Island
(Heb. ‘i, “dry land,” as opposed to water) occurs in its usual signification (Isa. 42:4, 10, 12, 15, comp. Jer. 47:4), but more frequently simply denotes a maritime region or sea-coast (Isa. 20:6, R.V.,” coastland;” 23:2, 6; Jer. 2:10; Ezek. 27:6, 7). (See CHITTIM) The shores of the Mediterranean are called the “islands of the sea” (Isa. 11:11), or the “isles of the Gentiles” (Gen. 10:5), and sometimes simply “isles” (Ps. 72:10); Ezek. 26:15, 18; 27:3, 35; Dan. 11:18).
Fuente: Easton’s Bible Dictionary
Island
Prophecies concerning
Psa 97:1; Isa 11:11; Isa 41:1; Isa 41:5; Isa 49:1; Zep 2:11; Rev 16:20
Fuente: Nave’s Topical Bible
ISLAND
Island or H336, in the Hebrew tongue, is such a place to which men went by sea from Judea; whence Europe is in Holy Scripture called the Islands of the Sea: so in Isa 20:6, the land of Cush, or Ethiopia, seems to be called an island, because the Israelites went to it by sea from Eziongeber. And indeed any place or haven to which ships resorted, was by them called an island.
Thus the city of Tyre,f1 as it was in ancient times, comes under the name of the Isle in Isa 23:2; Isa 23:6, though seated only near the sea; and the Tyrians, under the name of the Inhabitants of the Isle, and at the same time of merchants; and their city, the merchant city, Isa 23:3; Isa 23:11. And because the Hebrews looked upon islands as places of merchandise, to which men went to traffic and fetch riches; hence it comes, that an island, in their notion, is akin to Mart-Town, a rich trading populous city, a place from whence riches are brought. Thus in Eze 27:3, Tyre also is called a mart, , of the people from many islands. And the whole chapter, together with the Targum, is a plain proof of this, especially the 15th verse, where it is said, “many isles were the merchandise of thine hand.” So in Isa 60:9, islands and ships are mentioned, in order to produce and bring silver and gold.
For this very reason, as will be shewn in its proper place, ships are the symbols of profit and riches.
Thus in Isa 23:2, they that travel over sea, and merchants, are synonymous; the Hebrew H5505, and the Greek , signifying both; because so called from their passing to and fro: so that an island is a place of trade, to which and from whence are brought over sea in ships all kinds of merchandise and riches: because the sea and rivers afford the conveniency of trading from one place to another, and thereby enrich all the country. Whence in Euripidesf2 , a great haven of riches, signifies a great revenue.
Upon the whole, an island being thus, in the notion of the Hebrews, a place sitting near the sea, convenient for merchandise, and flowing with riches by all kind of trade, symbolically signifies the riches, revenues, places, or ways of trading, and treasures of the matter about which the symbol is employed. In the same manner as we may say now of the kingdoms of Spain, Britain, and others, that the American plantations, which are islands to them all in the Hebrew style, are the riches and revenues of those kingdoms, because their trade and riches are fetched from thence. And the waters or seas, the merchants, and islands to which they resort, are as a crop or revenue to the city where they come.
Thus in Isa 23:3, the prophet, speaking of Tyre, which is before called the Isle by way of excellency, adds, “And by great waters the seed of Sihor, the harvest of the river, is her revenue, and she is a mart of nations; where the meaning seems plainly to be this: the merchants, by their sea-trade, sow as it were their seed in the waters for increase, and the revenues arising by the waters are as her harvest; he compares their sea-trade to the overflowing of the Sihor, or Nile, and saith it brings them riches, as the Nile to the Egyptians by his fertility. The LXX. , , , . They seem to have taken , instead of, or as H5503 merchants. See Schindler. According to them the place is thus to be taken; “The seed of merchants are as thrown in many waters; the merchants of the nations are as a crop brought in.” Or thus: “In many waters is the seed of merchants; they are as a crop to the place where they resort.” Which is just as Tully argues: “Quasi qudam prdia populi Rom. sent vectigalia nostra, atque provinci.”f3
F1 Vid. Jac. Perizon. Orig. Babyl. e. vi.
F2 Lur. Orest. ver. 1077.
F3 M. . Cic. in Verr. L. ii. . 239.