In biblical times, rafts were a practical means of transportation and resource management, particularly in the context of trade and construction. While the Bible does not frequently mention rafts explicitly, their use can be inferred from various passages that describe the transportation of goods and materials across bodies of water.

One of the most notable instances where the concept of rafts is implied is in the account of King Solomon's construction of the Temple. In 1 Kings 5:9, we read about the transportation of cedar and cypress logs from Lebanon to Israel: "My servants will bring them down from Lebanon to the sea, and I will make them into rafts by sea to the place you indicate to me. There I will break them apart, and you can take them away." . This passage highlights the use of rafts as a means to float large quantities of timber across the sea, facilitating the monumental building projects of the time.

The use of rafts in this context underscores the ingenuity and resourcefulness of ancient peoples in overcoming geographical challenges. The Phoenicians, known for their seafaring skills, likely played a significant role in this process, as they were renowned for their expertise in maritime activities. The collaboration between King Solomon and Hiram, king of Tyre, as described in 1 Kings 5, exemplifies the strategic alliances formed to accomplish such large-scale endeavors.

Rafts, being simple yet effective, were constructed by binding logs together, allowing them to float and be maneuvered across water. This method of transportation was essential in regions where rivers and seas were prominent features of the landscape. The use of rafts would have been a common practice not only for transporting timber but also for moving other goods and people.

In the broader biblical narrative, the imagery of floating on water can also be seen in the account of Noah's Ark, although the Ark itself was a much more complex and divinely instructed vessel. Nevertheless, the concept of using buoyant structures to navigate water is a recurring theme that reflects the human reliance on God's creation to fulfill His purposes.

While the Bible does not provide extensive details on the construction and use of rafts, the references that do exist offer insight into the practical aspects of life in biblical times. They reveal a world where human ingenuity, divine providence, and natural resources were intricately woven together to achieve the tasks set before God's people.1702. doberah -- floats, rafts
... 1701, 1702. doberah. 1703 . floats, rafts. Transliteration: doberah Phonetic
Spelling: (do-ber-aw') Short Definition: rafts. Word ...
/hebrew/1702.htm - 6k

7513. raphsodah -- a raft
... a raft. Transliteration: raphsodah Phonetic Spelling: (raf-so-daw') Short Definition:
rafts. Word Origin from raphas Definition a raft NASB Word Usage rafts (1) ...
/hebrew/7513.htm - 6k

Gainas Meets his Doom
... Ga??nas ordered every tree they could find in the peninsula to be cut down, and
rude rafts to be constructed from the trunks lashed together. ...
/.../chapter xxxiv gainas meets his.htm

The Death of Cyrus.
... considering, for some time, by what means he could best pass the river, he determined
to build a floating bridge, by means of boats and rafts obtained from the ...
//christianbookshelf.org/abbott/cyrus the great/chapter xii the death of.htm

His Murdered Father's Head
... the intelligence of the drowning of thousands more of his countrymen by Fravitta's
fleet during their wild attempt to cross the Hellespont on unguided rafts. ...
/.../chapter xxxvi his murdered fathers.htm

Christ Glorified as the Builder of his Church
... king of Tyre, with his servants, to cut down the trees upon Lebanon, which, after
being shaped according to the model, were to be sent by rafts or floats to ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 4 1858/christ glorified as the builder.htm

"Come Thou and all Thy House into the Ark. "
... That would be a hundred times better than Noah's ark. Or if it should come to that,
they could build rafts, which would be a good deal better than that ark. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/moody/the overcoming life/come thou and all thy.htm

Gainas the Goth Attempts to Usurp the Sovereign Power; after ...
... For while the barbarians, destitute of ships, hastily put together rafts and were
attempting to cross on them, suddenly the Roman fleet appeared, and the west ...
/.../chapter vi gainas the goth attempts.htm

Enterprise of Gainas, the Gothic Barbarian. Evils which He ...
... The barbarians, having no ships, imprudently attempted to cross the Hellespont to
the opposite continent on rafts; when suddenly a great wind blew and ...
/.../the ecclesiastical history of sozomenus/chapter iv enterprise of gainas the.htm

The Gradual Healing of the Blind Man
... are but the cups that carry the wine, the flowers whose chalices bear the honey,
the ladders by which the soul may climb to God Himself, the rafts upon which ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture d/the gradual healing of the.htm

The Assyrian Revival and the Struggle for Syria
... After a brief respite at Tushkhan, he set out again one evening with his lightest
chariots and the pick of his horsemen, crossed the Tigris on rafts, rode all ...
/.../chapter ithe assyrian revival and.htm

The Flight into Egypt and St. John the Baptist in the Desert
... In many places the river flows underneath the buildings. The people cross the arms
of the river on rafts which lie there in the water ready for use. ...
/.../emmerich/the life of the blessed virgin mary/xvi the flight into egypt.htm

Rafts (2 Occurrences)
... Multi-Version Concordance Rafts (2 Occurrences). 1 Kings 5:9 My servants
shall bring them down from Lebanon to the sea. I will make ...
/r/rafts.htm - 7k

Rag

/r/rag.htm - 7k

Ferry (1 Occurrence)
... of the king. Floats or rafts for this purpose were in use from remote times
(Isaiah 18:2). Noah Webster's Dictionary. 1. (vt) To ...
/f/ferry.htm - 7k

Rafters (5 Occurrences)

/r/rafters.htm - 7k

Providing (9 Occurrences)
... I will make them into rafts to go by sea to the place that you shall appoint me,
and will cause them to be broken up there, and you shall receive them. ...
/p/providing.htm - 9k

Specify (2 Occurrences)
... I will make them into rafts to go by sea to the place that you shall appoint me,
and will cause them to be broken up there, and you shall receive them. ...
/s/specify.htm - 7k

Accomplish (44 Occurrences)
... I will make them into rafts to go by sea to the place that you shall appoint me,
and will cause them to be broken up there, and you shall receive them. ...
/a/accomplish.htm - 21k

Wishes (37 Occurrences)
... I will make them into rafts to go by sea to the place that you shall appoint me,
and will cause them to be broken up there, and you shall receive them. ...
/w/wishes.htm - 16k

Boats (11 Occurrences)
... Hiram also undertook to make the cedar and the fir into rafts (1 Kings 5:9, dobheroth,
the King James Version "floats"; 2 Chronicles 2:16, raphcodhoth, "flotes ...
/b/boats.htm - 40k

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