AQABAH, GULF OF

(Aʹqa·bah).

One of two northern arms of the Red Sea. The Gulf of Aqabah borders the Sinai Peninsula on the E as the Gulf of Suez does on the W. The Gulf of Aqabah is about 100 miles (161 kilometers) long and varies from twelve to seventeen miles (19.3 to 27.4 kilometers) in width. It is part of the great geological fault, called the Rift Valley, that continues northward to include the Dead Sea, the Jordan valley, the Sea of Galilee and the Lebanon valley. Rising from the shores on each side of the gulf are precipitous and barren mountains that sometimes reach a height of 2,000 feet (609 meters) above the shore. Numerous coral reefs line the coasts.

The narrow gulf runs nearly straight for its entire length, with the Sinai Peninsula on its western side and Arabia on its eastern side. At its southern end, where it joins the main body of the Red Sea, the island of Tiran, other islands and coral reefs narrow the entrance into it. The depth of the water ranges from 100 to 200 fathoms (600 to 1,200 feet or 183 to 366 meters) and the gulf has been called a “fisherman’s paradise.”

The Israelites had early contact with the gulf when they passed by its N shore during the exodus from Egypt. “While the Amalekites and the Canaanites are dwelling in the low plain, you people make a turn tomorrow and pull away to march to the wilderness by way of the Red Sea [Heb., yam suph].” (Num. 14:25; Deut. 1:40; 2:1) While the Hebrew phrase yam suph can apply to the Red Sea in general or to either of its arms, the reference here clearly points to the eastern arm or Gulf of Aqabah, as is also the case at Numbers 21:4 and 1 Kings 9:26.

Later in the history of the Israelites the gulf became very important to them because it proved to be a valuable trade route. Here were the ports of Eloth and Ezion-geber, through which gold and spices flowed into Palestine from Arabia, Africa and India, while land routes led back into the Sinai Peninsula, Palestine and Transjordan. Understandably, domination of the gulf and its straits in the S was of great economic importance. It, therefore, was a source of constant contention between the Israelites and the Edomites

At 1 Kings 9:26 mention is made of a fleet of ships that Solomon made at Ezion-geber, located on the Gulf of Aqabah. Later, at 1 Kings 22:48, the Scriptures tell about an attempt made by Jehoshaphat to send ships to Ophir, but they were wrecked at Ezion-geber.

Fierce winds blow from the N-NW during most of the year, sweeping down the Arabah or Rift Valley from the hot desert lands above the gulf. These and the sudden squalls that sweep down from the mountains on the sides of the gulf make navigation very hazardous. Yet, while Jehoshaphat’s ships could have been caught in the tricky winds of the gulf and swept upon the rocks that lie in the shallows, the Bible record shows that the disaster was actually due to Jehovah’s disapproval of the venture, so that ‘he broke down Jehoshaphat’s works.’—2 Chron. 20:37.

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Gulf of Aqabah

Gulf of Suez

Red Sea

SINAI PENINSULA

ARABIA