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John Gill
And sounded,.... Or let down their plummet, or sounding line; which was a line with a piece of lead at the end of it, which they let down into the water, and by that means found what depth it was, by which they could judge whether they were near land or not. The sounding line, with the ancients, was called by different names; sometimes bolis, and this is the name it has here, βολισαντες, "they...
Matthew Henry
This whole chapter is taken up with an account of Paul's voyage towards Rome, when he was sent thither a prisoner by Festus the governor, upon his appeal to Cæsar. I. The beginning of the voyage was well enough, it was calm and prosperous, ver. 1-8. II. Paul gave them notice of a storm coming, but could not prevail with them to lie by, ver. 9-11. III. As they pursued their voyage, they met with a...
Charles H. Spurgeon
And sounded, and found it twenty fathoms: and when they had gone a little further, they sounded again, and found it fifteen fathoms. They found that the water was shallowing very quickly, so they knew that they were getting near the shore.