Acts 27:25-44
I have faith <4100> [I believe.]
some <5100> [a certain.]
fourteenth <5065> [the fourteenth.]
Adriatic Sea <99> [Adria.]
Adria strictly speaking, was the name of the Adriatic gulf, now the Gulf of Venice, an arm of the Mediterranean, about 400 miles long and 140 broad, stretching along the eastern shores of Italy on one side, and Dalmatia, Sclavonia, and Macedonia on the other. But the term Adria was extended far beyond the limits of this gulf, and appears to have been given to an indeterminate extent of sea, as we say, generally, the Levant. It is observable, that the sacred historian does not say "in the Adriatic gulf," but "in Adria," (that is, the Adriatic sea, [Adrias <\\See definition 99\\>] being understood;) which, says Hesychius, was the same as the Ionian sea; and Strabo says that the Ionian gulf "is a part of that now called the Adriatic." But not only the Ionian, but even the Sicilian sea, and part of that which washes Crete, were called the Adriatic. Thus the scholiast on Dionysius Periegetis says, "they call this Sicilian sea Adria." And Ptolemy says that Sicily was bounded on the east by the Adriatic, [hupo <\\See definition 5259\\> Adrias <\\See definition 99\\>,] and that Crete was bounded on the west by the Adriatic sea, [hupo <\\See definition 5259\\> tou <\\See definition 5120\\> Adriatikos pelagos <\\See definition 3989\\>.]
sailors <3492> [the shipmen.]
we would run aground <1601> [fallen.]
anchors <45> [anchors.]
wished <2172> [and wished.]
ship's boat <4627> [the boat.]
bow <4408> [foreship.]
said <2036> [said.]
<3362> [Except.]
<891> [while.]
Today <4594> [This.]
for this .... for .... For <1063 5124 4314> [for this.]
for .... For <1063 4314 4098> [for there.]
gave thanks <2168> [and gave.]
in front of <1799> [in.]
all ... them <846 3956> [they all.]
<1250> [two.]
persons <5590> [souls.]
they lightened <2893> [they lightened.]
wheat <4621> [The wheat.]
The Romans imported corn from Egypt, by way of Alexandria, to which this ship belonged; for a curious account of which see Bryant's treatise on the Euroclydon.
slipped <4014> [taken up, etc. or, cut the anchors, they left them in the sea, etc.]
linkage ..... steering oars <4079 2202> [the rudder bands.]
Or, "the bands of the rudders;" for large vessels in ancient times had two or more rudders, which were fastened to the ship by means of bands, or chains, by which they were hoisted out of the water when incapable of being used. These bands being loosed, the rudders would fall into their proper places, and serve to steer the vessel into the creek, which they had in view, and hoisted.
ran .... aground <2027> [they ran.]
was being broken up <3089> [broken.]
wanting <1014> [willing.]
brought safely <1295> [that.]
land <1093> [land.]
Melita, now Malta, the island on which Paul and his companions were cast, is situate in the Mediterranean sea, about fifty miles from the coast of Sicily, towards Africa; and is one immense rock of soft white free-stone, twenty miles long, twelve in its greatest breadth, and sixty in circumference. Some, however, with the learned Jacob Bryant, are of opinion that this island was Melita in the Adriatic gulf, near Illyricum; but it may be sufficient to observe, that the course of the Alexandrian ship, first to Syracuse and then to Rhegium, proves that it was the present Malta, as the proper course from the Illyrian Melita would have been first to Rhegium, before it reached Syracuse, to which indeed it need not have gone at all.
