EUROAQUILO

(Eu·ro·aqʹui·lo).

The violent northeasterly gale that swept down upon the ship in which Paul was sailing en route from Fair Havens to Phoenix, a harbor on the southern coast of Crete. (Ac 27:14) That wind, known to Mediterranean mariners as the gregale, is the most violent wind on that sea and would be extremely dangerous to a ship with large sails, which could easily capsize during such a storm. For this reason, when the boat could not keep its head against the wind, the sailors, being in fear of running aground on the quicksands off the northern coast of Africa, “lowered the gear and thus were driven along.” (Ac 27:15-17) The five types of gregale recognized by meteorologists are produced by low-pressure areas over Libya or the Gulf of Gabes, which induce strong air currents from Greece. Translations of the Bible based on the Received Text, such as the King James Version, call the wind “Euroclydon” (from euʹros [southeast or east wind] and klyʹdon [a surge of the sea]). However, the word Eu·ra·kyʹlon, translated “Euroaquilo” (from Latin eurus [east (or southeast) wind] and aquilo [north wind]), is found in some of the best manuscripts. “Euroaquilo” is a better rendering, as it indicates the wind to be from the ENE.