The Mediterranean Sea, known in biblical times as the "Great Sea" or the "Western Sea," is a significant body of water mentioned frequently in the Bible. It served as a natural boundary for the land of Israel and played a crucial role in the history and culture of the ancient Near East.

Biblical References and Significance

The Mediterranean Sea is first mentioned in the context of the territorial boundaries of the Promised Land. In Numbers 34:6, the Lord instructs Moses regarding the borders of the land that the Israelites are to inherit: "Your western border will be the coastline of the Great Sea; this will be your boundary on the west." This establishes the Mediterranean as the western limit of the land given to the Israelites.

In the book of Joshua, the Mediterranean Sea is again referenced as a boundary marker. Joshua 1:4 states, "Your territory will extend from the wilderness and Lebanon to the great river, the Euphrates—all the land of the Hittites—and west as far as the Great Sea." This passage underscores the sea's role in defining the extent of the land promised to the descendants of Abraham.

The Mediterranean Sea also played a role in the narratives of the prophets and the apostles. The prophet Jonah famously attempted to flee from God's command by boarding a ship bound for Tarshish, a journey that would have taken him across the Mediterranean (Jonah 1:3). This account highlights the sea as a route for travel and trade, as well as a setting for divine intervention.

In the New Testament, the Mediterranean Sea is the backdrop for several of the Apostle Paul's missionary journeys. Acts 27 details Paul's perilous voyage to Rome, during which he encounters a violent storm and shipwreck. The sea serves as both a literal and metaphorical setting for the trials and triumphs of early Christian evangelism.

Cultural and Historical Context

The Mediterranean Sea was a vital conduit for commerce, culture, and communication in the ancient world. It connected various civilizations, including the Egyptians, Phoenicians, Greeks, and Romans, facilitating the exchange of goods, ideas, and religious beliefs. The Israelites, though not primarily a seafaring people, were influenced by the maritime activities of their neighbors.

The sea's strategic importance is evident in the numerous coastal cities mentioned in the Bible, such as Tyre, Sidon, and Joppa (modern-day Jaffa). These cities were centers of trade and interaction between different cultures and played significant roles in biblical narratives.

Symbolism and Theological Themes

In biblical literature, the sea often symbolizes chaos and danger, reflecting the ancient Near Eastern view of the sea as a place of uncertainty and threat. This symbolism is evident in passages like Psalm 107:23-30, where sailors witness God's power over the tumultuous waters: "He calmed the storm to a whisper, and the waves of the sea were hushed" (Psalm 107:29).

The Mediterranean Sea, as part of God's creation, also serves as a testament to His sovereignty and majesty. In Psalm 104:25, the psalmist praises God for the vastness and diversity of the sea: "There is the sea, vast and wide, teeming with creatures beyond number, living things both great and small."

Conclusion

The Mediterranean Sea, as depicted in the Bible, is more than a geographical feature; it is a dynamic element in the unfolding of God's plan for His people. Its presence in the biblical narrative underscores themes of boundary, journey, and divine providence, reflecting the sea's enduring significance in the history of salvation.Mediterranean Sea

MEDITERRANEAN SEA

med-i-te-ra'-ne-an (he thalassa): To the Hebrews the Mediterranean was the sea, as was natural from their situation.

Hence, they speak of it simply as "the sea" (ha-yam), e.g. Genesis 49:13 Numbers 13:29; Numbers 34:5 Judges 5:17; or, again, it is "the great sea" (ha-yam ha-gadhol, e.g. Numbers 34:6, 7 Joshua 9:1; Joshua 15:12, 47 Ezekiel 47:10, 15, 19, 20; Ezekiel 48:28); or, because it lay to the West of Palestine, as "the great sea toward the going down or the sun" (Joshua 1:4; Joshua 23:4), and, since the west was regarded as the "back," in contrast to the east as the "front," as "hinder (or "western" the Revised Version (British and American), "uttermost" or "utmost" the King James Version) sea" (ha-yam ha-'acharon), Deuteronomy 11:24; Deuteronomy 34:2 Zechariah 14:8 Joel 2:20, in the last two passages contrasted with "the former (King James Version, "eastern" the Revised Version (British and American)) sea" ha-yam ha-qadhmoni), i.e. the Dead Sea. See FORMER. That portion of the Mediterranean directly West of Palestine is once (Exodus 23:31) referred to as "the sea of the Philis" yam pelishtim). the King James Version has "sea of Joppa" (Ezra 3:7) where the Revised Version (British and American) correctly renders "to the sea, unto Joppa" (compare 2 Chronicles 2:16). Similarly, the King James Version "the sea of Cilicia and Pamphylia" (Acts 27:5) is better rendered "the sea which is off Cilicia and Pamphylia" (Revised Version).

In the New Testament, references to the Mediterranean are common, especially in the accounts of Paul's voyages, for which see PAUL. Jesus once (Mark 7:24) came to or near the sea.

The Mediterranean basin was the scene of most ancient civilizations which have greatly influenced that of the western world, except those whose home was in the valleys of the Tigris and the Euphrates; and even these continually thrust themselves into it, so far as they could. As its name implies, it is an inland area, united to the Atlantic only by the narrow Straits of Gibraltar. In comparatively recent geological time it was also joined to the Red Sea, the alluvial deposits of the Nile, which have extended the line of the Delta, having with the aid of drifting desert sands subsequently closed the passage and joined the continents of Asia and Africa. The total length of the Mediterranean is about 2,300 miles, its greatest breadth about 1,080 miles, and its area about 1,000,000 square miles. It falls naturally into the western and eastern (Levant) halves, dividing at the line running from Tunis to Sicily, where it is comparatively shallow; the western end is generally the deeper, reaching depths of nearly 6,000 ft. On the North it is intersected by the Italian and Balkan peninsulas, forming the Gulf of Lyons, the Adriatic and the Aegean. In ancient times these and other divisions of the Mediterranean bore specific names given by the Greeks and Romans, but from the nature of the case their limits were ill defined. The temperature of the Mediterranean is in summer warmer, in winter about the same as that of the Atlantic. Its water has a slightly greater specific gravity, probably because of a larger proportionate evaporation.

William Arthur Heidel

2954. Kupros -- Cyprus, an island at the east end of the ...
... Cyprus, an island at the east end of the Mediterranean Sea. Part of Speech: Noun,
Feminine Transliteration: Kupros Phonetic Spelling: (koo'-pros) Short ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/2954.htm - 6k

99. Adrias -- the Adriatic, the name of a sea
... by sailors not merely to the Adriatic Sea, to which it properly belonged, but also
to the open Mediterranean to the south-east of Italy, to the sea that lay ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/99.htm - 6k

4499. Rhodos -- Rhodes, an island in the Mediterranean
... an island in the Aegean sea, south-west of Asia Minor. Word Origin probably from
the same as Rhode Definition Rhodes, an island in the Mediterranean NASB Word ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/4499.htm - 6k

3963. Patmos -- Patmos, an island in the Aegean Sea
... Definition Patmos, an island in the Aegean Sea NASB Word Usage Patmos (1). Patmos.
Of uncertain derivation; Patmus, an islet in the Mediterranean -- Patmos. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/3963.htm - 6k

5508. Chios -- Chios, an island in the Aegean Sea
... origin Definition Chios, an island in the Aegean Sea NASB Word Usage Chios (1).
Chios. Of uncertain derivation; Chios, an island in the Mediterranean -- Chios. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/5508.htm - 6k

2972. Kos -- Cos, an island in the Aegean Sea
... of uncertain origin Definition Cos, an island in the Aegean Sea NASB Word Usage
Cos (1). Cos. Of uncertain origin; Cos, an island in the Mediterranean -- Cos. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/2972.htm - 6k

4544. Samos -- Samos, an island in the Aegean
... sam'-os) Short Definition: Samos Definition: Samos, an island in the Aegean sea
off the ... Of uncertain affinity; Samus, an island of the Mediterranean -- Samos. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/4544.htm - 6k

8289. Sharon -- a plain on the Mediterranean Sea, perhaps also a ...
... a plain on the Mediterranean Sea, perhaps also a region East of the Jordan.
Transliteration: Sharon Phonetic Spelling: (shaw-rone') Short Definition: Sharon. ...
/hebrew/8289.htm - 6k

5761. Avvim -- a city in Benjamin, also a people on the SW coast ...
... a city in Benjamin, also a people on the SW coast of the Mediterranean Sea.
Transliteration: Avvim Phonetic Spelling: (av-veem') Short Definition: Avvim. ...
/hebrew/5761.htm - 6k

3220. yam -- sea
... a sea, the Mediterranean Sea; From an unused root meaning to roar; a sea (as
breaking in noisy surf) or large body of water; specifically ...
/hebrew/3220.htm - 6k

He Division of the Land.
... Heathen cities were on that western coast; but seeing they lay within the ancient
bounds of the land, namely, the 'lip of the Mediterranean sea,'"they could ...
/.../lightfoot/from the talmud and hebraica/chapter 1 he division of.htm

The Kingdom Conquering the World
... Draw map of Mediterranean Sea and surrounding countries. Locate the provinces of
Asia Minor, the fourteen places on the chart, and trace the route. ...
/.../palmer/a birds-eye view of the bible/ix the kingdom conquering the.htm

Herodotus and Xenophon.
... The intercourse of nations was, in those days, mainly carried on over the waters
of the Mediterranean Sea; and in times of peace, almost the only mode of ...
/.../abbott/cyrus the great/chapter i herodotus and xenophon.htm

A Description of the Sea-Coast, Out of Pliny and Strabo.
... of the Jews have observed this neighbourhood in that canon, whereby provision is
made, that nobody betake himself to sail in the Mediterranean sea within three ...
/.../lightfoot/from the talmud and hebraica/chapter 10 a description of.htm

The Disposition of the Tribes in Galilee.
... For these run out as far as the Mediterranean sea; but that hath the land of Asher,
and the jurisdiction of Tyre and Sidon lying between it and the sea. ...
/.../lightfoot/from the talmud and hebraica/chapter 62 the disposition of.htm

Egypt and Greece.
... By referring to the map, the reader will see that, as the Persian empire extended
westward to Asia Minor and to the coasts of the Mediterranean Sea, the great ...
//christianbookshelf.org/abbott/xerxes/chapter ii egypt and greece.htm

The Talmudic Girdle of the Land under the Second Temple, Taken Out ...
... the 'land of the heathen': the Phoenicians, Syrians, or other Gentiles, possessing
all that coast thence forward unto the shore of the Mediterranean sea. ...
/.../lightfoot/from the talmud and hebraica/chapter 2 the talmudic girdle.htm

The Story of Hagar and Ishmael
... Another company wandered northwest until they came to the shore of the
great sea which they called the Mediterranean Sea. There ...
/.../marshall/the wonder book of bible stories/the story of hagar and.htm

Israel in Canaan.
... It was a narrow strip, inclosed between the Mediterranean Sea and the river Jordan,
which runs due south down a steep wooded cleft into the Dead Sea, the ...
//christianbookshelf.org/yonge/the chosen people/lesson v israel in canaan.htm

Book 9 Footnotes
... is said in our Bibles to have gone to Tarshish, Jonah 1:3, Josephus understood it
that he went to Tarsus in Cilicia, or to the Mediterranean Sea, upon which ...
/.../josephus/the antiquities of the jews/book 9 footnotes.htm

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