 12k

Aboard (10 Occurrences)
... 1. (adv.) On board; into or within a ship or boat; hence, into or within a
railway car. ... 3. (prep.) On board of; as, to go aboard a ship. ...
/a/aboard.htm - 9k

Sailing (23 Occurrences)
... to Patara, (YLT). Acts 21:2 And finding a ship sailing over unto Phenicia,
we went aboard, and set forth. (KJV WBS). Acts 21:3 and ...
/s/sailing.htm - 13k

Shipwreck (3 Occurrences)
... 1. (n.) The breaking in pieces, or shattering, of a ship or other vessel by being
cast ashore or driven against rocks, shoals, etc., by the violence of the ...
/s/shipwreck.htm - 8k

Anchor (4 Occurrences)
... 1. (n.) A iron instrument which is attached to a ship by a cable (rope or chain),
and which, being cast overboard, lays hold of the earth by a fluke or hook ...
/a/anchor.htm - 9k

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