TRANSPORTATION

A means of conveyance from one place to another. Ancient modes and vehicles of transport varied with the circumstances of travelers and their destination or the places to which articles were taken.

The camel’s ability to subsist on the common plants of the desert and to go without water for prolonged periods made it an ideal animal for travel in arid regions. Camels served both as mounts and for transporting merchandise from place to place. (Ge 37:25-28; Jg 6:3-5; 7:12; 1Ki 10:2) Other animals employed as mounts or beasts of burden were the ass (Jos 15:18; Jg 5:10; 10:4; 12:14; 1Sa 25:42; Isa 30:6), the mule (1Ki 1:33), and the horse (1Ki 4:26; Ac 23:23, 24, 31-33). Ships were used extensively. (2Ch 9:21; Eze 27:9; Jon 1:3; Ac 20:13-15; 27:1-44) Wagons were employed to transport both goods and persons. (Ge 46:5; Nu 7:1-9) Chariots or litters, at times richly decorated, served as a regular means of transport for royalty or men of high station. (2Ki 10:15; Ca 3:6-10; Ac 8:26-31) And the common people usually traveled on foot.​—Lu 24:13-15; see CHARIOT; COMMUNICATION; HIGHWAY, ROAD; LITTER; SHIP; WAGON.