Fair Ha'vens (KaXoi Aiiiiver), a harbor in the islan<l of Crete (Acts xxvii, 8), not mentioned in any other ancient writing. There seems no pro^Jability that it is, as most carh' conynentators thought (sec Biscoe, On the Acts, p. 347, ed. 1829), the KaXi) 'Aktii, or Fair Beach, of Steph. Byz. (see Kuinol, Comment.
in loc.) ; for that is said to be a citj', whereas Fair Ha- vens is described as "a place near to which was a city called Lasffia." Moreover, Mr. I'ashlej- found (^Trav- els in Crete, ii, 57) a district called Acie ; and it is most likel}' that KaXij 'Aktii was situated there ; but that district is in the west of the island, whereas Fair Ha- vens was on the south. Its position is now quite cer- tain. Though not mentioned by classical writers, it is still known b}' the old Greek name, as it was in the time of Kauwolf (who calls it Caiismcne'), Pococke (ii, 250), and other early travellers mentioned by Mr. Smith (lo^. and iShij^wr. of at. Paul, 2d ed. p. 80-82). Lasjea, too, has recently been most explicitlv discov- ered. In fact, Fair Havens appears to have been, practicalh' its harbor. These places are situated four or five miles to the east of Cape Matala, which is the most conspicuous headland on the south coast of Crete, and immediately to tlie west of which the coast trends suddenly to the north. This last circumstance ex- plains why the ship which conveyed Paul was brought to anchor in Fair Havens. In consequence of violent and continuing north-west winds she had been unable to hold on her course towards Italy from Cnidus (Acts xxvii, 7), and had ran down, by Salmone, under the lee of Crete. It was possible to reach Fair Havens; but beyond Cape Matala the difficulty would have re- curred so long as the wind remained in the same quarter. A considerable delaj' took place (ver, 9), during which it is possible that Paul may have had opportunities of preaching the Gospel at Lassea, or even at Gortyna, where Jews resided (1 Mace, xv, 23), and which was not far distant ; but all this is con- jectural. A consultation took place, at which it was decided, against the apostle's advice, to make an at- tempt to reach a good harbor named Phenice (ver. 12). However, the south wind, which sprang up af- terwards (ver. 13), proved delusive ; and the vessel was caught bj^ a hurricane [see Euroclydon] on her wa_v towards Phenice, and ultimatelj' wrecked. — Smith, s. V. See SiiiPWKECK {of Paul). The name of the place is appropriate. It is shut in on the west by a bold headland, on the summit of which are the ruins of an ancient convent dedicated to St. Paul. On the south it is sheltered by two little islands ; and between these and the shore is a safe anchorage. The road- stead, however, is open to the sea, and we can thus sec the truth of Luke's statement that it was " incom- modious to winter in" (JirtviiToi^ ~pog -izapaxitjiaalav, ver. 12; see Smith, p. 256; Conybeare and Ilowson, Life and Epistles. of St. Paul, ii, 320). Sec Crete.
Fairs (D'^3'l3]r", Izzehonim' ; Sept. oyopf(,Vulg. mmw- dina>,foriini), a word which occurs onlj' in Ezek. xxvii, and there no less than seven times (ver. 12, 14. 16, 19, 22, 27, 33) : in the last of these verses it is rendered " wares," and this appears to be the true meaning of the word throughout (so Fiirst, lleh. Ilandah. s. v. ; but Gesenius, Ileh. Lex. s. v., thinks it means traffic in general, and s\so r/ains). It will be observed that the word stands in some sort of relation to 2"^"^, maarah', throughout the v.holc of the chapter, the latter word also occurring seven times, and translated sometimes " market" (ver. 13, 17, 19), and elsewhere "merchan- dise" (ver. 0, 27, 33, 34). The woi-ds arc used alter- nately, and represent the alternations of commercial business in which the merchants of Tyre were en- gaged. That the first of these words cannot signify "fairs" is evident from ver. 12 ; for the inhabitants of Tarshish did not visit Tyre, but vice versa. Let the reader substitute " paid" or " exchanged for thy wares" for "occupied in thy fairs," and the sense is much improved. The relation Avhich this term bears to maarab, which _properh' means barter, appears to be pretty much the same as exists between exports and imports. The sense of izzabon ('ISJ"' t^e presumed sing, form) thus becomes essentially that proposed by
FAIRS
451
FAITH
Gousset (Commenfarii Ling. Hebr. p. 594) and adopted by Htivernick (Coinmenfca: p. 4G4), namely, exchange, or eqniruknt. The i-equirenients of the Tyrians them- selves, such as slaves (ver. 13), wheat (ver. 17), steel (ver. 19), were a matter of nuiarah ; but where the business consisted in the exchange of Tj'rian waves for foreign productions, it is specified in this form : "Tarshish jyaid for thy wares with silver, iron, tin, and lead" (see Hitzig, Commentar, in loc). The use of the terms would probably have been more intelligi- ble if the prophet had mentioned what the Tyrians gave in exchange : as it is, he only notices the one side of the bargain, viz. what the Tyrians received, whether they were Iniyers or sellers. — Smith, s. v. See Coji- MEUCE. The natural sea-port of Western Asia, and tha centre of the commerce of the East, was Tyre, or, rather, the ports of Plicenicia, for Tyre was but one of them. Ph(jcnicia early grasped this commerce, and retained it until the rise of Alexander. Sidon first rose to fpulence; and then Tyre, her "daughter," better s-iruated for commerce, soon eclipsed her glory, and became the mart of the world. The enumeration of the articles of traffic in Ezek. xxvii shows that a large part of the commerce of Tyre w as in articles of luxury, though it was the grand mart for all the trade of the Eastern and 'Western world. See Tvre.