Blue (nVrn, LXX Wm^Soj, AXoirip^i/pos only in Nu 4', cf. JCen. Cyrop. VIII. iii. 13). In NT there is no mention of this colour. In As.syr. the word ta-kil-tu occurs in .several inscriptions (Delitzsch, Assyr. Hwh. p. 70(i). This colour .seems to have been a violet-purple as distinguislied from [ca^N (see PUKPLE), but even in early times there was great indefiniteness in its use (cf. Talra. Bab. ahnnchvth 44*, and for use of vaKivBoi and hya- cinthu.1 in classical writers see Kitto, Cyclop, of Bilil. Lit.' i. 40 f.). It was obtained from a shell- fish found on the Phten. coa.st attached to the rocks. The Targ. pseudo-Jonathan to Dt 33'" calls it p\~, and this is usually identified with Helix inntliina. (For other purple-i>roducing shell- fish see Pi;]iPLE.) Blue was used often with purple (see below) and scarlet (see Scaklet) in the curtains of the tabernacle (Ex 26'), the veil of the ark (26"), the screen of the tent-door (26**), the screen of the gates of the court (27'"), parts con- nected with the ejihod (28), the mitre (28"), and the girdle (3',)-") of the priest, also in the coverings of tTie table of shewbread, the candlesticks, the golden altar, and the vessels of the sanctuary (Nu 4). A cord of blue was to be jmt on the fringes or ta.ssels of the Israelites' jjarinents (Nu If)*"). In the veil, before the holiest place in Solomon's temple, blue was inwrought with purple and crini-son according to the Chronicler (2 Ch 3"). It wa« also used in the clothing of idols (Jer 10"). In Ezk it is the colour of the clothing of young As.sj'r. nobles (23°), and in his descrijition of the luxury of Tyre, awnings of blue and purjde were their coverings on shi[js ; and hales of blue and broidered work were among their inerchandi.se (27'' ■"). Hangings of white and blue cloth figure in the palace of Ahasuerus (Est 1"), and royal apparel is of^ blue and white (Est 8'"). In Pr 20™ the AV ' blueness of a wound ' is correctly given in RV as "stripes that wound.'
ClilM-soN is identical with scarlet. It occurs in RV only in Is 1'" a-s tr. of I'Sn (see SCAULKT), and in 2 Ch 2'-" 3'* for V'?-i3, which seems to be a
Peisian word, from *,S 'a worm,' and thus equiva- lent to py'jiB (cf. Ces-Iliihl.). See separate art.
<;i!Ei;n' (in Ikb. various derivatives of the root pT, cf. Assyr. iirnlni, ' to be pale ' [Delitzscli, Assyr. Ihi'h. p. 243]. Cr. X'^^wp'i'). — It is used exclusively of vegetation (In 1™ !)', Mk &', Rev 8' 9* etc. Greenish, pin;, tbat is, inclining to yellow, is used ol the plague of leprosy in skin or garniunt Lv 13'" 14". 'The same word is used of gold Ps 08" (RV
' yellow '). In the many other passages where the word 'green' occurs in KV, the Ueh. equivalent contains no reference to colour.
Uhev is used only of ' grey hair,' Heb. ^^'v Un 44" etc.
Puni'LE (LXX and NT Top<pvpa, 7rup0upoDs, Heb. ]'p!<, Aram, i*;;;"'!', Assyr. Argnmnnnu, Del. A.i.iyt . Ihrh. p. 129). — This was a precious dye of a red- purple colour obtained from the sliell-lish MiirKX trunrulus, near Tyre, and Murcx hrnnditris on the shores of Taranto and the Pelojionnesus. The Phcenicians soein to have long monopolized the sale (and perhaps the preparation) of it, not only on their ow n coasts, but on those of the ' isles of Elisliah ' (ace. to Targ. on (In 10^ = Italy, more prolial)ly = Greece,'E\\as ; cf. Smen<rs 6V/»ihi.), Kzk 27", and in the manufactories of Syria (Kzk 27'"). In later times the dye was sold (and manu- factured ?) in Asia (Ac 16'''), and in Pliny's time in the islands on the N. coast of Africa and Madeira (HN ix. 36, vi. 36 ; cf. Strabo, 83j). For other methods of preparing purple see Vitruvius, vii. 13, 14. Purple was used — generallj' in Cdinbiiiatiou w itli blue and scarlet — in the curtains and veils of the tabernacle, in (certain parts of the priests' dress and ornaments, and alone in the cloth spread on the altar (Ex 26-28. 35. 39, Nu 4'^ cf. Sir 45'"), also in Solomon's temple (see BLUE). It was especially the colour used in the raiment and trap|)ings of royalty. The kings of Midian wore purple raiment (Jg 8*), so did the royal courtiers of Persia (E.st 8"), of Babylon (Dn 5'-'"- ^), and of Syria (2 Mac 4^). The Uttings of Solomon's palanquin (Ca 3'") and the cords in the hangings of the palace of Ahasuerus (Est 1") were of purple ; and the absence of this colour from the dress of the all-powerful Rom.ins was noted with surprise (1 Alac 8"). Purple is thus the sign of royalty and nobility (Pr 31--, Rev 17* 18'"- '"), and hence it is iised in the dressing of idols (Jer 10", F^p. .ler"'). A puriile robe was put on our Lord in mockery before his crucifixion (Mk 15" [iropipvpav], Ju 19''' {linaTiov TTopfpvpovi'], but Mt 27^ reads ' scarlet ' [x^^anvda KOKKifijp]). In Ca 7° the brilliance of the hair is compared with that of purple (see Graetz, Comm.).
Ked (mx and '^idtn ; for other words see below, LXX and NT Trvfifji!, wfiadKTis, Trc/S/lifwi/. In Assyr. the root <idin is used lor dark red as of blood [Delitzscli, Assyr. llwb. p. 26]). — This colour is in most passages used of natural objects, as of pott.ige Gn 25**, a heifer Nu 19-, water discoloured 2 K 3-, wine Pr 23^' (cf. RVm to Ps 75', Heb. apri), horses Zee 1* 6", Rev 6'', the face red with weeping Job 16"> (RVm), and the sky Mt 16^". But it was also artificially produced (Flinders Petrie says that red-dyed leather was made in Egypt before B.C. 3000). Rams' skins dyed red were used for the covering of the tent of the tabernacle Ex 25° 35'- ^ 36'" 39'-" (see TABERNACLE). Garments dyed red are mentioned in Is 63-'. In Nah 2^ the words ' made red ' mean dyed red according to Oxf. Heb. Lex. and Siegfried-Stade, but ' lit up by the sun ' (cf. 1 Mac 6"') according to Hitzig-Steiner's Cumin. In Gn 49'" the word translated ' red ' means ■ dull ' (cf. Oxf. Heb. Lex. to 'V'^?Ci, and Assyr. <i/:alu), and in Est 1' 'red' is either ' poriihyiy ' (K\iii, cf. Oxf. Heb. Lex. to onj) or inalacliite (Uyssel's Cvm- incntary). In one passage (Wis 13'*, see Vkk- MILION) it is the RV remlcring of ipvOifvat.