Bible dictionaries
Haven
What Bible dictionaries say about “Haven”, one article after the other.
Easton’s Bible Dictionary & Webster’s 1828 Dictionary
Haven - (Easton's Bible Dictionary)
A harbour (Ps. 107:30; Acts 27: 12). The most famous on the coast of Palestine was that of Tyre (Ezek. 27:3). That of Crete, called "Fair Havens," is mentioned Acts 27:8.
Haven - (Webster's 1828 Dictionary)
HA'VEN,n. ha'vn.
1. A harbor; a port; a bay, recess or inlet of the sea, or the mouth of a river which affords good anchorage and a safe station for ships; any place in which ships can be sheltered by the land from the force of tempests and a violent sea.
2. A shelter; an asylum; a place of safety.
Matthew George Easton, Easton’s Bible Dictionary; Noah Webster, American Dictionary of the English Language (1828)
The article in Easton + Webster 1828International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (ISBE 1915)
ha'-v'-n
(1) choph (Ge 49:13, the Revised Version margin "beach"; Jud 5:17, the Revised Version margin "shore," the King James Version "seashore," the King James Version margin "port"); elsewhere "sea-shore" (De 1:7; Jos 9:1; Jer 47:7) or "sea coast" (Eze 25:16); from root chaphaph, "to wash" or "to lave"; compare Arabic chaffa, "to rub"; and chaffat, "border"; Chufuf, in Eastern Arabia;
(2) machoz (Ps 107:30);
(3) limen (Ac 27:12 bis); also Fair Havens, kaloi limenes (Ac 27:8)):
While the Greek limen is "harbor," the Hebrew Choph is primarily "shore." There is no harbor worthy of the name on the shore of Palestine South of Chaifa. Indeed there is no good natural harbor on the whole coast of Syria and Palestine. The promontories of Carmel, Beirut and Tripolis afford shelter from the prevalent southwest wind, but offer no refuge from the fury of a northern gale. On rocky shores there are inlets which will protect sail boats at most times, but the ships of the ancients were beached in rough weather, and small craft are so treated at the present time. See illustration under BITHYNIA, p. 483.
Alfred Ely Day
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia — James Orr, general editor and contributors; CrossWire SWORD module ISBE 2.2
The article in ISBE 1915