Chittim

1 definition found

From Easton's 1897 Bible Dictionary [easton]:

  Chittim
     or Kittim, a plural form (Gen. 10:4), the name of a branch of
     the descendants of Javan, the "son" of Japheth. Balaam foretold
     (Num. 24:24) "that ships shall come from the coast of Chittim,
     and afflict Eber." Daniel prophesied (11:30) that the ships of
     Chittim would come against the king of the north. It probably


     denotes Cyprus, whose ancient capital was called Kition by the
     Greeks.
     
       The references elsewhere made to Chittim (Isa. 23:1, 12; Jer.
     2:10; Ezek. 27:6) are to be explained on the ground that while
     the name originally designated the Phoenicians only, it came
     latterly to be used of all the islands and various settlements
     on the sea-coasts which they had occupied, and then of the
     people who succeeded them when the Phoenician power decayed.
     Hence it designates generally the islands and coasts of the
     Mediterranean and the races that inhabit them.