Phenice
Summary
Phenice (also spelled Phoenix) was a harbor on the southern coast of Crete where Paul's ship hoped to winter during his voyage to Rome, but failed to reach due to a violent storm.
☩Location and Identification
Phenice was a harbor on the south coast of Crete, identified with the modern Lutro. The name derives from the Greek word for 'palm tree,' which Theophrastus says was indigenous to the island. The harbor's orientation is described as looking 'toward the southwest and northwest' (Acts 27:12), which has been interpreted various ways: either that its opening faced those directions, or that it was protected from winds blowing from those quarters, meaning it actually opened toward the northeast and southeast. Regardless of the precise interpretation, it was considered a safer port than Fair Havens for wintering a ship.
☩Paul's Voyage
When Paul was being transported as a prisoner to Rome, his ship reached Fair Havens in Crete, which the pilot and owner judged unsuitable for spending winter. They determined to sail the short distance to Phenice if possible, hoping to winter there (Acts 27:12). When a gentle south wind arose, they weighed anchor, but were soon caught by a violent northeaster called Euraquilo, which drove them past the island of Clauda and eventually to shipwreck on Malta. Had they reached Phenice, Paul's voyage to Rome would have been delayed but without the dramatic events that followed. The harbor's safety compared to Fair Havens made it the preferred destination, though Providence directed otherwise.
References
- 1.George Morrish, "Phenice," in Morrish's Concise Bible Dictionary (George Morrish, 1898).
- 2.F. N. Peloubet & M. A. Peloubet (ed.), "Phenice," in Smith's Bible Dictionary (Porter & Coates, 1884).
- 3.Andrew Robert Fausset, "Phenice," in The Englishman's Critical and Expository Bible Cyclopædia (Hodder & Stoughton, 1878).