Ships
   early used in foreign commerce by the Phoenicians (Gen. 49:13).
   Moses (Deut. 28:68) and Job (9:26) make reference to them, and
   Balaam speaks of the "ships of Chittim" (Num. 24:24). Solomon
   constructed a navy at Ezion-geber by the assistance of Hiram's
   sailors (1 Kings 9:26-28; 2 Chr. 8:18). Afterwards, Jehoshaphat
   sought to provide himself with a navy at the same port, but his
   ships appear to have been wrecked before they set sail (1 Kings
   22:48, 49; 2 Chr. 20:35-37).
   
     In our Lord's time fishermen's boats on the Sea of Galilee
   were called "ships." Much may be learned regarding the
   construction of ancient merchant ships and navigation from the
   record in Acts 27, 28.