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.