Reference: Purple
American
The famous and costly Tyrian purple, the royal color of the ancients, is said to have been discovered by the Tyrian Hercules, whose dog having by chance eaten a shellfish called Purpura, and returning to his master with his lips tinged with a purple color, occasioned the discovery of this precious dye. Purple, however, is much more ancient than this, since we find it mentioned by Moses in several places. Two kinds of purple are mentioned in the Old Testament:
1. Argamon, rendered in our version "purple," denoting a reddish purple obtained from a species of muscle or shellfish found on the coasts of the Mediterranean.
2. Techieleth, rendered in the English Bible "blue." This was a bluish or cerulean purple, likewise obtained from another species of shellfish. The "scarlet" or "crimson," for the two words denote essentially the same color, was produced from the coccus in sect, coccus ilicis. All these were sacred colors among the Jews; and the latter was used for the highpriest's ephod, and for veils, ribbons, and cloths, Ex 26:1,4,31,36; 28:31; Nu 4:6-12; 15:38.
The "purple" of the ancients seems to have included many different tints derived originally from the shellfish, and modified by various arts in which the Tyrians excelled. As each fish yielded but a few drops of coloring matter, the choicest purple bore a very high price. Purple robes were worn by the kings and first magistrates of ancient Rome, and Nero forbade their use by his subjects under pain of death. Our Savior was clothed with a royal robe of purple, in mockery of his title, "The King of the Jews" Joh 19:2,5. Compare also Jg 8:26; Es 8:15; Pr 31:22; Da 5:7; Lu 16:19. Moses used much wool dyed of a crimson and used much wool dyed of a crimson and purple color in the work of the tabernacle, and in the ornaments of the high priest, Ex 25:4; 26:1,31,36; 39:1; 2Ch 3:14. The Babylonians also clothed their idols in robes of a purple and azure color, Jer 10:9; Eze 23:15; 27:7,16.
See Verses Found in Dictionary
and blue, and purple, and scarlet, and bleached linen, and goats' hair,
And you shall make the tabernacle with ten curtains of fine twined bleached linen, and blue, and purple, and scarlet. You shall make them with cherubs, of the work of a cunning workman.
And you shall make the tabernacle with ten curtains of fine twined bleached linen, and blue, and purple, and scarlet. You shall make them with cherubs, of the work of a cunning workman.
And you shall make loops of blue on the edge of one curtain, from the end at the juncture; and so you shall do at the edge of the last curtain, at the second juncture.
And you shall make a veil of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined bleached linen of embroidered work. It shall be made with cherubs.
And you shall make a veil of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined bleached linen of embroidered work. It shall be made with cherubs.
And you shall make a screen for the door of the tent, of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined bleached linen, worked with needlework.
And you shall make a screen for the door of the tent, of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined bleached linen, worked with needlework.
And of the blue, and purple, and scarlet, they made woven garments for ministering in the sanctuary. And they made the holy garments for Aaron, even as Jehovah commanded Moses.
And they shall put on it the covering of dugong skins, and shall spread over it a cloth wholly of blue, and shall put in its staves. And they shall spread a cloth of blue upon the table of showbread, and put the dishes on it, and the spoons, and the bowls, and the cups of the drink offering, and covers to cover it with. And the continual bread shall be on it. read more. And they shall spread upon them a cloth of scarlet and cover it with a covering of dugong skins, and they shall put in its staves. And they shall take a cloth of blue and cover the lampstand of the light, and its lamps, and its tongs, and its fire-pans, and all the oil vessels of it, with which they serve it. And they shall put it and all the vessels of it inside a covering of dugong skins, and shall put it upon a bar. And upon the golden altar they shall spread a cloth of blue, and cover it with a covering of badgers' skins, and they shall put the staves into it. And they shall take all the vessels of ministry with which they serve in the sanctuary, and put them in a cloth of blue, and cover them with a covering of dugong skins, and shall put them on a bar.
Speak to the sons of Israel and command them that they make fringes in the borders of their garments throughout their generations, and that they put upon the fringe of the borders a ribbon of blue.
And the weight of the golden earrings which he asked for was seventeen hundred of gold, besides ornaments, and pendants, and purple clothing that was on the kings of Midian, and besides the chains around their camels' necks.
And Mordecai went out from the presence of the king in royal clothing of blue and white, and with a great crown of gold, and with a garment of fine linen and purple. And the city of Shushan rejoiced and was glad.
She makes herself coverings; her clothing is silk and purple.
Silver beaten into plates is brought from Tarshish, and gold from Uphaz, the work of the workman, and of the hands of the goldsmith. Violet and purple is their clothing; they are all the work of skillful ones.
girded with girdles on their loins, with flowing turbans on their heads, all of them looking like rulers, like the sons of Babylon in Chaldea, the land of their birth;
Your sail was of fine linen with embroidered work from Egypt, an ensign for you; violet and purple from the coasts of Elishah was your covering.
Syria was your merchant because of the multitude of your works; with emeralds, purple, and embroidered work, and fine linen, and coral, and rubies they gave for your wares.
The king cried aloud to bring in the conjurers, the Chaldeans, and the fortune-tellers. The king spoke and said to the wise men of Babylon, Whoever shall read this writing, and show me its meaning, shall be clothed with scarlet, and have a chain of gold around his neck, and shall be the third ruler in the kingdom.
There was a certain rich man who was customarily clothed in purple and fine linen and making merry in luxury every day.
And the soldiers plaited a crown of thorns and put it on His head. And they put a purple robe on Him,
Then Jesus came out wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe. And Pilate said to them, Behold the man!
Fausets
argan. Obtained by the Tyrians from the shell fish Murex purpura, and Murex conchylium. (Ex 25:4; 35:25; Jg 8:26; Pr 31:22).
See Verses Found in Dictionary
and blue, and purple, and scarlet, and bleached linen, and goats' hair,
And every wise-hearted woman spun with her hands. And they brought spun yarn, blue, and purple, scarlet, and bleached linen.
And the weight of the golden earrings which he asked for was seventeen hundred of gold, besides ornaments, and pendants, and purple clothing that was on the kings of Midian, and besides the chains around their camels' necks.
She makes herself coverings; her clothing is silk and purple.
Hastings
Morish
A colour often mentioned with blue and scarlet in connection with the tabernacle. Ex 25:4, etc. Among the spoils taken from the Midianites under Gideon was "purple raiment that was on the kings," and it is used as a symbol of royalty. Jg 8:26. In derision the soldiers put a crown of thorns and a 'purple' robe on the Lord, as king of the Jews. Mr 15:17,20; Joh 19:2,5. The rich man in Lu 16:19 was clothed in purple; and papal Rome is seen as a woman clothed in purple and scarlet, royalty and splendour. Re 17:4; 18:12,16.
See Verses Found in Dictionary
and blue, and purple, and scarlet, and bleached linen, and goats' hair,
And the weight of the golden earrings which he asked for was seventeen hundred of gold, besides ornaments, and pendants, and purple clothing that was on the kings of Midian, and besides the chains around their camels' necks.
And they clothed Him with purple and plaited a crown of thorns and put it around His head.
And when they had mocked Him, they took the purple off Him and put His own clothes on Him and led Him out to crucify Him.
There was a certain rich man who was customarily clothed in purple and fine linen and making merry in luxury every day.
And the soldiers plaited a crown of thorns and put it on His head. And they put a purple robe on Him,
Then Jesus came out wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe. And Pilate said to them, Behold the man!
And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet. And she was gilded with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication.
the cargo of gold, and silver, and precious stones, and of pearls, and fine linen, and purple, and silk, and scarlet, and all thyine wood, and every ivory vessel, and every vessel of very precious wood, and of bronze, and of iron, and of marble,
and saying, Woe! Woe to the great city which was clothed in fine linen and purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls!
Watsons
PURPLE, ?????, Ex 25:4, &c; ???????, Mr 15:17,20; Lu 16:19; Joh 19:2,5; Re 17:4; 18:12,16. This is supposed to be the very precious colour extracted from the purpura or murex, a species of shell fish; and the same with the famous Tyrian dye, so costly, and so much celebrated in antiquity. The purple dye is called in 1 Macc. 4:23, "purple of the sea," or sea purple; it being the blood or juice of a turbinated shell fish, which the Jews call ?????. (See Scarlet.) Among the blessings pronounced by Moses upon the tribes of Israel, those of Zebulun and Issachar are, "They shall suck of the abundance of the seas, and of the treasures hid in the sand," De 33:19. Jonathan Ben Uzziel explains the latter clause thus: "From the sand are produced looking glasses, and glass in general; the treasures, the method of finding and working which, was revealed to these tribes." Several ancient writers inform us, that there were havens in the coasts of the Zebulunites, in which the sand proper for making glass was found. The words of Tacitus are remarkable: "Et Belus amnis Judaico mari illabitur, circa ejus os lectae arenae admixto nitro in vitrum excoquuntur." "The river Belus falls into the Jewish sea, about whose mouth those sands mixed with nitre are collected, out of which glass is formed." But it seems much more natural to explain "the treasures hid in the sand," of those highly valuable murices and purpurae which were found on the sea coast, near the country of Zebulun and Issachar, and of which those tribes partook in common with their Heathen neighbours of Tyre, who rendered the curious dyes made from those shell fish so famous among the Romans by the names of Sarranum ostrum, Tyrii colores. In reference to the purple vestment, Lu 16:19, it may be observed that this was not appropriately a royal robe. In the earlier times it was the dress of any of high rank. Thus all the courtiers were styled by the historians purpurati. This colour is more properly crimson than purple; for the LXX, Josephus, and Philo, constantly use ???????? to express the Hebrew ?????, by which the Talmudists understood crimson; and that this Hebrew word expressed, not the Tyrian purple, but that brought to the city from another country, appears from Eze 27:7. The purple robe put on our Saviour, Joh 19:2,5, is explained by a Roman custom, the dressing of a person in the robes of state, as the investiture of office. Hence the robe brought by Herod's or the Roman soldiers, scoffingly, was as though it had been the pictae vestes usually sent by the Roman senate. In Ac 16:14, Lydia is said to be "a seller of purple." Mr. Harmer styles purple the most sublime of all earthly colours, having the gaudiness of red, of which it retains a shade, softened with the gravity of blue.
See Verses Found in Dictionary
and blue, and purple, and scarlet, and bleached linen, and goats' hair,
They shall call the peoples to the mountain. There they shall offer sacrifices of righteousness, for they shall suck the bounty of the seas and treasures hidden in the sand.
Your sail was of fine linen with embroidered work from Egypt, an ensign for you; violet and purple from the coasts of Elishah was your covering.
And they clothed Him with purple and plaited a crown of thorns and put it around His head.
And when they had mocked Him, they took the purple off Him and put His own clothes on Him and led Him out to crucify Him.
There was a certain rich man who was customarily clothed in purple and fine linen and making merry in luxury every day.
There was a certain rich man who was customarily clothed in purple and fine linen and making merry in luxury every day.
And the soldiers plaited a crown of thorns and put it on His head. And they put a purple robe on Him,
And the soldiers plaited a crown of thorns and put it on His head. And they put a purple robe on Him,
Then Jesus came out wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe. And Pilate said to them, Behold the man!
Then Jesus came out wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe. And Pilate said to them, Behold the man!
And a certain woman named Lydia heard us, a seller of purple of the city of Thyatira, who worshiped God; whose heart the Lord opened, so that she attended to the things which were spoken by Paul.
And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet. And she was gilded with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication.
the cargo of gold, and silver, and precious stones, and of pearls, and fine linen, and purple, and silk, and scarlet, and all thyine wood, and every ivory vessel, and every vessel of very precious wood, and of bronze, and of iron, and of marble,
and saying, Woe! Woe to the great city which was clothed in fine linen and purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls!