The term "shipmaster" refers to the captain or master of a ship, responsible for navigating and managing the vessel and its crew. In biblical times, shipmasters played a crucial role in trade, travel, and communication across the Mediterranean and other bodies of water. The Bible references shipmasters in various contexts, highlighting their significance in ancient maritime activities.

Biblical References:

1. Ezekiel 27:27-29 : In this passage, the prophet Ezekiel laments the fall of Tyre, a prominent maritime city. The shipmasters are mentioned as part of the extensive network of trade and commerce that Tyre engaged in. "Your wealth, merchandise, and wares, your mariners, seamen, and shipmasters, your merchants and all your soldiers aboard her, along with all the people within her, will sink into the heart of the sea on the day of your downfall. The countryside will shake at the sound of your sailors’ cries. All who handle the oars will abandon their ships. The mariners and all the seamen will stand on the shore."

2. Jonah 1:6 : The account of Jonah provides insight into the role of a shipmaster during a storm at sea. When Jonah flees from God's command, he boards a ship bound for Tarshish. A violent storm arises, and the shipmaster seeks Jonah's help, recognizing the severity of the situation. "The captain approached him and said, 'How can you sleep? Get up and call on your god! Perhaps this god will consider us, so that we may not perish.'"

3. Revelation 18:17 : In the apocalyptic vision of the fall of Babylon, shipmasters are depicted as mourning the destruction of the great city, which was a hub of commerce and wealth. "For in a single hour such fabulous wealth has been destroyed!' Every shipmaster, passenger, and sailor, and all who make their living from the sea, will stand at a distance."

Cultural and Historical Context:

In the ancient world, shipmasters were highly skilled individuals, often possessing knowledge of navigation, weather patterns, and trade routes. They were responsible for the safety of the ship and its cargo, as well as the lives of those on board. The Mediterranean Sea, in particular, was a bustling hub of activity, with ships carrying goods, people, and ideas between various ports.

Shipmasters were also integral to the spread of the Gospel in the New Testament era. The Apostle Paul, for instance, undertook several missionary journeys by sea, relying on the expertise of shipmasters to reach distant lands. Acts 27 provides a detailed account of one such journey, where Paul is aboard a ship caught in a storm, highlighting the challenges faced by shipmasters and their crews.

Symbolic and Theological Significance:

In biblical literature, the shipmaster can symbolize leadership, responsibility, and the human struggle against the forces of nature. The ship itself often represents the Church or the journey of faith, with the shipmaster guiding the vessel through turbulent waters. This imagery underscores the importance of steadfastness and reliance on divine guidance in the face of life's challenges.

The shipmaster's role in biblical narratives serves as a reminder of the interconnectedness of human endeavors and divine providence. Whether in the context of judgment, as seen in Ezekiel and Revelation, or in the call to repentance, as in Jonah, the shipmaster's presence highlights the broader themes of accountability, stewardship, and the pursuit of God's will.(n.) The captain, master, or commander of a ship.SHIPMASTER

ship'-mas-ter.

See SHIPS AND BOATS; PHOENIX.

3490. naukleros -- a shipowner, shipmaster
... a shipowner, shipmaster. Part of Speech: Noun, Masculine Transliteration: naukleros
Phonetic Spelling: (now'-klay-ros) Short Definition: a master of a ship ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/3490.htm - 6k

2942. kubernetes -- a steersman, pilot
... Word Origin from the same as kubernesis Definition a steersman, pilot NASB
Word Usage pilot (1), shipmaster (1). pilot, captain. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/2942.htm - 6k

2259. chobel -- sailor
... pilot, shipmaster. Active participle from chabal (in the sense of handling ropes);
a sailor -- pilot, shipmaster. see HEBREW chabal. 2258, 2259. chobel. 2260 ...
/hebrew/2259.htm - 6k

Acts of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul.
... And Dioscorus the shipmaster, who brought him to Syracuse, sympathizing with Paul
because he had delivered his son from death, having left his own ship in ...
/.../unknown/acts of the holy apostles peter and paul/acts of the holy apostles.htm

The Heart of the Gospel
... Then the merchant whose vessel was moored by the quay said to his shipmaster, "Take
thou good heed that thou bring nothing back with thee from Alexandria but ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 32 1886/the heart of the gospel.htm

The Vessel of the Church.
... Let, therefore, God be your shipmaster; and let the pilot be likened to Christ,
the mate [898] to the bishop, and the sailors to the deacons, the midshipmen to ...
/.../unknown/epistle of peter to james/chapter xiv the vessel of the.htm

Comparative Lateness of Heresies. Marcion's Heresy Some Personal ...
... Character of This Man; Philumene; Valentinus; Nigidius, and Hermogenes. Where was
Marcion then, that shipmaster of Pontus, the zealous student of Stoicism? ...
/.../chapter xxx comparative lateness of heresies.htm

Guilty Silence and Its Reward
... But Jonah was gone down into the sides of the ship; and he lay, and was fast
asleep.6. So the shipmaster came to him, and said unto him, What meanest thou, O ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture a/guilty silence and its reward.htm

Community in Certain Points of Marcionite and Jewish Error ...
... Our shipmaster [3160] of course got his craft-wisdom not from the Rhodian law,
[3161] but from the Pontic, [3162] which cautioned him against believing that ...
/.../the five books against marcion/chapter vi community in certain points.htm

Introductory the Apostle Paul Himself not the Preacher of a New ...
... Wherefore, O shipmaster of Pontus, [5202] if you have never taken on board your
small craft [5203] any contraband goods or smuggler's cargo, if you have never ...
/.../the five books against marcion/chapter i introductory the apostle paul.htm

Out of St. Luke's Fifth ChapterAre Found Proofs of Christ's ...
... It is quite another case, when he affected to choose from the college of shipmasters,
intending one day to appoint the shipmaster Marcion his apostle. ...
/.../tertullian/the five books against marcion/chapter ix out of st lukes.htm

In what Respect Philosophy Contributes to the Comprehension of ...
... In the same way we say, that the drachma being one and the same, when given to the
shipmaster, is called the fare; to the tax-gatherer, tax; to the landlord ...
/.../clement/the stromata or miscellanies/chapter xx in what respect philosophy.htm

Letter Xcv. From Pope Anastasius to Simplicianus.
... So also in the hour of tempest when the sea is dangerous the shipmaster suffers
keen anxiety [2642] lest the gale and the violence of the waves shall dash his ...
/.../jerome/the principal works of st jerome/letter xcv from pope anastasius.htm

Shipmaster (2 Occurrences)
... Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia. SHIPMASTER. ship'-mas-ter. See SHIPS AND BOATS;
PHOENIX. Multi-Version Concordance Shipmaster (2 Occurrences). ...
/s/shipmaster.htm - 7k

Travel (25 Occurrences)
... Revelation 18:17 because in one short hour all this great wealth has been laid waste!'
And every shipmaster and every passenger by sea and the crews and all ...
/t/travel.htm - 14k

Earn (6 Occurrences)
... Revelation 18:17 For in an hour such great riches are made desolate.' Every shipmaster,
and everyone who sails anywhere, and mariners, and as many as gain ...
/e/earn.htm - 8k

Meanest (4 Occurrences)
... these? (KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS). Jonah 1:6 So the shipmaster came to him, and
said unto him, What meanest thou, O sleeper? arise, call ...
/m/meanest.htm - 7k

Maybe (5 Occurrences)
... Maybe he will save your life." (WEB). Jonah 1:6 So the shipmaster came to him, and
said to him, "What do you mean, sleeper? Arise, call on your God! ...
/m/maybe.htm - 8k

Mariners (7 Occurrences)
... Revelation 18:17 For in an hour such great riches are made desolate.' Every shipmaster,
and everyone who sails anywhere, and mariners, and as many as gain ...
/m/mariners.htm - 8k

Master (346 Occurrences)
... of a feast)," the Revised Version (British and American) "ruler"; John 2:9, "ruler
of the feast"; [rabh] (Daniel 1:3 Jonah 1:6, "shipmaster"); rabh, Aramaic ...
/m/master.htm - 40k

Passenger (1 Occurrence)
... Revelation 18:17 because in one short hour all this great wealth has been laid waste!'
And every shipmaster and every passenger by sea and the crews and all ...
/p/passenger.htm - 10k

Ply (3 Occurrences)
... Revelation 18:17 because in one short hour all this great wealth has been laid waste!'
And every shipmaster and every passenger by sea and the crews and all ...
/p/ply.htm - 8k

Crews (1 Occurrence)
... Revelation 18:17 because in one short hour all this great wealth has been laid waste!'
And every shipmaster and every passenger by sea and the crews and all ...
/c/crews.htm - 6k

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