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ISLAND, ISLE.—The Heb. word ʼ ῑ 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 [Note: Authorized Version.] , but RV [Note: Revised Version.] ‘coast-land’). The islands of the Gentiles or heathen (Gen_10:6, Zep_2:11) are apparently the coasts of the W. Mediterranean; the ‘isles of the sea’ (Est_10:1, Eze_26:18 etc.) are also the Mediterranean coasts; ‘the isles’ (Psa_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 (Act_4:36; Act_11:19 f., Act_13:4, Act_15:39, Act_21:3; Act_21:16, Act_27:4), Crete (Act_27:7; Act_27:12-13; Act_27:21), Clauda (Act_27:16), Melita (Act_28:1), and Patmos (Rev_1:9).
E. W. G. Masterman.