Reference: Island, Isle
Hastings
The Heb. word ?? means primarily 'coastlands,' but sometimes lands in general, and in one passage (Isa 42:15) 'dry land' as opposed to water. In Isa 20:6 Palestine is called 'this isle' (AV, but RV 'coast-land'). The islands of the Gentiles or heathen (Ge 10:6; Zep 2:11) are apparently the coasts of the W. Mediterranean; the 'isles of the sea' (Es 10:1; Eze 26:18 etc.) are also the Mediterranean coasts; 'the isles' (Ps 72:10 etc., Isa 42:10 etc.) means the West generally as contrasted with the East. Tyre is mentioned as an isle in Isa 23:2, and here perhaps the term may be taken literally, as Tyre was actually at that time an island. The isle of Kittim (Jer 2:10; Eze 27:6) is probably Cyprus, and the isle of Caphtor (Jer 47:4 mg.), Crete. In the NT five islands are mentioned: Cyprus (Ac 4:36; 11:19 f., Ac 13:4; 15:39; 21:3,16; 27:4), Crete (Ac 27:7,12-13,21), Clauda (Ac 27:16), Melita (Ac 28:1), and Patmos (Re 1:9).
E. W. G. Masterman.
See Verses Found in Dictionary
May the kings of Tarshish and the coasts and islands bring tribute, the kings of Sheba and Seba offer gifts.
And the inhabitants of this coastland will say on that day: Look, this is what has happened to those we relied on and fled to for help to rescue [us] from the king of Assyria! Now, how will we escape?"
Mourn, inhabitants of the coastland, you merchants of Sidon; your agents have crossed the sea
Sing a new song to the Lord; [sing] His praise from the ends of the earth, you who go down to the sea with all that fills it, you islands with your inhabitants.
I will lay waste mountains and hills, and dry up all their vegetation. I will turn rivers into islands, and dry up marshes.
Cross over to Cyprusand take a look. Send [someone] to Kedar and consider carefully; see if there has ever been anything like this:
on account of the day that is coming to destroy all the Philistines, to cut off from Tyre and Sidon every remaining ally. Indeed, the Lord is about to destroy the Philistines, the remnant of the islands of Caphtor.
Now the coastlands tremble on the day of your downfall; the islands in the sea are alarmed by your demise."
They made your oars of oaks from Bashan. They made your deck of cypress wood from the coasts of Cyprus, [inlaid] with ivory.
The Lord will be terrifying to them when He starves all the gods of the earth. Then all the distant coastlands of the nations will bow in worship to Him, each in its own place.
Joseph, a Levite and a Cypriot by birth, whom the apostles named Barnabas, which is translated Son of Encouragement,
Those who had been scattered as a result of the persecution that started because of Stephen made their way as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch, speaking the message to no one except Jews.
Being sent out by the Holy Spirit, they came down to Seleucia, and from there they sailed to Cyprus.
There was such a sharp disagreement that they parted company, and Barnabas took Mark with him and sailed off to Cyprus.
After we sighted Cyprus, leaving it on the left, we sailed on to Syria and arrived at Tyre, because the ship was to unload its cargo there.
Some of the disciples from Caesarea also went with us and brought us to Mnason, a Cypriot and an early disciple, with whom we were to stay.
When we had put out to sea from there, we sailed along the northern coast of Cyprus because the winds were against us.
Sailing slowly for many days, we came with difficulty as far as Cnidus. But since the wind did not allow us to approach it, we sailed along the south side of Crete off Salmone.
Since the harbor was unsuitable to winter in, the majority decided to set sail from there, hoping somehow to reach Phoenix, a harbor on Crete open to the southwest and northwest, and to winter there. When a gentle south wind sprang up, they thought they had achieved their purpose; they weighed anchor and sailed along the shore of Crete.
After running under the shelter of a little island called Cauda, we were barely able to get control of the skiff.
Since many were going without food, Paul stood up among them and said, "You men should have followed my advice not to sail from Crete and sustain this damage and loss.
I, John, your brother and partner in the tribulation, kingdom, and perseverance in Jesus, was on the island called Patmos because of God's word and the testimony about Jesus.