Reference: Isles
Fausets
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." Ge 10:5, "the isles of the Gentiles" (Ps 72:10; Isa 41:5; Zep 2:11). Also Chittim, i.e. Cyprus and Mediterranean coasts (Jer 2:10; Nu 24:24; Jer 47:4 margin, "the isle of Caphtor," i.e. Crete).
See Verses Found in Dictionary
From these the coastland peoples spread. [These are the sons of Japheth] in their lands, each with his own language, by their families within their nations.
But ships shall come from Kittim [Cyprus and the greater part of the Mediterranean's east coast] and shall afflict Assyria and Eber [the Hebrews, certain Arabs, and descendants of Nahor], and he [the victor] also shall come to destruction.
The kings of Tarshish and of the coasts shall bring offerings; the kings of Sheba and Seba shall offer gifts.
The islands and coastlands have seen and fear; the ends of the earth tremble. They draw near and come;
I will lay waste the mountains and hills and dry up all their herbage; I will turn the rivers into islands, and I will dry up the pools.
For cross over to the coasts of Cyprus [to the west] and see, send also to Kedar [to the east] and carefully consider; and see whether there has been such a thing as this:
All the kings of Tyre, all the kings of Sidon, and the kings of the islands and the coastlands across the [Mediterranean] Sea;
Because of the day that is coming to destroy all the Philistines and to cut off from Tyre and Sidon every helper who remains. For the Lord is destroying the Philistines, the remnant [still surviving] of the isle or coastland of Caphtor [where the Philistines originated].
The Lord will be terrible to them, for He will make lean and famish all the gods of the earth; and men shall worship Him, every one from his place, even all the isles and coastlands of the nations.