Approaching a land

“But when the fourteenth night came, as we were being driven about in the Adriatic Sea, about midnight the sailors began to suspect that they were approaching some land. And they took soundings and found it to be twenty fathoms…” (1) The ship drifted for 14 days in the storm. This count begins from the time they left Fair Havens. During this period, the ship was carried about 466 miles (750 km). The sailors sensed that they were approaching land. It is said that sailors can detect the scent of land, and in this case, they may have also heard the sound of waves crashing against the shore. (2) It says that they were “being driven about in the Adriatic Sea.” At that time, the Adriatic Sea referred to the central part of the Mediterranean, the region enclosed by Italy, Crete, and North Africa. This means that Paul’s ship was carried northwest from the southern part of the Mediterranean. (3) The sailors, sensing that they were approaching land, measured the depth twice. (a) They did this by attaching a weight to a rope and lowering it to see how far it would sink. (b) 1 fathom (orguia) equals approximately 6 ft (1.8 m). The first measurement showed a depth of 20 fathoms, which would be 6 ft × 20 = 120 ft (36 m). The second measurement showed a depth of 15 fathoms, which would be 6 ft × 15 = 90 ft (27 m). (c) Since the depth was decreasing, they knew they were getting closer to land.

Sailor’s conspiracy

“Fearing that we might run aground somewhere on the rocks, they cast four anchors from the stern and prayed for daybreak. But as the sailors were trying to escape from the ship and had let down the ship’s boat into the sea, on the pretense that they were going to lay out anchors from the bow.” (1) The group, fearing that the ship would run aground on the rocks, threw down four anchors. This was a measure to hold the ship in place and prevent it from being carried away by the current. The anchors were lowered from the stern to keep the bow facing toward the land. (2) Then they “prayed for daybreak.” The Greek word here for “prayed” is “euchomai” which can also be translated as “prayed” and as “wished.” Thus, ASV renders as “wished for the day.” (3) However, the sailors attempted to escape from the ship. They planned to save themselves by boarding the small boat. Pretending to lower anchors from the bow, they were actually lowering the small boat into the sea. If the sailors had escaped, the ship would have faced a serious crisis. In the worst case, God’s promise that Paul would reach Rome might not have been fulfilled. However, God gave Paul wisdom. With sharp discernment, Paul recognized the sailors’ scheme and stopped them. God’s plan will always be fulfilled.