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Scarlet

Original Hebrew / Aramaic / Greek connected to this term

How to read this: there is rarely one magic “true meaning” hidden behind an English word. A lexicon records a word’s semantic range. The intended meaning is narrowed by grammar, sentence, author, historical usage and context.

HEBREW / ARAMAIC · H8144

שָׁנִי

sha.ni — scarlet

1) scarlet, crimson 1a) properly, the insect 'coccus ilicis', the dried body of the female yielding colouring matter from which is made the dye used for cloth to colour it scarlet or crimson

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GREEK · G2847

κόκκινος

kokkinos — scarlet

κόκκινος, -η, -ον (κόκκος, as used of the "berry" of the ilex coccifera, see DB, iv, 416), [in LXX for תּוֹלָע, תּוֹלָע, שָׁנִי, Exo.25:4, Gen.38:23, Isa.1:18, al. ;] scarlet: Mat.27:28, Heb.9:19, Rev.17:3; neut., without substantive, of clothing, Rev.17:4 18:12, 16,† (AS)

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HEBREW / ARAMAIC · H8438

תּוֹלָע

to.la — worm

1) worm, scarlet stuff, crimson 1a) worm-the female 'coccus ilicis' 1b) scarlet stuff, crimson, scarlet 1b1) the dye made from the dried body of the female of the worm "coccus ilicis" Also means: to.le.ah (תּוֹלֵעָה "worm" H8438B)

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HEBREW / ARAMAIC · H646

אֵפוֹד

e.phod — ephod

1) ephod 1a) priestly garment, shoulder-cape or mantle, outer garment 1a1) worn by an ordinary priest and made of white stuff 1a2) worn by the high priest-more costly, woven of gold, blue, purple, scarlet, and linen threads provided with shoulder-pieces and a breast piece of like material, ornamented with gems and gold

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HEBREW / ARAMAIC · H642

אֲפֻדָּה

e.phud.dah — ephod

1) ephod 1a) priestly garment, shoulder-cape or mantle, outer garment 1a1) worn by an ordinary priest and made of white stuff 1a2) worn by the high priest-more costly, woven of gold, blue, purple, scarlet, and linen threads provided with shoulder-pieces and a breast piece of like material, ornamented with gems and gold 1b) a metallic covering for idols, a plating over

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Historical dictionary entry

This dye was obtained by the Egyptians from the shell-fish Carthamus tinctorius; and by the Hebrews from the Coccus ilicis, an insect which infests oak trees, called kermes by the Arabians. This colour was early known (Gen. 38:28). It was one of the colours of the ephod (Ex. 28:6), the girdle (8), and the breastplate (15) of the high priest. It is also mentioned in various other connections (Josh. 2:18; 2 Sam. 1:24; Lam. 4:5; Nahum 2:3). A scarlet robe was in mockery placed on our Lord (Matt. 27:28; Luke 23:11). “Sins as scarlet” (Isa. 1:18), i.e., as scarlet robes “glaring and habitual.” Scarlet and crimson were the firmest of dyes, and thus not easily washed out.

Scripture references

Source: Easton’s Bible Dictionary (1897). Historical dictionary wording reflects the scholarship and language of its era.

Compare other reference traditions

Look up Scarlet in Smith’s Bible Dictionary and ISBE →