Ezekiel 27:6

The oars of the great ship were made of oaks of Bashan; cf. Isaiah 2:13; Zechariah 11:2. The term "oars" occurs in another form, Ezekiel 27:27, but probably with no difference of meaning. The rest of Ezekiel 27:6 should read: thy deck they made of ivory (inlaid) in sherbin wood from the isles of Chittim (the words bath teasshur should no doubt be read bitheasshur, in theasshur). This tree is mentioned as growing in Lebanon, Isaiah 41:19; Isaiah 60:13; it is usually considered to be the tree called in Arabic sherbîn, a species of cedar. Others contend for box or larch. The term "deck" is literally "board," e.g. of the boards of the sanctuary, Exodus 26:15 seq. Chittim is Cyprus, called after the town Kition (Larnaka), but probably the name embraced the coasts of Asia Minor and Greece or perhaps even of Italy (Dan 11:30; Malachi 1:1; Malachi 1:1; 1Ma 8:5).