Mast
Mast is the rendering in the Auth. Vers. of two Heb. words. חַבֵּל (chibbel', so called from the ropes and stays with which it is fastened), occurs only in Pr 23:34, "Thou (that tarriest long at the wine) shalt be as he that lieth down in the midst of the sea, or as he that lieth upon the top of the mast" (Sept. éσπερ κυβερνήτης ἐν πολλῷ κλύδωνι, Vulg. quasi sopitus gubernator amnisso cleano), doubtless correctly as referring to an intoxicated sailor falling asleep at the mast-head in a storm at sea. תֹּרֶן(to'ren, prob. l.q. אֹרֶן, a pine-tree) the mast of a ship (Isa 23:18; Eze 27:5; Sept ἰστός,Vulg. malus); also a signal-pole set up on mountains for an ensign (Isa 30:17; Sept. ἰστός,Vulg. malus, Auth. Vers. "beacon"). Ancient vessels had ofter two or three masts (see Smith's Dict. of Class. Antiq.v. Malus). SEE SHIP.
