4950. Surtis
Strong's Lexicon
Surtis: Syrtis

Original Word: Σύρτις
Part of Speech: Noun, Feminine
Transliteration: Surtis
Pronunciation: SOOR-tis
Phonetic Spelling: (soor'-tis)
Definition: Syrtis
Meaning: Syrtis, a quicksand off the coast of North Africa.

Word Origin: Derived from the Greek verb σύρω (syro), meaning "to drag" or "to sweep."

Corresponding Greek / Hebrew Entries: There is no direct Hebrew equivalent for "Surtis," as it is a specific geographical term related to the Mediterranean Sea, which is not directly referenced in the Hebrew Bible.

Usage: The term "Surtis" refers to a dangerous sandbank or quicksand, specifically the Syrtis Major and Syrtis Minor, which are two large gulfs on the northern coast of Africa, known for their treacherous sandbars and shoals. In the New Testament, it is used to describe a perilous maritime hazard.

Cultural and Historical Background: The Syrtis Major and Syrtis Minor were infamous among ancient mariners for their shifting sands and shallow waters, which posed significant risks to ships. These areas were located off the coast of modern-day Libya and were well-known in antiquity as dangerous regions to navigate. The fear of being caught in these sandbanks was a common concern for sailors traveling the Mediterranean Sea.

NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Origin
from suró
Definition
"shoal," Syrtis, the name of two large sandbanks on the Lybian coast
NASB Translation
Syrtis (1).

Thayer's Greek Lexicon
STRONGS NT 4950: Σύρτις

Σύρτις (Lachmann Σύρτις; cf. Tdf. Proleg., p. 103; Chandler § 650), Συρτισεως, accusative Σύρτιν, (σύρω, which see (others from Arabicsert, i. e. 'desert'; others besides, see Pape, Eigennamen, under the word)), Syrtis, the name of two places in the African or Libyan Sea between Carthage and Cyrenaica, full of shallows and sandbanks, and therefore destructive to ships; the western Syrtis, between the islands Cercina and Meninx (or the promontories of Zeitha and Brachodes), was called Syrtis minor, the eastern (extending from the promontory of Cephalae on the Winers Grammar, to that of Boreum on the E.) was called Syrtis major (sinus Psyllicus); this latter must be the one referred to in Acts 27:17, for upon this the ship in which Paul was sailing might easily be cast after leaving Crete. (Cf. B. D. under the word .)

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
quicksands, Syrtis

From suro; a shoal (from the sand drawn thither by the waves), i.e. The Syrtis Major or great bay on the north coast of Africa -- quicksands.

see GREEK suro

Forms and Transliterations
Συρτιν Σύρτιν Surtin Syrtin Sýrtin
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Englishman's Concordance
Acts 27:17 N-AFS
GRK: εἰς τὴν Σύρτιν ἐκπέσωσιν χαλάσαντες
NAS: that they might run aground on [the shallows] of Syrtis, they let down
KJV: into the quicksands, strake
INT: into the sandbars of Syrtis they should fall having lowered

Strong's Greek 4950
1 Occurrence


Σύρτιν — 1 Occ.

















4949
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