In biblical times, harbours were essential for trade, travel, and communication across the Mediterranean and other bodies of water. The term "harbour" refers to a sheltered area along a coast where ships can anchor safely, protected from the open sea's winds and waves. Harbours played a significant role in the economic and social life of ancient civilizations, including those mentioned in the Bible.

Biblical References

1. Acts 27:12 · "Since the harbour was unsuitable to winter in, the majority decided to sail on, hoping somehow to reach Phoenix, a harbour in Crete, facing both southwest and northwest, and winter there." This passage describes the decision-making process of Paul and his companions during their voyage to Rome. The mention of Phoenix, a harbour in Crete, highlights the strategic importance of harbours for maritime navigation and safety.

2. Ezekiel 27:3 · "Say to Tyre, who is situated at the gateway to the sea, merchant of the peoples to many coasts: ‘This is what the Lord GOD says: You have said, O Tyre, ‘I am perfect in beauty.’" Tyre, a prominent Phoenician city, was renowned for its harbours, which facilitated its role as a major trading hub. The city's wealth and influence were largely due to its strategic coastal location and well-developed harbours.

3. Psalm 107:30 · "They rejoiced in the calm, and He guided them to the harbour they desired." This verse poetically describes God's providence in guiding sailors safely to their desired harbours, symbolizing divine protection and provision.

Historical and Cultural Context

In the ancient Near East, harbours were vital for the prosperity of coastal cities. They served as points of entry and exit for goods, people, and ideas. The construction and maintenance of harbours required significant resources and engineering skills, often involving the building of breakwaters, docks, and warehouses.

The Phoenicians, known for their seafaring prowess, established numerous harbours along the Mediterranean coast, facilitating trade and cultural exchange. Cities like Tyre and Sidon became powerful city-states due to their strategic harbours.

Symbolic Significance

In biblical literature, harbours can symbolize safety, refuge, and divine guidance. The imagery of a harbour often conveys a sense of peace and security after a tumultuous journey, reflecting the spiritual journey of believers seeking refuge in God.

Theological Insights

From a theological perspective, harbours can be seen as metaphors for God's protection and provision. Just as a harbour offers shelter from storms, God provides refuge and safety for His people amidst life's challenges. The journey to a safe harbour can also represent the spiritual journey towards salvation and eternal rest in God's presence.

In summary, harbours in the Bible are not only geographical locations but also carry rich symbolic and theological meanings, reflecting the interplay between the physical and spiritual realms in the biblical narrative.HARBOUR

har'-ber. Used figuratively of God in Joel 3:16 the King James Version margin, (Hebrew) "place of repair, or, harbour" (the King James Version "hope," the Revised Version (British and American) "refuge").

See HAVEN; SHIPS AND BOATS, I, II, (1), II, 3.

Heretics Work to Pull Down and to Destroy, not to Edify and ...
... XLII."Heretics Work to Pull Down and to Destroy, Not to Edify and Elevate Heretics
Do Not Adhere Even to Their Own Traditions, But Harbour Dissent Even from ...
/.../the prescription against heretics/chapter xlii heretics work to pull.htm

The Fort Sumter Expedition
... that on "April 14th, 1865, at twelve o'clock noon, Major General Anderson will raise
and plant upon the ruins of Fort Sumter, in Charleston harbour, the same ...
/.../griswold/sixty years with plymouth church/the fort sumter expedition.htm

Concerning Lowliness of Mind.
... And just as a ship, after having run through innumerable surges, and having escaped
many storms, then in the very mouth of the harbour having been dashed ...
/.../chrysostom/on the priesthood/concerning lowliness of mind.htm

Quaker City Excursion
... us with letters commending us to the attention of the foreign governments which
we might visit, and on the eighth day of June we sailed out of New York harbour ...
/.../griswold/sixty years with plymouth church/quaker city excursion.htm

Psalm C.
... to be with such as have chosen a quiet life; distant from the bustle of the people,
from noisy crowds, from the great waves of life, they are as if in harbour. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/augustine/exposition on the book of psalms/psalm c.htm

The Cause and Cure of Earthquakes
... The earth, opening, swallowed up people; and they rose in other streets; some in
the midst of the harbour, (being driven up again by the sea which rose in ...
/.../wesley/sermons on several occasions/sermon 129 the cause and.htm

Alexandria and Rome - the Jewish Communities in the Capitals of ...
... their treasures. Above all, it was a commercial city, furnished with an
excellent harbour - or rather with five harbours. A special ...
/.../the life and times of jesus the messiah/chapter v alexandria and rome.htm

Request to them to Send a Messenger to Antioch.
... 1050] over the tranquility which, according to the will of God, they have obtained,
and because that, through your prayers, they have now reached the harbour. ...
/.../the epistle of ignatius to the smyrnaeans/chapter xi request to them to.htm

Book xii. At Length, with the Holy Ghost Speeding Our Way...
... our way? 1. At length, with the Holy Ghost speeding our way, we are
approaching the safe, calm harbour of a firm faith. We are ...
/.../the life and writings of st hilary of poitiers/book xii at length with.htm

Excess in Dress, as Well as in Personal Culture, to be Shunned ...
... [215] Those times of life, in fact, which are at last blest with quiet and withdrawn
into the harbour of modesty, the splendour and dignity of dress lure away ...
/.../tertullian/on the apparel of women/chapter ix excess in dress as.htm

North-east (2 Occurrences)
... Acts 27:12 and as the harbour was inconvenient for wintering in, the majority were
in favour of putting out to sea, to try whether they could get to Phoenix--a ...
/n/north-east.htm - 7k

Wintering (1 Occurrence)
... Acts 27:12 and as the harbour was inconvenient for wintering in, the majority were
in favour of putting out to sea, to try whether they could get to Phoenix--a ...
/w/wintering.htm - 6k

Inconvenient (1 Occurrence)
... Acts 27:12 and as the harbour was inconvenient for wintering in, the majority were
in favour of putting out to sea, to try whether they could get to Phoenix--a ...
/i/inconvenient.htm - 7k

Facing (79 Occurrences)
... Acts 27:12 and as the harbour was inconvenient for wintering in, the majority were
in favour of putting out to sea, to try whether they could get to Phoenix--a ...
/f/facing.htm - 31k

Favour (171 Occurrences)
... Acts 27:12 and as the harbour was inconvenient for wintering in, the majority were
in favour of putting out to sea, to try whether they could get to Phoenix--a ...
/f/favour.htm - 37k

Fair (147 Occurrences)
... A harbour in the south of Crete, some 5 miles to the east of which was the town
of Lasea (Acts 27:8). Here the ship of Alexandria in which Paul and his ...
/f/fair.htm - 40k

Try (84 Occurrences)
... Acts 27:12 and as the harbour was inconvenient for wintering in, the majority were
in favour of putting out to sea, to try whether they could get to Phoenix--a ...
/t/try.htm - 31k

Cenchrea (2 Occurrences)
... Millet, the eastern harbour of Corinth, from which it was distant about 9 miles
east, and the outlet for its trade with the Asiatic shores of the Mediterranean ...
/c/cenchrea.htm - 7k

Coast (70 Occurrences)
... Acts 27:12 and as the harbour was inconvenient for wintering in, the majority were
in favour of putting out to sea, to try whether they could get to Phoenix--a ...
/c/coast.htm - 31k

South-east (1 Occurrence)
... Acts 27:12 and as the harbour was inconvenient for wintering in, the majority were
in favour of putting out to sea, to try whether they could get to Phoenix--a ...
/s/south-east.htm - 6k

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