And when they had taken up the anchors, they committed themselves unto the sea, and loosed the rudder bands, and hoised up the mainsail to the wind, and made toward shore.
And when they had taken up the anchors, they committed themselves unto the sea, [tas (G3588) angkuras (G45 ) perielontes ( G4014) eioon (G1439) eis (G1519) teen (G3588) thalassan (G2281 )]. The marginal rendering here evidently the right one, 'And having cut the anchors, they left them in the sea.'
And loosed the rudder-bands. Ancient ships (says Mr. Smith) were steered by two large paddles, one on each quarter. When anchored by the stern in a gale, it would be necessary to lift them out of the water, and secure them by lashings or rudder-bands, and to loose these when the ship was again gotten under weigh,
And hoised up the mainsail, х artemona ( G736 )]. The 'artemon' was certainly (says Mr. Smith) the foresail, not the mainsail; and a sailor will at once see that this was the best possible sail that could be set in the circumstances. How necessary must the crew have been to execute all these movements, and how obvious the foresight which made their stay indispensable to the safety of all on board (see the note at Acts 27:31 ).
To the wind, [tee ( G3588) pneousee (G4154), sc. aura], and made toward shore - or 'bore down on the beach.'