Acts 27:13 - Exposition

They weighed anchor and for loosing thence, they, A.V.; along Crete, close in shore for close by Crete, A.V. Blew softly ; ὑποπνεύσαντος , only hero in the New Testament, and not found elsewhere. Supposing that they had obtained their purpose . A south wind would be quite favorable for sailing east or east by north, from Fair Havens to Phoenix. They not unreasonably, therefore, thought they could effect their purpose of wintering at Phoenix. And so they at once weighed anchor ; ἄραντες , without an objective case following, "having lifted up," understand τὰς ἀγκύρας , as in Julius Pollux, quoted by Smith. It was the nautical phrase. Sailed along ( παρελέγοντο ) ; see Acts 27:8 , note. Close in shore ( ἇσσον , comparative of ἄγχι , nearer, meaning "very near "). For the earlier part of their voyage they would be obliged to keep very near the shore, to enable them to weather Cape Matala, which lay a little to the south of west from Fair Havens. Some take ἇσσον as the name of a town on the coast, but the grammar of the sentence makes this impossible.