Matthew Maury was a United States Navy commander, and one of the first to extensively study ocean currents, publishing The Physical Geography of the Sea in 1855.

There's an anecdote that he was inspired to study the concept of ocean currents after reading about "the paths of the seas" in the Bible, Psalm 8 verse 8.

(NIV) the birds of the air, and the fish of the sea, all that swim in the paths of the seas.

Whether or not the original writer was referring to ocean currents in ancient times is beyond my expertise, but it is an ancient piece of writing that's been interpreted by some in modern times to be referring to ocean currents