Place · Island
Cyprus
Also known as Kittim, Elishah
Named in 12 verses across 4 books, first in Isaiah 23:1.
In the Bible
All 2 verses in Isaiah, 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.”
Events here
Events the dataset sets at Cyprus. Dates follow its Ussher–Jones reckoning (one of several traditional counts), not established history.
- c. AD 45First Missionary Journey
- no dateBarnabas and Saul go to Cyprus
- c. AD 47Paul and Barnabas part ways
- no dateVoyage from Miletus to Jerusalem
- c. AD 56Journey to Rome begins
- c. AD 56Paul's Journey to Rome
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.