Hoise
Definition and Etymology
Hoise is an older English form of the word "hoist," meaning to raise or lift up. The word derives from Old English and was common in maritime vocabulary during the period when the King James Version was translated in 1611. Various early English translations used different forms: Wycliffe's translation used "lifted up," while Tyndale rendered it "hoysed up." The term translates the Greek word "epairo," which means "to lift up" or "to raise."
The Shipwreck Narrative
The word appears in Acts 27:40 within one of the most dramatic narratives in the New Testament: the account of Paul's shipwreck on his voyage to Rome. Paul, a prisoner being transported to stand trial before Caesar, was aboard a grain ship that encountered a devastating storm called a "northeaster" (Acts 27:14). The ship was driven helplessly across the Mediterranean for fourteen days.
When dawn finally broke and the sailors spotted a bay with a sandy beach, they decided to attempt to run the ship aground. They cut away the anchors, untied the ropes holding the rudders, and then "hoised up the mainsail to the wind" (Acts 27:40, KJV). Modern translations render this as raising or hoisting the foresail. Despite their efforts, the ship struck a sandbar and began to break apart, though all 276 people aboard reached shore safely (Acts 27:41-44).
Nautical Language in Acts
The account in Acts 27 is recognized by historians and nautical experts as one of the most detailed and accurate descriptions of ancient seamanship in all of ancient literature. The specific maritime terminology, including the action of hoisting the sail, demonstrates the author Luke's careful attention to detail as an eyewitness.
The sailors' decision to hoise the sail was a calculated maneuver. After days of running before the storm with the ship's gear lowered (Acts 27:17), raising the foresail was necessary to give the ship enough forward momentum and steering control to reach the beach. It was a desperate but skilled attempt to save the vessel and everyone aboard.
God's Providence in the Storm
The raising of the sail occurs within a narrative saturated with themes of divine providence. Before the attempt to beach the ship, Paul had assured everyone aboard that an angel had appeared to him, promising that while the ship would be lost, every person would survive (Acts 27:23-24). Paul encouraged them: "So keep up your courage, men, for I have faith in God that it will happen just as he told me" (Acts 27:25).
The sailors' actions, including hoisting the sail, represent human effort working within the framework of divine purpose. God had promised deliverance, but that deliverance came through the skilled seamanship of the crew, the decisions of the centurion, and the courage of everyone aboard.
Significance for Modern Readers
While the word "hoise" itself is simply an archaic term that has been updated in modern translations, the scene it describes carries enduring spiritual significance. The shipwreck narrative illustrates that God's promises of deliverance do not eliminate the need for human action and courage. The sailors still had to hoist the sail, steer the ship, and swim for shore. Faith and effort work together under God's sovereign care.
Biblical Context
Hoise appears in Acts 27:40 (KJV) during Paul's shipwreck voyage to Rome. The term describes the sailors raising the foresail as they attempted to beach their storm-battered ship near Malta. The passage is part of the broader travel narrative in Acts 27-28.
Theological Significance
The shipwreck account, including the hoisting of the sail, illustrates the relationship between divine sovereignty and human responsibility. God promised that all would survive, yet the crew still had to employ their seamanship. This reflects the biblical principle that God's providence typically works through rather than apart from human effort.
Historical Background
The word 'hoise' was standard English maritime vocabulary in the 16th-17th centuries. The nautical details in Acts 27 have been extensively studied by maritime historians and are considered remarkably accurate. Ancient grain ships like the one described could carry over 200 passengers and crew. The route from the eastern Mediterranean to Rome was one of the most important commercial shipping lanes in the Roman Empire.