James 3:4
in James 3Consider ships as well. Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot is inclined.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Behold, the ships also, though they are so great and are driven by rough winds, are yet turned about by a very small rudder, whither the impulse of the steersman willeth.
KJV
Behold also the ships, which though they be so great, and are driven of fierce winds, yet are they turned about with a very small helm, whithersoever the governor listeth.
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This verse in James 3
Commentary
8 notes on this verseBehold, even ships, though they are so great, and are driven by strong winds, are steered by a very small rudder wherever the will of the pilot directs. The great ships on the sea are the minds of men in this life, whether good or …
This site's exposition
we put bits in the horses’ mouths
on James 3:3-4
Behold, we put bits in the horses' mouths, that they may obey us draws the first picture, a small piece of metal turning a large and powerful animal. The ships carry the same lesson at greater scale, driven of fierce winds, yet turned about with a very small helm, whithersoever the governor listeth. Both figures make the same point before the tongue is even named again, that a small controlling instrument governs a disproportionately large body.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
If anyone does not stumble in speech, he is a perfect man, able to bridle the whole body. Behold, we put bits in the mouths of horses so that they may obey us, and we turn the whole body about. Behold, ships also, though they …
The Medieval Church2 voices
James says that if we can contain the spirits of a horse by putting a bit into his mouth and control the direction of a ship with a small rudder, how much more ought we to be able to guide the tongue by right words …
This too is said to the same point, that is, that the tongue must be moved not haphazardly, but directed toward what is better. For as we restrain the impulses of a horse with a bridle and change the course of a ship with a …
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
Behold also the ships, which though they be so great,....
As the helm is a very small part of the ship, so is the tongue a very small part of the body: but the right governing of the helm or rudder will steer and turn the ship as the governor pleases; and a right management of the tongue is, in a great measure, the government of the whole man.
1 more voice on this verse
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
Behold also the ships - This illustration is equally striking and obvious. A ship is a large object. It seems to be unmanageable by its vastness, and it is also impelled by driving storms. Yet it is easily managed by a small rudder; and he that has control of that, has control of the ship itself. So with the tongue.
The words behind it
21 Greek wordsEvery Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ἰδοὺ | idou | Behold | G2400 → | 200 times |
| καὶ | kai | also | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| τὰ | ta | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| πλοῖα, | ploia | ships, | G4143 → | |
| τηλικαῦτα | telikauta | so great | G5082 → | |
| ὄντα | onta | being | G1510 → | 2333 times |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| ὑπὸ | hupo | by | G5259 → | 219 times |
| ἀνέμων | anemon | winds | G417 → | |
| σκληρῶν | skleron | strong | G4642 → | |
| ἐλαυνόμενα, | elaunomena | being driven, | G1643 → | |
| μετάγεται | metagetai | are turned about | G3329 → | |
| ὑπὸ | hupo | by | G5259 → | 219 times |
| ἐλαχίστου | elachistou | a very small | G1646 → | |
| πηδαλίου | pedaliou | rudder | G4079 → | |
| ὅπου | hopou | where | G3699 → | |
| ἡ | he | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ὁρμὴ | horme | impulse | G3730 → | |
| τοῦ | tou | [of the one] who | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| εὐθύνοντος | euthunontos | is steering | G2116 → | |
| βούλεται.¶ | bouletai | decides. | G1014 → | 37 times |
ἰδοὺBehold
idouG2400 →200 times
καὶalso
kaiG2532 →9120 times
τὰthe
taG3588 →19766 times
πλοῖα,ships,
ploiaG4143 →
τηλικαῦταso great
telikautaG5082 →
ὄνταbeing
ontaG1510 →2333 times
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
ὑπὸby
hupoG5259 →219 times
ἀνέμωνwinds
anemonG417 →
σκληρῶνstrong
skleronG4642 →
ἐλαυνόμενα,being driven,
elaunomenaG1643 →
μετάγεταιare turned about
metagetaiG3329 →
ὑπὸby
hupoG5259 →219 times
ἐλαχίστουa very small
elachistouG1646 →
πηδαλίουrudder
pedaliouG4079 →
ὅπουwhere
hopouG3699 →
ἡthe
heG3588 →19766 times
ὁρμὴimpulse
hormeG3730 →
τοῦ[of the one] who
touG3588 →19766 times
εὐθύνοντοςis steering
euthunontosG2116 →
βούλεται.¶decides.
bouletaiG1014 →37 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Jonah 1:4Then the LORD hurled a great wind upon the sea, and such a violent storm arose that the ship was in danger of breaking apart.
it leads to
- Psalms 107:23–31
Others went out to sea in ships, conducting trade on the mighty waters.
- Matthew 8:24–27
Suddenly a violent storm came up on the sea, so that the boat was engulfed by the waves; but Jesus was sleeping.
- Exodus 14:21
Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and all that night the LORD drove back the sea with a strong east wind that turned it into dry land. So the waters were…
- Psalms 135:7
He causes the clouds to rise from the ends of the earth. He generates the lightning with the rain and brings forth the wind from His storehouses.
- Psalms 107:23–31
Through
Matthew 8:24Suddenly a violent storm came up on the sea, so that the boat was engulfed by the waves; but Jesus was sleeping.
it leads to
- Luke 8:23
As they sailed, He fell asleep, and a windstorm came down on the lake, so that the boat was being swamped, and they were in great danger.
- Jonah 1:4–5
Then the LORD hurled a great wind upon the sea, and such a violent storm arose that the ship was in danger of breaking apart.
- Psalms 107:23–27
Others went out to sea in ships, conducting trade on the mighty waters.
- Mark 4:37–38
Soon a violent windstorm came up, and the waves were breaking over the boat, so that it was being swamped.
- Luke 8:23
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies3
On this verse
On this chapter
About James
This page draws on Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Andreas of Caesarea, CATENA; Bede, Commentary on the Catholic Epistles; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Oecumenius, Commentary on James and Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on James.