Reference: Colour
Easton
The subject of colours holds an important place in the Scriptures.
White occurs as the translation of various Hebrew words. It is applied to milk (Ge 49:12), manna (Ex 16:31), snow (Isa 1:18), horses (Zec 1:8), raiment (Ec 9:8). Another Hebrew word so rendered is applied to marble (Es 1:6), and a cognate word to the lily (Song 2:16). A different term, meaning "dazzling," is applied to the countenance (Song 5:10).
This colour was an emblem of purity and innocence (Mr 16:5; Joh 20:12; Re 19:8,14), of joy (Ec 9:8), and also of victory (Zec 6:3; Re 6:2). The hangings of the tabernacle court (Ex 27:9; 38:9), the coats, mitres, bonnets, and breeches of the priests (Ex 39:27-28), and the dress of the high priest on the day of Atonement (Le 16:4,32), were white.
Black, applied to the hair (Le 13:31; Song 5:11), the complexion (Song 1:5), and to horses (Zec 6:2,6). The word rendered "brown" in Ge 30:32 (R.V., "black") means properly "scorched", i.e., the colour produced by the influence of the sun's rays. "Black" in Job 30:30 means dirty, blackened by sorrow and disease. The word is applied to a mourner's robes (Jer 8:21; 14:2), to a clouded sky (1Ki 18:45), to night (Mic 3:6; Jer 4:28), and to a brook rendered turbid by melted snow (Job 6:16). It is used as symbolical of evil in 6/2/type/bbe'>Zec 6:2,6; Re 6:5. It was the emblem of mourning, affliction, calamity (Jer 14:2; La 4:8; 5:10).
Red, applied to blood (2Ki 3; 22), a heifer (Nu 19:2), pottage of lentils (Ge 25:30), a horse (Zec 1:8), wine (Pr 23:31), the complexion (Ge 25:25; Song 5:10). This colour is symbolical of bloodshed (Zec 6:2; Re 6:4; 12:3).
Purple, a colour obtained from the secretion of a species of shell-fish (the Murex trunculus, Illustration: Murex Trunculus) which was found in the Mediterranean, and particularly on the coasts of Phoenicia and Asia Minor. The colouring matter in each separate shell-fish amounted to only a single drop, and hence the great value of this dye. Robes of this colour were worn by kings (Jg 8:26) and high officers (Es 8:15). They were also worn by the wealthy and luxurious (Jer 10:9; Eze 27:7; Lu 16:19; Re 17:4). With this colour was associated the idea of royalty and majesty (Jg 8:26; Song 3:10; 7:5; Da 5:7,16,29).
Blue. This colour was also procured from a species of shell-fish, the chelzon of the Hebrews, and the Helix ianthina of modern naturalists. The tint was emblematic of the sky, the deep dark hue of the Eastern sky. This colour was used in the same way as purple. The ribbon and fringe of the Hebrew dress were of this colour (Nu 15:38). The loops of the curtains (Ex 26:4), the lace of the high priest's breastplate, the robe of the ephod, and the lace on his mitre, were blue (Ex 28:28,31,37).
Scarlet, or Crimson. In Isa 1:18 a Hebrew word is used which denotes the worm or grub whence this dye was procured. In Ge 38:28,30, the word so rendered means "to shine," and expresses the brilliancy of the colour. The small parasitic insects from which this dye was obtained somewhat resembled the cochineal which is found in Eastern countries. It is called by naturalists Coccus ilics. The dye was procured from the female grub alone. The only natural object to which this colour is applied in Scripture is the lips, which are likened to a scarlet thread (Song 4:3). Scarlet robes were worn by the rich and luxurious (2Sa 1:24; Pr 31:21; Jer 4:30; Re 17:4). It was also the hue of the warrior's dress (Na 2:3; Isa 9:5). The Phoenicians excelled in the art of dyeing this colour (2Ch 2:7).
These four colours--white, purple, blue, and scarlet--were used in the textures of the tabernacle curtains (Ex 26:1,31,36), and also in the high priest's ephod, girdle, and breastplate (8/5/type/bbe'>Ex 28:5-6,8,15). Scarlet thread is mentioned in connection with the rites of cleansing the leper (Le 14:4,6,51) and of burning the red heifer (Nu 19:6). It was a crimson thread that Rahab was to bind on her window as a sign that she was to be saved alive (Jos 2:18; 6:25) when the city of Jericho was taken.
Vermilion, the red sulphuret of mercury, or cinnabar; a colour used for drawing the figures of idols on the walls of temples (Eze 23:14), or for decorating the walls and beams of houses (Jer 22:14).
See Verses Found in Dictionary
And the first came out red from head to foot like a robe of hair, and they gave him the name of Esau.
And Esau said to Jacob, Give me a full meal of that red soup, for I am overcome with need for food: for this reason he was named Edom.
Let me go through all your flock today, taking out from among them all the sheep which are marked or coloured or black, and all the marked or coloured goats: these will be my payment.
And while she was in the act of giving birth, one of them put out his hand; and the woman who was with her put a red thread round his hand, saying, This one came out first.
And then his brother came out, with the red thread round his hand, and he was named Zerah.
And this bread was named manna by Israel: it was white, like a grain seed, and its taste was like cakes made with honey.
And you are to make a House for me, with ten curtains of the best linen, blue and purple and red, worked with designs of winged ones by a good workman.
And you are to put twists of blue cord on the edge of the outside curtain of the first group of five, and on the edge of the outside curtain of the second group of five;
And you are to make a veil of the best linen, blue and purple and red, worked with designs of winged ones by a good workman:
And you are to make a curtain for the doorway of the Tent, of the best linen with needlework of blue and purple and red.
And let there be an open space round the House, with hangings for its south side of the best linen, a hundred cubits long.
They are to take the gold and blue and purple and red and the best linen, And make the ephod of gold and blue and purple and red and the best linen, the work of a designer.
And the beautifully worked band, which goes on it, is to be of the same work and the same material, of gold and blue and purple and red and twisted linen-work.
And make a priest's bag for giving decisions, designed like the ephod, made of gold and blue and purple and red and the best linen.
So that the rings on the bag may be fixed to the rings of the ephod by a blue cord and on to the band of the ephod, so that the bag may not come loose from the ephod.
To make the open space, he put hangings on the south side, of the best linen, a hundred cubits long:
The coats for Aaron and his sons they made of the best linen; And the twisted head-dress for Aaron, and beautiful head-dresses of linen, and linen trousers,
And after looking at the diseased place, if it does not seem to go deeper than the skin, and there is no black hair in it, then the priest will have him shut up for seven days:
Then the priest is to give orders to take, for him who is to be made clean, two living clean birds and some cedar wood and red thread and hyssop.
And he will take the living bird and the wood and the red thread and the hyssop and put them in the blood of the bird which was put to death over flowing water.
And take the cedar-wood and the hyssop and the red thread and the living bird and put them in the blood of the dead bird and in the flowing water, shaking it over the house seven times.
Let him put on the holy linen coat, and the linen trousers on his body, and the linen band round him, and the linen head-dress on his head; for this is holy clothing, and before he puts them on his body is to be washed with water.
And the man on whose head the holy oil has been put, and who has been marked out to be a priest in his father's place, will do what is necessary to take away sin, and will put on the linen clothing, even the holy robes:
Say to the children of Israel that through all their generations they are to put on the edges of their robes an ornament of twisted threads, and in every ornament a blue cord;
This is the rule of the law which the Lord has made, saying, Give orders to the children of Israel to give you a red cow without any mark on her, and on which the yoke has never been put:
Then let the priest take cedar-wood and hyssop and red thread, and put them into the fire where the cow is burning.
If, when we come into the land, you put this cord of bright red thread in the window from which you let us down; and get your father and mother and your brothers and all your family into the house;
But Joshua kept Rahab, the loose woman, and her father's family and all she had, from death, and so she got a living-place among the children of Israel to this day; because she kept safe the men whom Joshua had sent to make a search through the land.
The weight of the gold ear-rings which he got from them was one thousand, seven hundred shekels of gold; in addition to the moon-ornaments and jewels and the purple robes which were on the kings of Midian, and the chains on their camels' necks.
The weight of the gold ear-rings which he got from them was one thousand, seven hundred shekels of gold; in addition to the moon-ornaments and jewels and the purple robes which were on the kings of Midian, and the chains on their camels' necks.
O daughters of Israel, have sorrow for Saul, by whom you were delicately clothed in robes of red, with ornaments of gold on your dresses.
And after a very little time, the heaven became black with clouds and wind, and there was a great rain. And Ahab went in his carriage to Jezreel.
So now send me an expert worker in gold and silver and brass and iron? in purple and red and blue, and in the cutting of all sorts of ornament, to be with the expert workmen who are here in Judah and in Jerusalem, whom my father David got together.
There were fair hangings of white and green and blue, fixed with cords of purple and the best linen to silver rings and pillars of polished stone: the seats were of gold and silver on a floor of red and white and yellow and black stone.
And Mordecai went out from before the king, dressed in king-like robes of blue and white, and with a great crown of gold and clothing of purple and the best linen: and all the town of Shushan gave loud cries of joy.
My skin is black and dropping off me; and my bones are burning with the heat of my disease.
Keep your eyes from looking on the wine when it is red, when its colour is bright in the cup, when it goes smoothly down:
She has no fear of the snow for her family, for all those in her house are clothed in red.
Let your clothing be white at all times, and let not your head be without oil.
Let your clothing be white at all times, and let not your head be without oil.
I am dark, but fair of form, O daughters of Jerusalem, as the tents of Kedar, as the curtains of Solomon.
He made its pillars of silver, its base of gold, its seat of purple, the middle of it of ebony.
Your red lips are like a bright thread, and your mouth is fair of form; the sides of your head are like pomegranate fruit under your veil.
My loved one is white and red, the chief among ten thousand. His head is as the most delicate gold; his hair is thick, and black as a raven.
Your head is like Carmel, and the hair of your head is like purple, in whose net the king is prisoner.
Come now, and let us have an argument together, says the Lord: how may your sins which are red like blood be white as snow? how may their dark purple seem like wool?
Come now, and let us have an argument together, says the Lord: how may your sins which are red like blood be white as snow? how may their dark purple seem like wool?
For every boot of the man of war with his sounding step, and the clothing rolled in blood, will be for burning, food for the fire.
The earth will be weeping for this, and the heavens on high will be black: because I have said it, and I will not go back from it; it is my purpose, and it will not be changed.
And you, when you are made waste, what will you do? Though you are clothed in red, though you make yourself beautiful with ornaments of gold, though you make your eyes wide with paint, it is for nothing that you make yourself fair; your lovers have no more desire for you, they have designs on your life.
For the destruction of the daughter of my people I am broken: I am dressed in the clothing of grief; fear has taken me in its grip.
Silver hammered into plates is sent from Tarshish, and gold from Uphaz, the work of the expert workman and of the hands of the gold-worker; blue and purple is their clothing, all the work of expert men.
Judah is weeping and its doors are dark with sorrow, and people are seated on the earth clothed in black; and the cry of Jerusalem has gone up.
Judah is weeping and its doors are dark with sorrow, and people are seated on the earth clothed in black; and the cry of Jerusalem has gone up.
Who says, I will make a wide house for myself, and rooms of great size, and has windows cut out, and has it roofed with cedar and painted with bright red.
Their face is blacker than night; in the streets no one has knowledge of them: their skin is hanging on their bones, they are dry, they have become like wood.
Our skin is heated like an oven because of our burning heat from need of food.
And her loose behaviour became worse; for she saw men pictured on a wall, pictures of the Chaldaeans painted in bright red
The best linen with needlework from Egypt was your sail, stretched out to be a flag for you; blue and purple from the sea-lands of Elishah gave you shade.
The king, crying out with a loud voice, said that the users of secret arts, the Chaldaeans, and the readers of signs, were to be sent for. The king made answer and said to the wise men of Babylon, Whoever is able to make out this writing, and make clear to me the sense of it, will be clothed in purple and have a chain of gold round his neck, and will be a ruler of high authority in the kingdom.
And I have had news of you, that you have the power of making things clear, and of answering hard questions: now if you are able to make out the writing and give me the sense of it, you will be clothed in purple and have a gold chain round your neck and be a ruler of high authority in the kingdom.
Then, by the order of Belshazzar, they put a purple robe on Daniel, and a gold chain round his neck, and a public statement was made that he was to be a ruler of high authority in the kingdom.
For this cause it will be night for you, without a vision; and it will be dark for you, without knowledge of the future; the sun will go down over the prophets, and the day will be black over them.
The body-covers of his fighting men have been made red, the men of war are clothed in bright red: the war-carriages are like flames of fire in the day when he gets ready, the horses are shaking.
I saw in the night a man on a red horse, between the mountains in the valley, and at his back were horses, red, black, white, and of mixed colours.
I saw in the night a man on a red horse, between the mountains in the valley, and at his back were horses, red, black, white, and of mixed colours.
In the first war-carriage were red horses; and in the second, black horses;
In the first war-carriage were red horses; and in the second, black horses;
In the first war-carriage were red horses; and in the second, black horses; And in the third, white horses; and in the fourth, horses of mixed colour.
The carriage in which are the black horses goes in the direction of the north country; the white go to the west; and those of mixed colour go in the direction of the south country.
The carriage in which are the black horses goes in the direction of the north country; the white go to the west; and those of mixed colour go in the direction of the south country.
And when they went in, they saw a young man seated on the right side, dressed in a white robe; and they were full of wonder.
Now there was a certain man of great wealth, who was dressed in fair clothing of purple and delicate linen, and was shining and glad every day.
She saw two angels in white seated where the body of Jesus had been, one at the head and the other at the feet.
And I saw a white horse, and he who was seated on it had a bow; and there was given to him a crown: and he went out with power to overcome.
And another horse came out, a red horse; and it was given to him who was seated on it to take peace from the earth, so that people might put one another to death: and there was given to him a great sword. And when the third stamp was undone, the voice of the third beast came to my ears, saying, Come and see. And I saw a black horse; and he who was seated on it had scales in his hand.
And there was seen another sign in heaven; a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and on his heads seven crowns.
And the woman was clothed in purple and bright red, with ornaments of gold and stones of great price and jewels; and in her hand was a gold cup full of evil things and her unclean desires;
And the woman was clothed in purple and bright red, with ornaments of gold and stones of great price and jewels; and in her hand was a gold cup full of evil things and her unclean desires;
And to her it was given to be clothed in delicate linen, clean and shining: for the clean linen is the righteousness of the saints.
And the armies which are in heaven went after him on white horses, clothed in delicate linen, white and clean.