Isles
Hebrew iyim, from aawah, “to inhabit.” Shore land at opposed to sea, dry land as opposed to rivers. Isa 42:15, “I will make the rivers islands.” God will dry up the fountains of the pagan idolatry and oracles, i.e. their schools, doctrines, and institutions, the symbol of which is, water (Vitringa). So the word is applied to all lands reached from Palestine by sea. Jer 25:22, “the isles which are beyond the sea.” Gen 10:5, “the isles of the Gentiles” (Psa 72:10; Isa 41:5; Zep 2:11). Also Chittim, i.e. Cyprus and Mediterranean coasts (Jer 2:10; Num 24:24; Jer 47:4 margin, “the isle of Caphtor,” i.e. Crete).