down a river), then floating them in log rafts to Joppa.—1 Ki. 5:9.

HEBREW SHIPS

When settled in the Promised Land, Dan was spoken of as dwelling for a time in ships (Judg. 5:17), possibly referring to its assigned territory by the Philistine coast. (Josh. 19:40, 41, 46) The territory of Asher was along the seacoast, including the cities of Tyre and Sidon (though there is no evidence that these cities were ever taken by Asher). The tribes of Manasseh, Ephraim and Judah also had territory along the Mediterranean coast, so that they were quite familiar with ships. (Josh. 15:1, 4; 16:8; 17:7, 10) Manasseh, Issachar and Naphtali also held land on or near the Sea of Galilee.

While Israel had apparently used boats from early times, Solomon was evidently the first ruler in Israel to put emphasis on commercial shipping. With the help of Hiram he built a fleet of cargo ships that sailed from Ezion-geber to Ophir. (1 Ki. 9:26-28; 10:22; 2 Chron. 8:17, 18; 9:21) These vessels were jointly manned by Israelites and experienced seamen from Tyre. Every three years the ships would come in with cargoes of gold, silver, ivory, apes and peacocks.—1 Ki. 9:27; 10:22.

King Jehoshaphat of Judah later entered into partnership with wicked King Ahaziah of Israel in building ships at Ezion-geber to send to Ophir for gold; but Jehovah warned him of His disapproval of the alliance. Accordingly, the ships were wrecked at Ezion-geber, and Jehoshaphat apparently rejected a request by Ahaziah to give the project a second try. –1 Ki. 22:48, 49; 2 Chron. 20:36, 37.

DURING THE FIRST CENTURY C.E.

Numerous merchant ships of various types plied the waters of the Mediterranean in the first century C.E. Some of them were coastal vessels, such as the boat from Adramyttium that Paul, as a prisoner, sailed in from Caesarea to Myra. (Acts 21:1-6; 27:2-5) However, the merchant ship that Paul boarded at Myra was a large ship carrying a cargo of wheat and a crew and passengers totaling about 276 persons. (Acts 27:37, 38) Josephus reports that he once sailed on a ship carrying 600. (The Life of Flavius Josephus, par. 3) According to The New Bible Dictionary, by J. D. Douglas (p. 1180): “A ship of 10,000 talents (about 250 tons [227 metric tons]) was considered large, although Pliny mentions one of apparently 1,300 tons [1,179 metric tons].”

Paul had done much traveling on ships; he had experienced three shipwrecks prior to this journey. (2 Cor. 11:25) The one he was on this time was a sailing ship, having a mainsail and foresail, and steered by two large oars located in the stern. Such boats often had a figurehead representing certain gods or goddesses (as the boat that Paul boarded afterward, having the figurehead “Sons of Zeus”). (Acts 28:11) A small boat or skiff, used to get to shore when anchoring near a coast, was pulled behind the ship. To prevent its being swamped or crushed, the skiff was hauled up during storms. In this voyage of Paul’s the violence of the storm that arose caused the sailors to undergird the ship (this was apparently the passing of ropes or chains under the hull from one side to the other to hold the ship together), lower the gear (evidently the sails), dump the cargo of wheat overboard, throw away the tackling and lash up the rudder oars (to prevent their being damaged).—Acts 27:6-19, 40.

THE SEA OF GALILEE

The Gospels frequently mention the presence of boats on the Sea of Galilee. Evidently these were mainly used for fishing with nets (Matt. 4:18-22; Luke 5:2; John 21:2-6), though fishing with hooks was also done. (Matt. 17:27) Jesus sometimes used a boat as a convenient spot from which to preach to crowds on the nearby shore (Matt. 13:2; Luke 5:3) and he and his apostles used them often for transportation. (Matt. 9:1; 15:39; Mark 5:21) Such a boat was powered by oars or a small sail. (Mark 6:48; Luke 8:22) Though the Bible does not describe these fishing boats, some of them were large enough to accommodate seven to thirteen persons or more.—Mark 8:10; John 21:2, 3; see GALLEY; MARINER.

ANCHORS

The first anchors, as far as is known, were of stone, and were let down from the bow of the ship. Later wooden anchors of hook form, weighted with stone or metal, were used in the Mediterranean. Some had lead arms. A specimen discovered near Cyrene weighs about 1,200 pounds (c. 545 kilograms). Eventually, anchors made entirely of metal, having the familiar form, and also double-fluked anchors were used. The sailors of the ship in which Paul was sailing cast out four anchors from the boat’s stern (the practice sometimes followed when riding out a gale). (Acts 27:29, 30, 40) A sounding lead was used to determine the depth of the water.—Acts 27:28.

The apostle Paul uses the term figuratively when he speaks to his spiritual brothers in Christ, calling the hope set before them “an anchor for the soul.”—Heb. 6:19; compare Ephesians 4:13, 14; James 1:6-8.

SHIPHI

(Shiʹphi) [abundant, from a root meaning to abound].

A Simeonite whose son was one of the tribal chieftains that extended their pasture grounds during Hezekiah’s reign.—1 Chron. 4:24, 37-41.

SHIPHMITE

(Shiphʹmite).

The designation for Zabdi, David’s manager of the wine supply. (1 Chron. 27:27) It could indicate that Zabdi came from either Siphmoth (1 Sam. 30:28) or Shepham.—Num. 34:10, 11.

SHIPHRAH

(Shiphʹrah) [beauty].

The Septuagint reads Sepphora in both Exodus 1:15 and 2:21; the Masoretic text, however, reads Shiphrah and Zipporah respectively. The Aramaic form of the name is Sapphira.

Shiphrah was one of the Hebrew midwives who, together with Puah, was commanded by Pharaoh to kill all the Hebrew male babies immediately at birth. Being a God-fearing woman, however, and having respect for the divine sanctity placed on human life (Gen. 9:6), she preserved the boy babies alive and was blessed by Jehovah with a family of her own.—Ex. 1:15-21; see MIDWIFE.

SHIPHTAN

(Shiphʹtan) [judgment].

Father of Kemuel, the chieftain representing Ephraim when the Promised Land was divided among the tribes of Israel.—Num. 34:17, 18, 24.

SHISHA

(Shiʹsha).

Father of Solomon’s secretaries Elihoreph and Ahijah.—1 Ki. 4:3; see SERAIAH No. 2.

SHISHAK

(Shiʹshak).

An Egyptian king, known as Sheshonk (I) from Egyptian records. Shishak, regarded as the founder of the “Libyan dynasty,” is generally credited with a rule of about twenty-one years. His son Osorkon (I) succeeded him to the throne.

When Jeroboam fled to Egypt to escape the wrath of King Solomon, Shishak ruled there. (1 Ki. 11:40) Some years later, in the fifth year of Solomon’s successor Rehoboam (993/992 B.C.E.), Shishak invaded Judah with a mighty force of chariots and horsemen. He captured fortified cities in Judah and then came to Jerusalem. But Jehovah did not allow him to bring Jerusalem to ruin, for Rehoboam and the princes of Judah humbled themselves upon receiving a message from the prophet Shemaiah. Shishak, however, did strip the city of its treasures.—2 Chron. 12:1-12.

There is archaeological evidence concerning Shishak’s invading the Palestinian area. A fragment of a