The Hebrew noun oniyyah means ship or seafaring vessel. It is a feminine form related to oni (fleet). Ships in the Old Testament appear in the context of commerce, warfare, migration, and most famously the story of Jonah, who boarded a ship fleeing from God — a futile attempt that became a vehicle for divine grace and mercy.
The oniyyah in Jonah becomes a stage for one of Scripture's greatest lessons on the pursuit of God. Jonah fled on a ship, but God controlled the sea and the storm. The sailors on Jonah's ship experienced revelation of the true God through the storm and Jonah's confession. Ships in Scripture often symbolize human plans and journeys that God sovereignly redirects for His purposes.