Reference: Isle, Island
American
The Hebrew word which is more commonly translated isle, means strictly dry land, habitable country, in opposition to water, or to seas and rivers, Isa 42:15. Compare Isa 50:2. Hence, as opposed to water in general, it means land adjacent to water, either washed or surrounded by it, that is, maritime country, coast, island. Thus it means coast, when used of Ashdod, Isa 20:6; of Tyre, Isa 23:2,6; of Peloponnesus, or Greece, Eze 27:7; "the isles of Elishah." It means island when used of Caphtor, for example, or Crete, Jer 47:4; 2:10; Ps 97:1; Es 10:1, where the phrase isles of the sea is in antithesis with the land or continent. The plural of this word, usually translated islands, was employed by the Hebrews to denote distant regions beyond the sea, whether coasts or islands; and especially the islands and maritime countries of the west, which had become indistinctly known to the Hebrews, through the voyages of the Phoenicians, Isa 24:15; 40:15; 42:4,10,12; Ps 72:10. In Eze 27:15, the East Indian Archipelago would seem to be intended.
See Verses Found in Dictionary
May the kings of Tarshish and the coasts and islands bring tribute, the kings of Sheba and Seba offer gifts.
The Lord reigns! Let the earth rejoice; let the many coasts and islands be glad.
And the inhabitants of this coastland will say on that day: Look, this is what has happened to those we relied on and fled to for help to rescue [us] from the king of Assyria! Now, how will we escape?"
Mourn, inhabitants of the coastland, you merchants of Sidon; your agents have crossed the sea
Therefore in the east honor the Lord! In the islands of the west [honor] the name of the Lord, the God of Israel.
Look, the nations are like a drop in a bucket; they are considered as a speck of dust on the scales; He lifts up the islands like fine dust.
He will not grow weak or be discouraged until He has established justice on earth. The islands will wait for His instruction."
Sing a new song to the Lord; [sing] His praise from the ends of the earth, you who go down to the sea with all that fills it, you islands with your inhabitants.
I will lay waste mountains and hills, and dry up all their vegetation. I will turn rivers into islands, and dry up marshes.
Why was no one there when I came? Why was there no one to answer when I called? Is My hand too short to redeem? Or do I have no power to deliver? Look, I dry up the sea by My rebuke; I turn the rivers into a wilderness; their fish rot because of lack of water and die of thirst.
Cross over to Cyprusand take a look. Send [someone] to Kedar and consider carefully; see if there has ever been anything like this:
on account of the day that is coming to destroy all the Philistines, to cut off from Tyre and Sidon every remaining ally. Indeed, the Lord is about to destroy the Philistines, the remnant of the islands of Caphtor.
Your sail was [made of] fine embroidered linen from Egypt, and served as your banner. Your awning was of blue and purple fabric from the coasts of Elishah.
Men of Dedanwere also your merchants; many coasts and islands were your regular markets. They brought back ivory tusks and ebony as your payment.