Color, Colors
Color, Colors
kuler, kulerz: The word translated color in the King James Version is ayin, which literally means eye or appearance, and has been so translated in the Revised Version (British and American). In the New Testament the Greek , prophasis, has the meaning of pretense or show (Act 27:30; compare Rev 17:4 the King James Version). The references to Joseph’s coat of many colors (Gen 37:3, Gen 37:13, Gen 37:12) and garments of divers colors (2Sa 13:18, 2Sa 13:19) probably do not mean the color of the garment at all, but the form, as suggested in the American Revised Version, margin, a long garment with sleeves. In Jdg 5:30 the word for dip or dye appears in the original and has been so translated in the American Standard Revised Version. (see DYE). In 1Ch 29:2 , rikmah, meaning variegated, hence, varicolored, is found. In Isa 54:11, pukh is used. This name was applied to the sulfide of antimony (Arabic kohl) used for painting the eyes. Hence, the American Revised Version, margin rendering antimony instead of fair colors (see PAINT). In Eze 16:16 , tala’, is found, meaning covered with pieces or spotted, hence, by implication divers colors.
Although the ancient Hebrews had no specific words for color, paint or painter, still, as we know, they constantly met with displays of the art of coloring among the Babylonians (Eze 23:14) and Egyptians and the inhabitants of Palestine Pottery, glazed bricks, glassware, tomb walls, sarcophagi, wood and fabrics were submitted to the skill of the colorist. This skill probably consisted in bringing out striking effects by the use of a few primary colors, rather than in any attempt at the blending of shades which characterizes modern coloring. That the gaudy show of their heathen neighbors attracted the children of Israel is shown by such passages as Jdg 8:27; Eze 23:12, Eze 23:16.
Two reasons may be given for the indefiniteness of many of the Biblical references to color. (1) The origin of the Hebrew people: They had been wandering tribes or slaves with no occasion to develop a color language. (2) Their religious laws: These forbade expression in color or form (Exo 20:4). Yielding to the attractions of gorgeous display was discouraged by such prophets as Ezekiel, who had sickened of the abominations of the Chaldeans (Eze 23:14, Eze 23:15, Eze 23:16); And I said unto them, Cast ye away every man the abominations of his eyes (Eze 20:7).
Indefiniteness of color language is common to oriental literature, ancient and modern. This does not indicate a want of appreciation of color but a failure to analyze and define color effects. The inhabitants of Syria and Palestine today delight in brilliant colors. Bright yellow, crimson, magenta and green are used for adornment with no evident sense of fitness, according to the foreigners’ eyes, other than their correspondence with the glaring brightness of the eastern skies. A soapmaker once told the writer that in order to make his wares attractive to the Arabs he colored them a brilliant crimson or yellow. A peasant chooses without hesitation a flaring magenta or yellow or green zun-nar (girdle), rather than one of somber hues. The oriental student in the chemical or physical laboratory often finds his inability to distinguish or classify color a real obstacle. His closest definition of a color is usually lightish or darkish. This is not due to color blindness but to a lack of education, and extends to lines other than color distinctions. The colloquial language of Palestine today is poor in words denoting color, and an attempt to secure from a native a satisfactory description of some simple color scheme is usually disappointing. The harmonious color effects which have come to us from the Orient have been, in the past, more the result of accident (see DYE) than of deliberate purpose, as witness the clashing of colors where modern artificial dyes have been introduced.
This inability of the peoples of Bible lands to define colors is an inheritance from past ages, a consideration which helps us to appreciate the vagueness of many of the Biblical references.
The following color words occur in the King James Version or Revised Version: (1) bay, (2) black, (3) blue, (4) brown, (5) crimson, (6) green, (7) grey, (8) hoar, (9) purple, (10) red, (11) scarlet, (12) sorrel, (13) vermilion, (14) white, (15) yellow. In addition there are indefinite words indicating mixtures of light and dark: (a) grisled (grizzled), (b) ringstraked (ringstreaked), (c) speckled, (d) spotted.
(1) Bay or Red
Bay or red is more properly translated strong in the Revised Version (British and American).
(2) Black (Blackish)
Eight different words have been translated black. They indicate various meanings such as dusky like the early dawn, ashen, swarthy, moved with passion. Black is applied to hair (Lev 13:31; Son 5:11; Mat 5:36); to marble or pavement (Est 1:6); to mourning (Job 30:28, Job 30:30; Jer 14:2); to passion (Jer 8:21 the King James Version; Lam 5:10); to horses (Zec 6:2, Zec 6:6; Rev 6:5); to the heavens (1Ki 18:45; Job 3:5; Pro 7:9 the King James Version; Jer 4:28; Mic 3:6); to the sun (Rev 6:12); to the skin (racial) (Son 1:5, Son 1:6); to flocks (Gen 30:32, Gen 30:33, Gen 30:15, Gen 30:40); to brooks because of ice (Job 6:16).
(3) Blue
Blue (, tekheleth, a color from the cerulean mussel): This word was applied only to fabrics dyed with a special blue dye obtained from a shellfish. See DYE. , shesh in one passage of the King James Version is translated blue (Est 1:6). It is properly translated in the Revised Version (British and American) white cloth. Blueness of a wound (Pro 20:30) is correctly rendered in the Revised Version (British and American) stripes that wound. Blue is applied to the fringes, veil, vestments, embroideries, etc., in the description of the ark and tabernacle (Ex 25ff; Num 4:6 f; Num 15:38); to workers in blue (2Ch 2:7, 2Ch 2:14; 2Ch 3:14); to palace adornments (Est 1:6); to royal apparel (Est 8:15; Jer 10:9; Eze 23:6; Eze 27:7, Eze 27:24).
(4) Brown
The Hebrew word meaning sunburnt or swarthy is translated black in the Revised Version (British and American) (Gen 30:32).
(5) Crimson
Crimson (, karml): This word is probably of Persian origin and applies to the brilliant dye obtained from a bug. A second word , tolaath, is also found. Its meaning is the same. See DYE. Crimson is applied to raiment (2Ch 2:7, 2Ch 2:14; 2Ch 3:14; Jer 4:30 the King James Version); to sins (Isa 1:18).
(6) Green (Greenish)
This word in the translation refers almost without exception to vegetation. The Hebrew , yarak, literally, pale, is considered one of the three definite color words used in the Old Testament (see WHITE; RED). The Greek equivalent is chloros; compare English chlorine. This word occurs in the following vs: Gen 1:30; Gen 9:3; Exo 10:15; Lev 2:14 (the King James Version); Lev 23:14 (the King James Version); 2Ki 19:26; Psa 37:2; Isa 15:6; Isa 37:27; Job 39:8; chloros, Mar 6:39; Rev 8:7; Rev 9:4. , raanan, closely allied in meaning to yarak, is used to describe trees in the following passages: Deu 12:2; 1Ki 14:23; 2Ki 16:4; 2Ki 17:10; 2Ki 19:26; 2Ch 28:4; Job 15:32; Psa 37:35; Psa 52:8; Son 1:16; Isa 57:5; Jer 2:20; Jer 3:6; Jer 11:16; Jer 17:2, Jer 17:8; Eze 6:13; Hos 14:8. In the remaining verses the Hebrew equivalents do not denote color, but the condition of being full of sap, fresh or unripe (compare similar uses in English) (Gen 30:37 (the King James Version); Jdg 16:7, Jdg 16:8; Psa 23:2; Son 2:13; Job 8:16; Eze 17:24; Eze 20:47; Luk 23:31). In Est 1:6 the Hebrew word refers to a fiber, probably cotton, as is indicated by the American Revised Version, margin. Greenish is used to describe leprous spots in Lev 13:49; Lev 14:37. The same word is translated yellow in Psa 68:13.
(7) Gray
The Hebrew , sebhah, means old age, hence, refers also to the color of the hair in old age (Gen 42:38; Gen 44:29; Gen 44:31; Deu 32:25; Psa 71:18; Hos 7:9). See Hoar, next paragraph.
(8) Hoar (Hoary)
The same word which in other verses is translated gray is rendered hoar or hoary, applying to the hair in 1Ki 2:6, 1Ki 2:9; Isa 46:4; Lev 19:32; Job 41:32; Pro 16:31. Another Hebrew word is translated hoar or hoary, describing frost in Exo 16:14; Job 38:29; Psa 147:16.
(9) Purple
The Hebrew equivalent is , ‘argaman; Greek , porphura. The latter word refers to the source of the dye, namely, a shell-fish found on the shores of the Mediterranean. See DYE. This color, which varied widely according to the kind of shellfish used and the method of dyeing, was utilized in connection with the adornment of the tabernacle (Ex 25; 26; 27; 28; 35; 36; 38; 39; Num 4:13). There were workers in purple called to assist in beautifying the temple (2Ch 2:7, 2Ch 2:14; 2Ch 3:14). Purple was much used for royal raiment and furnishings (Jdg 8:26; Est 1:6; Est 8:15; Son 3:10; Mar 15:17, Mar 15:20; Joh 19:2, Joh 19:5). Purple was typical of gorgeous apparel (Pro 31:22; Jer 10:9; Son 7:5; Eze 27:7, Eze 27:16; Luk 16:19; Act 16:14; Rev 17:4; Rev 18:12, Rev 18:16).
(10) Red
The Hebrew , ‘adhom, is from , dam, blood, hence, bloodlike. This is one of the three distinctive color words mentioned in the Old Testament (see GREEN; WHITE), and is found in most of the references to red. Four other words are used: (a) , hakhll, probably darkened or clouded (Gen 49:12; Pro 23:29); (b) , hamar, to ferment (Psa 75:8 margin; Isa 27:2 the King James Version); (c) , bahat, probably to glisten (Est 1:6); (d) , purros firelike (Mat 16:2, Mat 16:3; Rev 6:4; Rev 12:3). Red is applied to dyed skins (Exo 25:5; Exo 26:14; Exo 35:7, Exo 35:23; Exo 36:19; 39: 34); to the color of animals (Num 19:2; Zec 1:8; Zec 6:2; Rev 6:4; Rev 12:3); to the human skin (Gen 25:25; ruddy, 1Sa 16:12; 1Sa 17:42; Son 5:10; Lam 4:7); to the eyes (Gen 49:12; Pro 23:29); to sores (Lev 13); to wine (Psa 75:8 m; Pro 23:31; Isa 27:2 the King James Version); to water (2Ki 3:22); to pavement (Est 1:6); to pottage (Gen 25:30); to apparel (Isa 63:2); to the sky (Mat 16:2, Mat 16:3); to sins (Isa 1:18); to a shield (Nah 2:3).
(11) Scarlet
Scarlet and crimson colors were probably from the same source (see CRIMSON; DYE). , tolaath, or derivatives have been translated by both scarlet and crimson (Greek kokkinos). A Chaldaic word for purple has thrice been translated scarlet in the King James Version (Dan 5:7, Dan 5:16, Dan 5:29). Scarlet is applied to fabrics or yarn used (a) in the equipment of the tabernacle (Ex 25ff; Num 4:8); (b) in rites in cleansing lepers (Lev 14); in ceremony of purification (Num 19:6); to royal or gorgeous apparel (2Sa 1:24; Pro 31:21; Lam 4:5; Dan 5:7, Dan 5:16, Dan 5:29, purple; Nah 2:3; Mat 27:28; Rev 17:4; Rev 18:12, Rev 18:16); to marking thread (Gen 38:28, Gen 38:30; Jos 2:18, Jos 2:21); to lips (Son 4:3); to sins (Isa 1:18); to beasts (Rev 17:3); to wool (Heb 9:19).
(12) Sorrel
This word occurs once in the Revised Version (British and American) (Zec 1:8).
(13) Vermilion
This word, , shashar, occurs in two passages (Jer 22:14; Eze 23:14). Vermilion of modern arts is a sulfide of mercury. It is not at all improbable that the paint referred to was an oxide of iron. This oxide is still taken from the ground in Syria and Palestine and used for decorative outlining.
(14) White
The principal word for denoting whiteness in the Hebrew was , labhan, a distinctive color word. Some of the objects to which it was applied show that it was used as we use the word white (Gen 49:12). Mt. Lebanon was probably named because of its snow-tipped peaks (Jer 18:14). White is applied to goats (Gen 30:35); to rods (Gen 30:37); to teeth (Gen 49:12); to leprous hairs and spots (Lev 13; Num 12:10); to garments (Ecc 9:8; Dan 7:9); as symbol of purity (Dan 11:35; Dan 12:10; Isa 1:18); to horses (Zec 1:8; Zec 6:3, Zec 6:1); to tree branches (Joe 1:7); to coriander seed (Exo 16:31). The corresponding Greek word, , leukos, is used in New Testament. It is applied to hair (Mat 5:36; Rev 1:14); to raiment (Mat 17:2; Mat 28:3; Mar 9:3; Mar 16:5; Luk 9:29; Joh 20:12; Act 1:10; Rev 3:4, Rev 3:5, Rev 3:18; Rev 6:11; Rev 7:9, Rev 7:13, Rev 7:14; 19, 14); to horses (Rev 6:2; Rev 19:11, Rev 19:14); to a throne (Rev 20:11); to stone (Rev 2:17); to a cloud (Rev 14:14). Besides labhan, four other Hebrew words have been translated white: (a) , hor, or , hur, meaning bleached, applied to bread (Gen 40:16); to linen (Est 1:6; Est 8:15); (b) , cah, or , cahor, literally, dazzling, is applied to asses (Jdg 5:10); to human appearance (Son 5:10); to wool (Eze 27:18); (c) , dar, probably mother of pearl or alabaster (Est 1:6); (d) , rr, literally, saliva, and, from resemblance, white of egg (Job 6:6).
(15) Yellow
This word occurs in Est 1:6 to describe pavement; in Lev 13 to describe leprous hair; in Psa 68:13 to describe gold.
Mixtures of colors: (a) grizzled (grisled), literally, spotted as with hail, applied to goats (Gen 31:10, Gen 31:12); to horses (Zec 6:3, Zec 6:1); (b) ringstreaked (ringstraked), literally, striped with bands, applied to animals (Gen 30:35; Gen 31:8); (c) speckled, literally, dotted or spotted, applied to cattle and goats (Gen 30:32; Gen 31:8); to a bird (Jer 12:9); to horses (Zec 1:8 the King James Version); (d) spotted, literally, covered with patches, applied to cattle and goats (Gen 30:32). In Jud 1:23 spotted means defiled.
Figurative: For figurative uses, see under separate colors.
Literature
Perrot and Chipiez, History of Art in Ancient Egypt, History of Art in Chaldea and Assyria, History of Art in Phoenicia and its Dependencies; Wilkinson, The Ancient Egyptians; Jewish Encyclopedia; EB; Delitzsch, Iris.