Euroclydon

Euroclydon - Gregale

ACTS 27 COMMENTARY ◄
Acts 27:7-13 Cnidus

Acts 27:14-21 Euroclydon

ACTS 27:14-15 14 But not long after, a tempestuous head wind arose, called Euroclydon. 15 So when the ship was caught and could not head into the wind, we let her drive.

What is "Euroclydon" (Acts 27:14)?
Euroclydon was the name given to a violent wind that can suddenly blow across the Mediterranean Sea. Euroclydon blows from the northeast to the southwest and invariably during the fall and winter months.

How "tempestuous" (Acts 27:14) was Euroclydon?
The original Greek word translated "tempestuous" is τυφωνικος (tuphonikos), from which the English word "typhoon" (called "hurricane" or "cyclone" in other parts of the world) is derived. And ευροκλυδων (eurokludon), the original Greek word for "Euroclydon," combines ευρος (euros), which means an easterly wind, with κλυδων (kludon), which means surging (of water). Euroclydon was a hurricane/cyclone/typhoon that "caught" (Acts 27:15) the ship so suddenly and violently that they couldn't even turn the ship around and "head into the wind" (Acts 27:15), let alone prepare the ship to ride out the storm. So they just let Euroclydon drive the ship southwest.

Does Euroclydon still arise in the Mediterranean Sea?
Yes, but it is now called "Gregale."

ACTS 27:16-17 16 And running under the shelter of an island called Clauda, we secured the skiff with difficulty. 17 When they had taken it on board, they used cables to undergird the ship; and fearing lest they should run aground on the Syrtis Sands, they struck sail and so were driven.

Where is the "island called Clauda" (Acts 27:16)?
Clauda is a small island 40 miles (64 kilometers) southwest of Fair Havens. While the ship was south of it, Clauda provided enough "shelter" (Acts 27:16) against Euroclydon for the ship's crew to pull the "skiff" (Acts 27:16) - the ship's small dinghy - onboard and undergird the ship.

How did they "undergird the ship" (Acts 27:17)?
They passed ropes under the ship's hull and tightened them from the deck to strengthen the hull.

What were "Syrtis Sands" (Acts 27:17)?
Syrtis Sands were the sandbars, behind which lay quicksands, and rocky shores that lined most of the northern coast of what are Libya and Tunisia today. Had they let Euroclydon continue to drive them southwest, the ship would have wrecked on the Syrtis Sands, so they "struck sail" (Acts 27:17) to veer west.

ACTS 27:18-19 18 And because we were exceedingly tempest-tossed, the next day they lightened the ship. 19 On the third day we threw the ship’s tackle overboard with our own hands.

What did they do over the next two days?
"The next day they lightened the ship" (Acts 27:18), probably by throwing its cargo overboard. "On the third day" (Acts 27:18), they threw overboard "the ship's tackle" (Acts 27:19), which is the equipment used to load and unload cargo.

ACTS 27:20-21 20 Now when neither sun nor stars appeared for many days, and no small tempest beat on us, all hope that we would be saved was finally given up. 21 But after long abstinence from food, then Paul stood in the midst of them and said, “Men, you should have listened to me, and not have sailed from Crete and incurred this disaster and loss.

What then happened for "many days" (Acts 27.20)?
The "tempest beat on" (Acts 27-20) them and was so fierce that "neither sun nor stars appeared" (Acts 27:20).

What was the condition of those onboard?
They had given up "all hope" (Acts 27:20) and were so destitute that they couldn't even eat "food" (Acts 27:21).

What made Paul speak up?
He received good news from an angel. See next page.