14. There arose against it (&8are Kar’ airs). Against what? Some say, the tsland of Orete; in which case they would have been driven against the island, whereas we are told that they were driven away from it. Others, the ship. It is objected that the pronoun adris, zt, is feminine, while the feminine noun for ship (vais) is not commonly used by Luke, but rather the neuter, wdofov. Ido not think this objection
Cx. XXVIL] THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES. 593
entitled to much weight. Luke is the only New Testament writer who uses vads (see ver. 41), though he uses it but once ; and, as Hackett remarks, “it would be quite accidental which of the terms would shape the pronoun at this moment, as they were both so familiar.” A third explanation refers the pro- noun to the island of Crete, and renders, “there beat down JSrom wt.” This is grammatical, and according to a well-known usage of the preposition. The verb Bade is also used intran- sitively in the sense of to fall; thus Homer (“ Iliad,” xi., 722), of a river falling into the sea. Compare Mark iv. 87: “the waves beat (ééBadnev) into the ship ;” and Luke xv. 12: “the portion of goods that falleth (ém1Bdddov) to me.” The rendering of the Rey. is, therefore, well supported, and, on the whole, preferable: there beat down from it. It is also according to the analogy of the expression in Luke viii. 23, there came down a storm. See note there, and on Matt. viii. 24.
A tempestuous wind (dveyos tudwrixds). Lit., @ typhonic wind. The word ruddy means a typhoon, and the adjective formed from it means of the character of a typhoon.
Euroclydon (EvpoxAvdov). The best texts read ’Evpaxtrwp, Euraquilo: i.e. between Hurus, “the E.S.E. wind,” and Aquilo, “the north-wind, or, strictly, N. 4 E.” Hence, E. N. E.
15. Bear up (avropIarpeiv). Only here in New Testament. From avri, opposite, and 6dIaruos, the eye. Lit., to look the wind im the eye. The ancient ships often had an eye painted on each side of the bow. To sail “into the eye of the wind” is a modern nautical phrase.
We let her drive (ézuddvres éfepopeda). Lit., having given up to ut, we were borne along.
16. We had much work to come by the boat (yonrus toy- capev TEepiKpateis yevéoIar Ths cxadns). Lit., we were with difficulty able to become masters of the boat: i.e., to secure on deck the small boat which, in calm weather, was attached by a
38
594 WORD STUDIES IN THE NEW TESTAMENT. [Cu. XXVII.
rope to the vessel’s stern. Rev., we were able with difficulty to secure the boat. On with difficulty, see note on scarce, ver. T.
17. Helps (Gon9e/as). Any apparatus on hand for the pur- pose: ropes, chains, ete.
Undergirding (imofwvvivtes). In modern nautical language, frapping « passing cables or chains round the ship’s hull in order to support her in a storm. Mr. Smith (“ Voyage and Shipwreck of St. Paul”) cites the following from the account of the voyage of Captain George Back from the arctic regions in 1837: “ A length of the stream chain-cable was passed under the bottom of the ship four feet before the mizzen-mast, hove tight by the capstan, and finally immovably fixed to six ring- bolts on the quarter-deck. The effect was at once manifest by a great diminution in the working of the parts already men- tioned ; and, in a less agreeable way, by impeding her rate of sailing.”
Quicksands (rv ctptw). The rendering of the A. V. is too general. The word is a proper name, and has the article. There were two shoals of this name—the ‘“ Greater Syrtis” (Syrtis Major), and the “Smaller Syrtis” (Syrtis Minor). It was the former upon which they were in danger of being driven; a shallow on the African coast, between Tripoli and Barca, southwest of the island of Crete.