Chittim

Chittim is a name for lands across the sea, usually thought to be islands and coasts to the west, and the Bible uses it for ships appearing over the horizon. Isaiah 23 speaks of Tyre’s ships hearing the news from the land of Chittim that their city is laid waste. In Numbers 24:24, Balaam foresees that “ships shall come from the coast of Chittim”, and Daniel 11:30 says the same about the ships of Chittim coming against a northern king. Each time, Chittim stands for a far-off power that can still change the fate of nations. Isaiah 23 shows it most clearly.

4 verses

Numbers

Numbers 24:24

And ships shall come from the coast of Chittim, and shall afflict Asshur, and shall afflict Eber, and he also shall perish for ever.

Isaiah

Isaiah 23:1

The burden of Tyre. Howl, ye ships of Tarshish; for it is laid waste, so that there is no house, no entering in: from the land of Chittim it is revealed to them.

Isaiah 23:12

And he said, Thou shalt no more rejoice, O thou oppressed virgin, daughter of Zidon: arise, pass over to Chittim; there also shalt thou have no rest.

Daniel

Daniel 11:30

For the ships of Chittim shall come against him: therefore he shall be grieved, and return, and have indignation against the holy covenant: so shall he do; he shall even return, and have intelligence with them that forsake the holy covenant.

From Easton's Bible Dictionary

Matthew George Easton, 1897

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.

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