H3794 H3794
Kittim — originally the people of Kition (Cyprus), later a general term for western Mediterranean peoples
Beginning as a reference to the inhabitants of Kition on Cyprus (from the Phoenician toponym kt/kty), this gentilic name expanded over centuries to denote western maritime peoples generally. In the Table of Nations, Kittim descends from Javan/Greece (Gen 10:4), anchoring the term in the Aegean world. Isaiah uses it for Cyprus specifically (23:1, 12), while Jeremiah's 'isles of Kittim' (2:10) and Ezekiel's reference (27:6) extend it to Mediterranean coastlands broadly. By Daniel's time, 'ships of Kittim' (11:30) designates the Roman fleet — a remarkable semantic journey from a single Cypriot city to an entire civilization.
Senses
1. Kittim (proper noun: Cyprus/western maritime peoples) — A gentilic noun originally designating the inhabitants of Kition on Cyprus, derived from Phoenician kt. Listed as a descendant of Javan (Gen 10:4 = 1 Chr 1:7), tying it to the Greek/Aegean world. Isaiah speaks of 'the land of Kittim' as Cyprus itself (Isa 23:1, 12). Prophetic usage broadens the referent: Jeremiah's 'isles of the Kittim' (2:10) and Ezekiel's mention (27:6) encompass Mediterranean coastlands generally. In Daniel 11:30, ṣiyyîm kittîm ('ships of Kittim') refers to the Roman fleet, showing the term's evolution into a cipher for dominant western maritime powers. Spanish 'Kitim/Quitim,' French and German 'Kittim' all preserve the proper-noun form. 10×
AR["(كِتِّيمَ)", "[كِتِّيمَ]", "كِتِّيمَ", "كِتِّيمُ", "كِتّيم"]·ben["কিত্তীম", "কিত্তীম-এ", "কিত্তীম-এর", "কিত্তীমদের", "কিত্তীমের"]·DE["Kittim", "[(כתים)]", "[[כתיים]]", "[כתיים]", "[כתים]"]·EN["Cyprus", "Kittim", "[Kittim]", "[ketiv]", "of-Kittim", "to-Cyprus"]·FR["Kittim", "[(כתים)]", "[[כתיים]]", "[כתיים]", "[כתים]"]·heb["[כתיים]", "כיתיים", "כיתים", "כתיים", "כתים"]·HI["(कित्तियों-के)", "(कित्तीम)", "[कित्तियों]", "[कित्तीम]", "कित्ती", "कित्तीम", "कित्तीम-के"]·ID["(Kitim).", "Kitim", "[ketiv]", "ke-Kitim"]·IT["Chittim", "Kittim", "[(כתים)]", "[[כתיים]]", "[כתיים]", "[כתים]"]·jav["(Kitim)", "Kitim", "Kitim.", "[Kitim]"]·KO["(깃딬에)", "[깃딬]", "[케티브]", "걃디의", "깃뒄의", "깃딘-의", "깃딤", "깃딬의", "깃림-의"]·PT["(ketiv)", "Kittim"]·RU["[Kethiv]", "Китима", "Киттим", "Киттима", "в-Киттим"]·ES["(Kitim)", "(Quitim)", "Kitim", "Kitím", "Quitim", "[Kitim]", "[Quitim]"]·SW["(k)", "Kitimu", "[ketiv]", "ya-Kitimu", "za-Kitimu"]·TR["(Kittim'e)", "(Kittim)", "Kittim", "Kittim'in", "[Kittim]", "[k:Kittim]"]·urd["(کتیم)", "[کتیم]", "کتیم", "کتیم-کی", "کتیم-کے"]
Related Senses
G3588 1. definite article (18298×)H0853 1. definite direct object marker (10915×)G2532 1. (8312×)H3068 1. YHWH (the divine name) (6522×)H0834a 1. relative pronoun (who/which/that) (4839×)H3588a 1. causal: because, for (3498×)G1161 1. and (2806×)H3478 1. Israel (proper name and nation) (2507×)G4771 1. you (plural address) (1853×)H1931 1. personal pronoun he/she/it (1431×)G3739 1. relative pronoun who/which/that (1149×)H1732 1. David (proper name) (1075×)H2088 1. this, this one (demonstrative) (1059×)G1063 1. (1047×)G3778 1. this thing, these things (1003×)H???? 2. (1002×)G2424 1. (924×)G3754 1. that (content clause) (881×)H2009 1. presentative particle: behold, look (881×)H0589 1. I (first person singular pronoun) (874×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
† [כִּתִּי] adj.gent. always pl. כִּתִּים, כִּתִּיִּים; usually as n.gent. = Cypriotes (cf. Ph. n.pr.loc. כת, כתי, Citium; on a connexion with Kheta, Ḫ-tā, Ḫattê, חִתִּי, v. WMMAsien u. Europa, 345;—on Citium v. Cesnola Cyprus 46 ff.);—אֶרֶץ כִּתִּים Is 23:1, כִּתִּיי֯ם v 12; כִּתִּים (as son of Yawan) Gn 10:4 = 1 Ch 1:7; וְצִים מִיַּד כ׳ Nu 24:24 ships from the side (direction) of kittim; more…