סְפִינָה (se.phi.nah)
se.phi.nah
ship
H:N-FQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-F
Word Overview
The Hebrew noun sephi nah refers to a ship or vessel, appearing only once in the entire Old Testament within Jonah 1:5. In that narrative, it describes the large sea-going craft carrying Jonah and the merchants, emphasizing its capacity to hold many people and goods across dangerous waters.
While the term broadly means "vessel," the context of Jonah highlights its function as a substantial maritime structure rather than a small boat. The sources note it implies a covered or decked ship, suitable for long voyages. This single usage anchors the word in the specific imagery of ancient seafaring commerce and the perilous journey that defines the prophet’s story.
Its rarity makes this occurrence particularly significant. By using a general term for a large ship, the text focuses attention on the vessel as a stage for divine action rather than on technical nautical details. The word serves as a concrete setting for the storm and the subsequent casting of lots, grounding the miraculous events in a recognizable historical reality.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word for ship appears only once in the Old Testament, found in Jonah 1:5. It describes a large vessel carrying merchants and cargo through dangerous waters. This rarity makes its single usage stand out as a deliberate choice by the biblical author.
For your faith, this image reminds us that God’s purposes are not limited by our circumstances or location. Even in the midst of a storm on the open sea, divine action is at work. The ship serves as a concrete setting where human fear meets supernatural power.
You can trust that no matter how turbulent your journey feels, you are held within God’s sovereign plan. This ancient vessel points to a reality where faithfulness matters more than safety.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- the/ ship1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- הַ/סְּפִינָ֔ה1×
Key Verses
-
Jonah 1:5
Then the mariners were afraid, and every man cried to his god. They threw the cargo that was in the ship into the sea to lighten the ship. But Jonah had gone down into the innermost parts of the ship and he was laying down, and was fast asleep.
This verse uses the term to describe the specific large vessel where Jonah slept during the storm, highlighting the setting for divine intervention.