Original Word: λίψ
Part of Speech: Noun, Masculine
Transliteration: lips
Pronunciation: leaps
Phonetic Spelling: (leeps)
KJV: southwest
NASB: southwest
Word Origin: [probably from leibo "to pour a libation"]

1. the south(- west) wind (as bringing rain)
2. (by extension) the south quarter

southwest.

Probably from leibo (to pour a "libation"); the south(- west) wind (as bringing rain, i.e. (by extension) the south quarter) -- southwest.

Word Origin
from leibó (to pour)
Definition
the southwest wind
NASB Translation
southwest (1).

STRONGS NT 3047: λίψ

λίψ, λιβός, ὁ (from λείβω (to pour forth), because it brings moisture);

1. the southwest wind: Herodotus 2, 25; Polybius 10, 10, 3; others.

2. the quarter of the heavens whence the southwest wind blows: Acts 27:12 (on which see βλέπω, 3 and κατά, II. 1 c.) (Genesis 13:14; Genesis 20:1; Numbers 2:10; Deuteronomy 33:23).

Term Overview

Strong’s Greek 3047 designates a specific wind from the southwest. In Greek nautical parlance it identified a quarter-wind that combined warmth from the south with the moisture and turbulence driven from the west. Mariners recognized it as steady enough for navigation yet capable of sudden squalls when colliding with colder northerlies.

Biblical Occurrence and Immediate Context

Acts 27:12 is its lone New Testament appearance. Paul, under Roman guard, had reached Fair Havens on the south coast of Crete. Because “…this harbor was unsuitable to winter in, the majority decided to sail on, hoping to reach Phoenix and winter there, a harbor in Crete facing both southwest and northwest” (Acts 27:12). The mention of the southwest wind pinpoints the desired orientation of Phoenix: an inlet protected from the prevailing northeasterly gales while open to the milder southwestern breezes. Luke’s precision anchors the narrative in real seamanship and underscores that the later shipwreck (Acts 27:14-44) came despite prudent, well-informed planning.

Geographical and Meteorological Background

1. Mediterranean wind-roses listed eight principal winds; the southwest occupied 225° on the compass.
2. In late autumn (the approximate season of Acts 27) that wind could offer a benign corridor along the Cretan shoreline, yet it also signaled the transition to winter storms.
3. Cretan ports that “looked” toward a given wind enjoyed calmer seas because nearby land masses broke the fetch of opposing currents.

Maritime Practices in the First Century

• Roman imperial traffic often lingered at Cretan harbors awaiting predictable winter patterns.
• Captains studied wind-funnels created by the island’s mountainous spine; a harbor with double exposure (“southwest and northwest”) minimized rolling at anchor.
• Luke’s travel diary supplies one of antiquity’s clearest first-hand accounts of such decision-making, corroborated by classical authors like Pliny and Seneca who likewise detailed the perils of navigating during the fast-ending shipping season (cf. Acts 27:9).

Theological and Symbolic Considerations

Scripture frequently pictures wind as subject to God’s sovereign command (Exodus 10:19; Psalm 135:7; Jonah 1:4; Mark 4:39). By naming even a specific quarter-wind, Luke implicitly testifies that the Creator governs not only the Red Sea or Galilee but every regional breeze guiding His servant toward Rome (Acts 23:11; 27:24). The apostle’s mission advances through apparently ordinary choices about harbor orientation—choices foreknown and folded into providence.

Historical Reception and Exposition

• Early commentators such as Chrysostom drew practical exhortations about heeding wise counsel; the centurion later learned that a seemingly safe wind could not guarantee deliverance apart from trust in God (Acts 27:11, 30-31).
• Reformation writers highlighted that, while nature’s laws are reliable, safety ultimately rests in obedience to prophetic warning—Paul’s forecast trumped the pilots’ optimism.
• Modern archaeology at Phoenix (modern Loutro) confirms Luke’s locational accuracy, strengthening confidence in the historical fidelity of Acts.

Practical Ministry Application

1. Discernment: Believers should weigh multiple factors—expertise, season, and divine guidance—before setting course in ministry or daily life.
2. Providence: Even winds that seem favorable may shift; security is found in God’s promise, not in circumstances.
3. Witness: Accurate detail, such as the single mention of the southwest wind, can bolster apologetic outreach by demonstrating Scripture’s reliability.

The solitary occurrence of this term therefore serves as more than a nautical footnote. It underscores the harmony between natural knowledge and divine oversight, enriching the testimony of Acts and encouraging today’s church to trust the One who “makes the winds His messengers” (Psalm 104:4).

λιβα λίβα λιβί λιβός λίψ λοβόν λοβούς liba líbaInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts