They sounded

(βολισαντες). First aorist active participle of βολιζω rare verb only here and in Eustathius who says it was familiar in ancient Greek. Apparently from βολις, a missile or dart, and so to throw down the lead into the sea, to heave the lead, to take soundings. The inscriptions give βολιμος for "leaden."Twenty fathoms

(οργυιας εικοσ). This old word, from ορεγω, to stretch, means the distance from one outstretched middle finger tip to the other likewise out-stretched.After a little space

(βραχυ διαστησαντες). Literally, "standing apart a little" (second aorist active participle of διιστημ), that is, the ship going a short distance further on. A ship today approaching St. Paul's Bay by the rocky point of Koura would pass first twenty, then fifteen fathoms (Furneaux).

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Old Testament