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Place · Island

Cyprus

Also known as Kittim, Elishah

Named in 12 verses across 4 books, first in Isaiah 23:1.

Where

Coordinates

35.0409° N, 33.2753° EOpen in OpenStreetMap ↗

Identification

Not assessed

The dataset gives no precision for this point.

Matched to an entry in an ancient-world gazetteer, and the match was checked by the dataset’s editors. Gazetteer entry

Some biblical sites are known for certain; others are identified from old names and descriptions and are still discussed.

Includes

Paphos, Salamis

Other records for this place

Kittim, Elishah

People

Born, died or recorded here, or in an event set here, first; then people named in the same verses, which does not mean they were here.

Paulrecorded as here, 6 events
Barnabasrecorded as here, 3 events2 shared verses
John Markrecorded as here, 3 events1 shared verse
Aristarchusrecorded as here, 2 events
Luke3 events
Juliusrecorded as here, 2 events
Mnasonrecorded as here, 1 event1 shared verse
Phillip the Evangelistrecorded as here, 1 event
Agabusrecorded as here, 1 event
Elymasrecorded as here, 1 event
Sergius Paulusrecorded as here, 1 event
Jesus Christ1 shared verse
Holy Spirit1 shared verse
Kedar1 shared verse
Stephen1 shared verse

In the Bible

The first 10 of 12 verses, in Bible order. Text from the Berean Standard Bible; verse numbers follow the KJV.

Isaiah

Isaiah 23:1
This is the burden against Tyre: Wail, O ships of Tarshish, for Tyre is laid waste, without house or harbor. Word has reached them from the land of Cyprus.
Isaiah 23:12
He said, “You shall rejoice no more, O oppressed Virgin Daughter of Sidon. Get up and cross over to Cyprus— even there you will find no rest.”

Jeremiah

Jeremiah 2:10
Cross over to the coasts of Cyprus and take a look; send to Kedar and consider carefully; see if there has ever been anything like this:

Ezekiel

Ezekiel 27:6
Of oaks from Bashan they made your oars; of wood from the coasts of Cyprus they made your deck, inlaid with ivory.

Acts

Acts 4:36
Joseph, a Levite from Cyprus, whom the apostles called Barnabas (meaning Son of Encouragement),
Acts 11:19
Meanwhile those scattered by the persecution that began with Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch, speaking the message only to Jews.
Acts 11:20
But some of them, men from Cyprus and Cyrene, went to Antioch and began speaking to the Greeks as well, proclaiming the good news about the Lord Jesus.
Acts 13:4
So Barnabas and Saul, sent forth by the Holy Spirit, went down to Seleucia and sailed from there to Cyprus.
Acts 15:39
Their disagreement was so sharp that they parted company. Barnabas took Mark and sailed for Cyprus,
Acts 21:3
After sighting Cyprus and passing south of it, we sailed on to Syria and landed at Tyre, where the ship was to unload its cargo.

Show all 12 verses

Events here

Events the dataset sets at Cyprus. Dates follow its Ussher–Jones reckoning (one of several traditional counts), not established history.

c. AD 45
First Missionary JourneyActs 12:24–14:28
no date
Barnabas and Saul go to CyprusActs 13:4–12
c. AD 47
Paul and Barnabas part waysActs 15:35–39
no date
Voyage from Miletus to JerusalemActs 21:1–17
c. AD 56
Journey to Rome beginsActs 27:1–12
c. AD 56
Paul's Journey to RomeActs 27:1–28:31

Dictionary

From Easton’s Bible Dictionary (1897), as attached to this record by Theographic. Its geography and “modern” descriptions date from the 1890s. Easton wrote in 1897, and some of his views are now debated.

Read Easton’s entry

One of the largest islands of the Mediterranean, about 148 miles long and 40 broad. It is distant about 60 miles from the Syrian coast. It was the “Chittim” of the Old Testament (Num. 24:24). The Greek colonists gave it the name of Kypros, from the cyprus, i.e., the henna, which grew on this island. It was originally inhabited by Phoenicians. In B.C. 477 it fell under the dominion of the Greeks; and became a Roman province B.C. 58. In ancient times it was a centre of great commercial activity. Corn and wine and oil were produced here in the greatest perfection. It was rich also in timber and in mineral wealth.

It is first mentioned in the New Testament (Acts 4:36) as the native place of Barnabas. It was the scene of Paul’s first missionary labours (13:4-13), when he and Barnabas and John Mark were sent forth by the church of Antioch. It was afterwards visited by Barnabas and Mark alone (15:39). Mnason, an “old disciple,” probaly one of the converts of the day of Pentecost belonging to this island, is mentioned (21:16). It is also mentioned in connection with the voyages of Paul (Acts 21:3; 27:4). After being under the Turks for three hundred years, it was given up to the British Government in 1878.