Note to Reader: In this teaching, YHWH and Elohim are used to refer to the LORD God, Creator. And Yahushua is used for His Son, who is the LORD God manifested in the flesh, as Messiah and Savior. Unless otherwise stated, all Scripture references are taken from the 2009 version of The Scriptures by the Institute for Scripture Research.
Written by J.C. (June 12, 2019)
What are harbors?
Harbors are bodies of water along shorelines that are deep enough for ships to pass through easily. They often have docks or port facilities as they provide a narrower and safer place to load and unload ships. They can protect ships from winds, waves, and currents. Harbors can either be natural or artificial. Artificial harbors are intentionally constructed by man usually for some motive involving ships. Natural harbors are surrounded on several sides by land, being a safe place for ships to travel in and out.
The Aqaba Harbor is a natural harbor. The Sinai Peninsula, Israel, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia form the coastline of the Aqaba Harbor. The Gulf of Aqaba reaches a maximum depth of 1,850 meters (6,070 feet). Its width varies from 19 kilometers (12 miles) to 27 kilometers (27 miles). It is approximately 177 kilometers (110 miles) long. It is a very deep and narrow harbor. Notice in the map below that the Aqaba Harbor is well protected by land.
What is a breakwater?
A breakwater is a barrier near the shoreline. The purpose of a breakwater is to protect an anchorage, from waves and weather by reducing the water current. Breakwaters can be designed to be walls underwater, coming up from the seafloor. They also may float in the water.
The engineering of breakwaters must be well thought through. The distance of the breakwater to the shore, the direction the waves hit the breakwater, and the angle at which the breakwater is built relative to the coast, all must be considered.
The Aqaba Harbor has a built-in natural breakwater. This breakwater is in the exact location where the Israelites crossed the Red Sea. It is a sand bridge in the Gulf of Aqaba that joins Egypt to Saudi Arabia. The sand bridge at Nuweiba Beach is a “natural” breakwater for this harbor. The sand bridge may have been laid down from sediment during the flood. Regardless, YHWH knows it’s there. He had a purpose in using this breakwater to facilitate the Israelites crossing the Red Sea.
This sand bridge sticks up from the seafloor approximately 4,000 feet high. The depth of the water on the Aqaba side is approximately 5,000 feet. This provides a wall about 4/5 of the height of the water to reduce the current. Any ship passing over this sand bridge would immediately be safe from the violent aspects of the weather.
King Solomon set up pillars on both sides of the Aqaba Harbor: one in Egypt and one in Saudi Arabia. The pillar on the Egyptian side is still there today. The Saudi government removed the one on the Saudi side. Many suspect that these pillars were memorializing the Red Sea Crossing.
There is a second reason King Solomon could have set up these pillars. He could have done it for the ships traveling through the harbor. The pillars could have been a signal to any ship passing through the harbor. Once they passed over the sand bridge, they would know they were now in a safety zone.
Where do we see the Aqaba Harbor in Scripture?
Aqaba is mentioned in the Bible six times as Etsyon Geber (Eziongeber): Numbers 33:35; Numbers 33:36; 1 Kings 9:26; 1 Kings 22:48; 2 Chronicles 8:17; and 2 Chronicles 20:36. How do we know that Etsyon Geber was the same city as modern Aqaba?
1 Kings 9:26 And Sovereign Shelomoh built a fleet of ships at Etsyon Geḇer, which is near Ěyloth on the shore of the Sea of Reeds (Red Sea), in the land of Eḏom.
2 Chronicles 8:17 Then Shelomoh went to Etsyon Geḇer and Ěyloth on the seacoast, in the land of Eḏom.
Eyloth was an ancient city mentioned in the Bible but is known as the modern city Eilat, which is located on the southern tip of Israel. Eyloth and Etsyon Geber were right near each other in biblical times, just the way Eilat, Israel and Aqaba, Jordan are today. We can find other confirmations in these two verses. These verses describe Etsyon Geber as being in the land of Edom, which today would be the southern part of the country of Jordan. Aqaba lies at the southern tip of Jordan. Also, Etsyon Geber was on the shore of the Red Sea. Aqaba too, is located on the shoreline of the Red Sea. From this, we can pretty much conclude that what the Bible calls Etsyon Geber is the exact location of the current city of Aqaba.
The Bible talks about Etsyon Geber as a place where ships were built. This would indicate that it was a port in biblical times too.
1 Kings 9:26-28 And Sovereign Shelomoh built a fleet of ships at Etsyon Geḇer, which is near Ěyloth on the shore of the Sea of Reeds, in the land of Eḏom. And Ḥiram sent his servants with the fleet, seamen who knew the sea, to work with the servants of Shelomoh. And they went to Ophir, and took four hundred and twenty talents of gold from there, and brought it to Sovereign Shelomoh.
It is interesting that Solomon in all of his wisdom decided to build ships in Etsyon Geber instead of any other place. Hiram was the king of Tsor (1 Kings 9:11). Tsor was a port city on the Mediterranean Sea. Hiram sent his servants, who knew the sea well, to work with Solomon’s servants to build ships.
2 Chronicles 20:35-37 And after this Yehoshaphat (Jehoshaphat) sovereign of Yehuḏah joined himself with Aḥazyah (Ahaziah) sovereign of Yisra’ěl. He did wrong in doing so. And he joined himself with him to make ships to go to Tarshish, and they made the ships in Etsyon Geḇer. Then Eli‛ezer son of Doḏawahu of Marěshah prophesied against Yehoshaphat, saying, “Because you have joined yourself with Aḥazyahu, יהוה shall break up your work.” And the ships were wrecked, so that they were unable to go to Tarshish.
1 Kings 22:48 Yehoshaphat made Tarshish ships to go to Ophir for gold. However, they did not go, for the ships were wrecked at Etsyon Geḇer.
Here we see that Jehoshaphat, king of Judah, joined up with Ahaziah king of Isreal. Ahaziah was the son of Ahab, King of Israel. Ahab, together with his wife Jezebel, was known for his continuous evil in the eyes of YHWH. The Scriptures do not indicate that Ahaziah ever repented from his father’s evil. At the end of Ahaziah’s life, he inquired of Baal-Zebub. The prophet Elijah prophesied Ahaziah’s death for this evil (2 Kings 1).
Jehoshaphat and Ahaziah made ships in Etsyon Geber intending to go to Tarsish. The Scriptures say Jehoshaphat was wrong in doing so. Jehoshaphat walked in the ways of his father Asa and did what was right in the eyes of YHWH (1 Kings 22:43). The reason YHWH was not pleased with Jehoshaphat was that he joined himself with someone evil. Eliezer son of Dodavah prophesied against Jehoshaphat, saying that his work would be destroyed by YHWH. His ships were wrecked, and he was unable to go to Tarshis. Etsyon Geber was a safe harbor, but YHWH was destroying a work of evil.
The Port of Aqaba Today
The port of Aqaba is the only port in Jordan and is the second-largest container port on the Red Sea. It is in a strategic position for port trade in the Middle East. It lies between two continents: Africa and Asia, and four different countries: Egypt, Israel, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia.
It is owned by the Aqaba Development Cooperation (ADC). They took over the management and operation of the terminal in 2004. The ADC was launched in 2004 with the motive of economic growth for the Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority (AZESA).
The ADC has twelve terminals which are run by five operations: the Aqaba Company for Port Management, the Aqaba Container Terminal, the Industrial Port Company, the Phosphate Company, and the operation by Aqaba Port Marine Service Company.
Is the Aqaba Harbor in Prophecy?
In Psalm 107, we see people on ships. The end of Psalm 106 gives us the context for this sea voyage.
Psalm 106:47-48 Save us, O יהוה our Elohim, and gather us from among the nations, to give thanks to Your set-apart Name, to exult in Your praise. Blessed be יהוה Elohim of Yisra’ěl from everlasting to everlasting! And all the people shall say, “Aměn!” Praise Yah!
This is a time when YHWH’s people are calling upon Him to save them. They must be experiencing some type of distress. This is also a time when His people are asking Him to gather them. Many, many other verses in the Scriptures talk about YHWH gathering His people! Many believers would call this concept the “Ingathering” or the “Second Exodus”.
This Psalm emphasizes this major time of distress. In Psalm 107, the Hebrew word צַר “tsar” is used five times. It also uses another Hebrew word מְצוּקָה “metsukah” four times.
Psalm 107:2 Let the redeemed of יהוה say so, whom He has redeemed from the hand of the adversary (tsar).
Some of the translations for the word “tsar” is adversary, enemy, foe, and oppressor. In this verse, YHWH has redeemed people from some enemy. Here the word tsar is used to describe a person. Who could this enemy be during this time of distress?
Psalm 107:6 Then they cried out to יהוה in their distress (tsar), He delivered them out of their troubles (metsukah).
Psalm 107:13 And they cried out to יהוה in their distress (tsar), He saved them out of their troubles (metsukah).
Psalm 107:19 And cried out to יהוה in their distress (tsar), He saved them out of their troubles (metsukah).
Psalm 107:28 Then they cry out to יהוה in their distress (tsar), and He brings them out of their troubles (metsukah).
The word “tsar” also means distress and a narrow or tight place. The word “metsukah” means strait, distress, or anguish. YHWH’s people are experiencing a very stressful time in a narrow spot. In this Psalm, we find YHWH’s people riding on the sea in ships.
Psalm 107:23-30 Those who go down to the sea in ships, doing work in many waters, they see the works of יהוה, and His wonders in the deep. For He commands and raises the stormy wind, which lifts up the waves of the sea. They go up to the heavens, they go down to the depths; their being is melted because of evil. They celebrate and stagger like a drunkard, and all their wisdom is swallowed up. Then they cry out to יהוה in their distress, and He brings them out of their troubles. He caused the storm to be still so that its waves were silent. And they rejoice because they are hushed, and He leads them to the haven of their delight.
These people are in ships. YHWH is stirring up the waters to be very violent. The people traveling at sea are in much trouble and are crying out to YHWH in their anguish. Imagine traveling at sea being tossed and turned for days and days. There is nothing these people can do for themselves. They fear for their lives.
The Hebrew word that is translated haven is מָחוֹז “machowz.” This word has a root meaning to enclose as in a harbor shut in by the shore. It is a harbor that is a haven. Machowz is only used one time in the entirety of Hebrew Scriptures. This should draw our attention to this word and the context of Psalm 107.
The Scriptures do not come out and say what specific harbor we are talking about here. If we look at where this harbor could be, we must be talking about a harbor that is near the ancient land of Israel. There are no enclosed harbors along the Mediterranean Sea. Aqaba Harbor is the only harbor that fits this description.
A Trip on a Ship
Keep in mind the context of Psalm 107.
Psalm 107:2-4 Let the redeemed of יהוה now say so, whom He as redeemed from the hand of the adversary, and gathered out of the lands, from east and from west, from north and south. They wandered in a wilderness, in a desert way; they found no city to dwell in.
I understand this passage to be prophetic, a prophecy about the Ingathering. As foretold in Psalm 107, YHWH will gather His people from the nations, from all directions of the Earth in the End Days. A tribulation time is shown in this chapter. This is the time when YHWH will allow great suffering and the whole Earth will be in major distress. His people will find no place to settle in their homelands. They will have to flee. Then, ships are mentioned as a means of transportation for the people who are being gathered. There is hope for the “redeemed of YHWH!”
Imagine for a moment that you are one of these people who went to the sea to escape from the tribulation you were experiencing. In the waters, there is a terrifying storm! You are getting tossed around by this massive storm. After days and days of being tossed around vigorously while traveling on a ship, you fear for your life. You cry out to YHWH continuously to deliver you from this great storm. Besides Him, there is no deliverance!
He then answers you and causes this great storm to be still! YHWH brings you into calm waters, you rejoice that the waters are calm. You look around and see land on the east and west sides of the ship. You also notice a column standing on the shoreline. You have just passed one of Solomon’s pillars and crossed over the natural breakwater. This is the same place your ancestors crossed the Red Sea and saw the deliverance of YHWH! YHWH has brought you to the ‘harbor of your delight,’ the Aqaba Harbor! You have now entered into a safer place.
Psalm 107:31 Let them give thanks to יהוה for His loving-commitment, and His wonders to the children of men!
I hope this article has been a blessing!
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