Abstract
The paper comments on references to navigation, various types of ships and sea communications mentioned in Biblical texts. The authors analyze the original Hebrew and Ancient Greek terms and names and draw conclusions about the reflection in the Bible of the development of maritime aff airs in the Near East in Antiquity. Already in the Pentateuch of Moses (Torah), the fleet appears as a symbol of military power and trade. The texts describe both the religious component and mention completely utilitarian objects and actions. Analysis of the texts of the Old Testament allows us to expand our understanding of the features of shipbuilding, ancient navigation, the scale, organization and directions of international maritime trade. For example, a program for the construction of ships on the Red Sea for regular navigation to the “country of Ophir” is mentioned, which became the most important joint undertaking of two states – Tire and the Kingdom of Israel. The religious nature of biblical texts does not deprive them of historical value.
Keywords
Old Testament, the Bible, the history of navigation, shipbuilding, Near East, sea communications.
Pavel V. Kuzenkov, Sevastopol State University, Sevastopol, Russia, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Victor V. Lebedinskiy, Institute of Oriental Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
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