AND WHEN IT WAS DETERMINED THAT WE SHOULD SAIL INTO ITALY,.... The
chief city of which was Rome, the metropolis of the empire, where
Caesar had his palace, to whom the apostle had appealed; and his
voyage thither was determined by Festus, with the advice of Agrippa
and his council, pursuant to the a... [ Continue Reading ]
AND ENTERING INTO A SHIP OF ADRAMYTTIUM,.... Which was in the port of
Caesarea; for from thence they set sail to the place where this ship
was bound, which very likely was the place here mentioned; there was a
city of this name in Africa, and which was built upon the sea shore,
and is sometimes call... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE NEXT DAY WE TOUCHED AT SIDON,.... This was a famous city in
Phoenicia, upon the northern border of the land of Israel; it was a
maritime place, and noted for trade and navigation; Mela q calls it
rich Sidon, and the chief of the maritime cities; Jerom r calls it the
ancient city Sidon; and C... [ Continue Reading ]
AND WHEN WE HAD LAUNCHED FROM THENCE,.... From Sidon:
WE SAILED UNDER CYPRUS, BECAUSE THE WINDS WERE CONTRARY; that is, they
sailed below the island of Cyprus; of which see Acts 4:36 whereas if
the wind had been right for them, they would have sailed above the
island; leaving it on the right hand,... [ Continue Reading ]
AND WHEN WE HAD SAILED OVER THE SEA OF CILICIA AND PAMPHYLIA,.... For
these two seas joined, as Pliny says f, "mare Pamphylium Cilicio
jungitur", the Pamphylian sea is joined to the Cilician; and in
another place g he observes, that in the Pamphylian sea were islands
of no note, and in the Cilician... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THERE THE CENTURION FOUND A SHIP OF ALEXANDRIA,.... Alexandria was
the chief city in Egypt, built by Alexander the great, from whom it
took its name; it was situated near the sea, and had a famous haven or
port, which R. Benjamin n calls
הנמל של אלכסנדריאה, "the port of Alexandria"; from
hence... [ Continue Reading ]
AND WHEN WE HAD SAILED SLOWLY MANY DAYS,.... Because of contrary
winds, as in Acts 27:4 or else for want of wind, as some think; the
Syriac version renders it, "and because it sailed heavily"; that is,
the ship being loaden with goods:
AND SCARCE WERE COME OVER AGAINST CNIDUS; or "Gnidus", as it is... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HARDLY PASSING IT,.... That is, Salmone, with great difficulty,
because of the winds:
CAME UNTO A PLACE WHICH IS CALLED THE FAIR HAVENS; called by other
writers Cale Acte, or the fair shore, and is placed by Ptolomy c in
Eubaea, and by Herodotus d in Sicily; but by Stephanus e is said to be
a c... [ Continue Reading ]
NOW WHEN MUCH TIME WAS SPENT,.... In sailing against the wind, or by
staying at the Fair Havens; for so the Syriac version renders it,
"where we stayed a long time"; and the Ethiopic version, "and there we
remained many days": it follows,
AND WHEN SAILING WAS NOW DANGEROUS, BECAUSE THE FAST WAS NOW... [ Continue Reading ]
AND SAID UNTO THEM, SIRS, I PERCEIVE,.... Not only by the tempestuous
weather which they had met with, and still continued, and which they
must expect to have, if they continued on their voyage; but by a
spirit of prophecy, which he was endued with, by which he foresaw, and
so foretold, as follows;... [ Continue Reading ]
NEVERTHELESS THE CENTURION BELIEVED THE MASTER AND THE OWNER OF THE
SHIP,.... Who were either one and the same person, or if two persons,
the one was the owner, whose the ship was, and the other, he that was
at the helm, and steered and directed it; or the one might be the
captain, and the other the... [ Continue Reading ]
AND BECAUSE THE HAVEN WAS NOT COMMODIOUS TO WINTER IN,.... Which was
called the "Fair Havens", Acts 27:8 which name it might have by an
antiphrasis, it being just the reverse; it might be a good summer
haven, but not be fit for winter: perhaps it might be an open road or
bay, and having nothing to s... [ Continue Reading ]
AND WHEN THE SOUTH WIND BLEW SOFTLY,.... Or moderately, which was a
good wind for them:
SUPPOSING THAT THEY, HAD OBTAINED THEIR PURPOSE; that things would
succeed according to their wish, and favour their design:
LOOSING THENCE; from the Fair Havens; the Vulgate Latin and Ethiopic
versions render... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT NOT LONG AFTER,.... They had not been long at sea, but
THERE AROSE AGAINST IT; the ship, or the island of Crete, or both:
A TEMPESTUOUS WIND, CALLED EUROCLYDON; in the Greek text it is a
"Typhonic" wind, so called, not from the name of a country from whence
it blew; rather from Typho, the same... [ Continue Reading ]
AND WHEN THE SHIP WAS CAUGHT,.... By the wind, snatched up by it, and
forcibly carried away:
AND COULD NOT BEAR UP INTO THE WIND; and against it, or look it in the
face, as the word signifies; could not ply to windward, the wind being
so high and the sea so strong:
WE LET HER DRIVE; about the sea,... [ Continue Reading ]
AND RUNNING UNDER A CERTAIN ISLAND,.... Or below a certain island and
hard by, it or under the sea shore of it, where the sea might be
smoother, the wind not being there so strong:
WHICH IS CALLED CLAUDA: by Ptolomy x it is called Claudus, and was
near the island of Crete, and now called Gozo. The... [ Continue Reading ]
WHICH WHEN THEY HAD TAKEN UP,.... When they had got the boat into the
ship:
THEY USED HELPS; the mariners made use of other persons, called in the
assistance of the soldiers, and passengers, and prisoners; or for the
help of the ship, they made use of cords, chains, and such like
things:
UNDERGIRD... [ Continue Reading ]
AND WE BEING EXCEEDINGLY TOSSED WITH A TEMPEST,.... Sometimes being
lifted up as it were to the heavens, and then presently sinking down,
as if they were going into the bottom of the sea; such a condition at
sea is described to the life by the Psalmist, in Psalms 107:25.
THE NEXT DAY THEY LIGHTENED... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE THIRD DAY,.... From the time this storm began, and this
tempestuous weather held:
WE CAST OUT WITH OUR OWN HANDS THE TACKLING OF THE SHIP; by which
seems to be meant their naval stores and instruments, as sails, ropes,
cables, anchors, c. and yet we afterwards read of their anchors and
main... [ Continue Reading ]
AND WHEN NEITHER SUN NOR STARS IN MANY DAYS APPEARED,.... The Syriac
version adds, "nor moon"; which is an usual description of dark,
cloudy, and tempestuous seasons; and which was not only uncomfortable
to them, because they could not see these luminaries, and enjoy their
beneficial light and influ... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT AFTER LONG ABSTINENCE,.... From food, not for want of it, as
appears from what follows, Acts 27:36 nor in a religious way, in order
to obtain the favour of God; but either for want of appetite, and a
nauseousness and loathing of food, through the tossing of the ship,
fright at the storm, and fea... [ Continue Reading ]
AND NOW I EXHORT YOU TO BE OF GOOD CHEER,.... To take heart and
courage, and not be cast down, though things had been thus with them,
and they were now in a very melancholy plight and condition.
FOR THERE SHALL BE NO LOSS OF ANY MAN'S LIFE AMONG YOU, BUT OF THE
SHIP; the ship will be lost, but not... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR THERE STOOD BY ME THIS NIGHT THE ANGEL OF GOD,.... One of the
ministering, spirits that stand before God, and who was sent by him to
the apostle; and appeared to him, either in a vision by a dream, or
rather when he was awake, and stood by him, as he was praying for
deliverance from the storm; f... [ Continue Reading ]
SAYING, FEAR NOT, PAUL,.... For though the apostle knew and believed
he should go to Rome, and appear before Caesar, to whom he had
appealed, and where he should bear a testimony for Christ; and though
he had previous notice of this storm, and of the loss and damage which
should be sustained, and wh... [ Continue Reading ]
WHEREFORE, SIRS, BE OF GOOD CHEER,.... Which he repeats with more
fervency and earnestness, there being so much reason for it:
FOR I BELIEVE GOD, THAT IT SHALL BE EVEN AS IT WAS TOLD ME: true faith
lays hold and, settles upon the word and promises of God; and the true
believer, knowing his power an... [ Continue Reading ]
HOWBEIT, WE MUST BE CAST UPON A CERTAIN ISLAND. This circumstance is
foretold, that when the whole affair should come to pass, it might be
manifest that it was not a casual thing, a fortuitous event, a
business of chance, but was predetermined by God, made known to the
apostle, and predicted by him.... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT WHEN THE FOURTEENTH NIGHT WAS COME,.... From their setting out
from the Fair Havens in Crete, or from the beginning of the storm:
AS THEY WERE DRIVEN UP AND DOWN IN ADRIA: or "in the Adriatic sea", as
the Syriac version renders it: the Adriatic sea is now called by the
Turks the gulf of Venice,... [ Continue Reading ]
AND SOUNDED,.... Or let down their plummet, or sounding line; which
was a line with a piece of lead at the end of it, which they let down
into the water, and by that means found what depth it was, by which
they could judge whether they were near land or not. The sounding
line, with the ancients, was... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN FEARING LEST THEY SHOULD HAVE FALLEN UPON ROCKS,.... Or rough
places, as shelves, rocks, or sands, as they might well fear, when the
water shallowed so fast, from 20 to 15 fathoms:
THEY CAST FOUR ANCHORS OUT OF THE STERN; or hinder part of the ship;
the Ethiopic version calls it, "the head of... [ Continue Reading ]
AND AS THE SHIPMEN WERE ABOUT TO FLEE OUT OF THE SHIP,.... To save
their lives, concluding that it was in the utmost danger, and that it
would quickly, notwithstanding the anchors cast out, break away, and
fall upon the rocks, and split to pieces:
WHEN THEY HAD LET DOWN THE BOAT INTO THE SEA; which... [ Continue Reading ]
PAUL SAID TO THE CENTURION, AND TO THE SOLDIERS,.... He did not direct
his speech to the governor and owner of the ship, who very likely,
being sensible of the danger, were in the scheme with the mariners,
and at the head of them; but to Julius the centurion, and the soldiers
under him, who having n... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN THE SOLDIERS CUT OFF THE ROPES OF THE BOAT,.... With which it had
been fastened to the sides of the ship, and by which the mariners were
letting it down, in order to get into it, and go off:
AND LET HER FALL OFF; from the sides of the ship into the sea, and so
prevented the shipmen quitting th... [ Continue Reading ]
AND WHILE THE DAY WAS COMING ON,.... Between midnight and break of
day: Paul besought them all to take meat; to sit down and eat a meal
together:
SAYING, THIS DAY IS THE FOURTEENTH DAY THAT YE HAVE TARRIED; or have
been waiting for, or expecting; that is, as the Arabic version
expresses it, a shipw... [ Continue Reading ]
WHEREFORE I PRAY YOU TO TAKE SOME MEAT,.... To sit down composedly,
and eat meat cheerfully and freely:
FOR THIS IS FOR YOUR HEALTH; the Alexandrian copy reads, "for our
health"; it was for the health of them all, that they might be better
able to bear the shock and fatigue of the shipwreck, and be... [ Continue Reading ]
AND WHEN HE HAD THUS SPOKEN HE TOOK BREAD,.... A piece of bread, of
common bread, into his hands; for this could never be the eucharist,
or Lord's supper, which the apostle now celebrated, as some have
suggested, but such sort of bread that seafaring men commonly eat:
mention is before made of "meat... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN WERE THEY ALL OF GOOD CHEER,.... Encouraged by the apostle's
words and example:
AND THEY ALL TOOK SOME MEAT; and made a comfortable meal, which they
had not done for fourteen days past.... [ Continue Reading ]
AND WE WERE IN ALL IN THE SHIP,.... Reckoning the master and owner of
the ship, and the centurion and the soldiers, and the apostle and his
company, with whatsoever passengers there might be:
TWO HUNDRED AND THREESCORE AND SIXTEEN SOULS; the Alexandrian copy
reads, "two hundred seventy and five"; a... [ Continue Reading ]
AND WHEN THEY HAD EATEN ENOUGH,....] Were satisfied, having eaten a
full meal:
THEY LIGHTENED THE SHIP; of its burden, that it might the better carry
them to the shore, and that by the following method:
AND CAST OUT THE WHEAT INTO THE SEA; which seems to have been part of
the ship's provision; or... [ Continue Reading ]
AND WHEN IT WAS DAY THEY KNEW NOT THE LAND,.... What place it was, or
the name of it:
BUT THEY DISCOVERED A CERTAIN CREEK WITH A SHORE; a gulf or bay, with
a shore near it; the Ethiopic version explains it,
AN ARM OF THE SEA, where was a port, where they thought they could
secure themselves, or ge... [ Continue Reading ]
AND WHEN THEY HAD TAKEN UP THE ANCHORS,.... The four anchors they cast
out of the stern, Acts 27:29 or "when they had cut the anchors", as
the Syriac and Arabic versions render it; that is, had cut the cables
to which the anchors were fastened:
THEY COMMITTED THEMSELVES UNTO THE SEA; or left them,... [ Continue Reading ]
AND FALLING INTO A PLACE WHERE TWO SEAS MET,.... An "isthmus", on each
side of which the sea ran; and which the inhabitants of Malta, as Beza
says, show to this day, and call it, "la Cala de San Paulo", or the
Descent of Saint Paul. The meeting of these two seas might occasion a
great rippling in th... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE SOLDIERS' COUNSEL WAS TO KILL THE PRISONERS,.... Paul, and the
rest: this they had not only an inclination to, but they declared it,
and gave it as their opinion, and what they thought advisable to be
done directly:
LEST ANY OF THEM SHOULD SWIM OUT AND ESCAPE; and they should be
accountable... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT THE CENTURION, WILLING TO SAVE PAUL,.... Not only because he was a
Roman citizen, but because he perceived he was some extraordinary
person; and chiefly because he was moved there unto by a superior
influence, that Satan might not have his end; and that the will of God
might be fulfilled, that h... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE REST, SOME ON BOARDS,.... Doors, tables, planks, or any such
like things:
AND SOME ON BROKEN PIECES OF THE SHIP; or what came from it, as masts,
beams, c.
AND SO IT CAME TO PASS THAT THEY ESCAPED ALL SAFE TO LAND not one was
lost, as Paul had foretold. And so it will be with the saints aft... [ Continue Reading ]