Topical Encyclopedia
Definition and Usage in Scripture:The term "brown" is not frequently mentioned in the Bible, but it is often associated with natural elements and animals. In biblical times, colors were significant and often carried symbolic meanings. Brown, as a color, is typically linked to the earth, humility, and the natural world.
Biblical References:While the specific term "brown" is not directly used in many English translations of the Bible, the concept can be inferred from descriptions of animals and materials. For example, in
Genesis 30:32-33, Jacob speaks of "speckled and spotted sheep and goats" which could include brown among other colors. The Berean Standard Bible translates this passage as:
"Let me pass through all your flocks today and remove from them every speckled and spotted sheep, every dark-colored lamb, and every spotted and speckled goat. These will be my wages." (
Genesis 30:32)
Symbolism and Interpretation:In biblical symbolism, brown is often associated with humility and the earth. It represents the dust from which man was created, as seen in
Genesis 2:7:
"Then the LORD God formed man from the dust of the ground and breathed the breath of life into his nostrils, and the man became a living being." (
Genesis 2:7)
This connection to the earth signifies man's humble beginnings and his dependence on God for life and sustenance.
Cultural and Historical Context:In the ancient Near East, the color brown would have been a common sight, seen in the landscape, animals, and everyday objects. The Israelites, living in a predominantly agrarian society, would have been familiar with brown as a natural color of the soil and livestock. This familiarity would have reinforced the symbolic meanings of humility and earthiness.
Theological Implications:From a theological perspective, brown can remind believers of their humble origins and the importance of humility in their walk with God. It serves as a reminder of the transient nature of earthly life and the need to rely on God's eternal promises. The color brown, in its connection to the earth, can also symbolize the believer's role as a steward of God's creation, emphasizing the responsibility to care for the world God has entrusted to humanity.
Conclusion:While not explicitly mentioned in many biblical texts, the color brown carries significant symbolic weight in Scripture. It serves as a reminder of humility, the earth, and the believer's role in God's creation. Through its subtle presence, brown invites reflection on the foundational truths of human existence and the call to live a life grounded in faith and stewardship.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
1. (
superl.) of a dark color, of various shades between black and red or yellow.
2. (n.) A dark color inclining to red or yellow, resulting from the mixture of red and black, or of red, black, and yellow; a tawny, dusky hue.
3. (v. t.) To make brown or dusky.
4. (v. t.) To make brown by scorching slightly; as, to brown meat or flour.
5. (v. t.) To give a bright brown color to, as to gun barrels, by forming a thin coat of oxide on their surface.
6. (v. i.) To become brown.
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
BROWNSeeCOLORS.
Greek
4102. pistis -- faith, faithfulness... "Faith is knowing what is ; therefore, we hold faith to be the knowledge of God's
will toward us" (John Calvin, as quoted by R. McAfee
Brown in ).
...Strong's Hebrew
2345. chum -- darkened, darkbrown or black... 2344, 2345. chum. 2346 . darkened, dark
brown or black. Transliteration:
chum Phonetic Spelling: (khoom) Short Definition: black.
...brown.
...Library
Brown
...Brown.Brown, Phoebe Hinsdale, was the daughter of George Hinsdale, and
was born May 1, 1783, at Canaan, NY Being left an orphan...
RobertBrown.
... BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES OF THE FATHERS OF THE REFORMATION, FOUNDERS OF SECTS, AND
OF OTHER DISTINGUISHED INDIVIDUALS MENTIONED IN THIS VOLUME. RobertBrown....
The Life of Mr. JohnBrown.
... The Life of Mr. JOHNBROWN. Mr.Brown was ordained minister at Wamphray
in Annandale. There is no certain account how long he was...
Brown. CM
... 388Brown. CM. Secret Prayer. (776) I love to steal awhile away From... impressive
hour, And lead to endless day! Mrs. Phoebe H.Brown, 1825....
Brown. CM
... 390Brown. CM. Mark 13:33. (784) The Savior bids thee watch and pray Through
life's momentous hour; And grants the Spirit's quickening...
Brown. CM
... 389Brown. CM. Graces Sought in Prayer. (786) Lord! teach us how to pray
aright, With reverence and with fear; Though dust and ashes...
Brown. CM
... 240Brown. CM. Approaching the Mercy-Seat. (482) Approach, my soul, the
mercy-seat, Where Jesus answers prayer; There humbly fall...
Index of Names.
... Phillips, x, 164, 169BROWN, John, 342BROWN, Phebe H., 229-232, 482BROWN, Samuel,
232BROWN, Theron, 188, 476, 480BROWN, Timothy H., 229 BRUCE, Michael, 297...
The Story of the Hymns and Tunes
... Title Page. THE STORY OF THE HYMNS AND TUNES by. THERONBROWN and HEZEKIAH
BUTTERWORTH. Multae terricolis linguae, coelestibus una....
Christ The Way, The Truth, and The Life
... CHRIST THE WAY, THE TRUTH, AND THE LIFE. BY THE LATE REV. JOHNBROWN, MINISTER OF
THE GOSPEL AT WAMPHRAY. WRITTEN DURING THE TIME OF HIS BANISHMENT IN HOLLAND....
Thesaurus
Brown (5 Occurrences)... 3. (vt) To make
brown or dusky. 4. (vt) To make
brown by scorching slightly;
as, to
brown meat or flour. 5. (vt) To give a bright
...Crane (2 Occurrences)
... far north as Merom. The grayish-brown cranes were the largest, and there
were also a crested, and a white crane. They nested on...
Weasel (1 Occurrence)
... The ermine and some other species arebrown in summer, and turn white in winter;
others arebrown at all seasons. Int.... It isbrown above and white below....
Pelican (5 Occurrences)
... Thebrown pelicans were larger than the white.... Thebrown birds deposited a
creamy-white egg with a rosy flush; the white, a white egg with bluish tints....
Devils (48 Occurrences)
... The transference to spirit is extremely unlikely and the explanation is not consistent
with primitive ideas on spirit manifestation (seeBrown, Driver, and...
Demons (54 Occurrences)
... The transference to spirit is extremely unlikely and the explanation is not consistent
with primitive ideas on spirit manifestation (seeBrown, Driver, and...
Lambs (107 Occurrences)
... shall answer for me hereafter, when thou comest about my hire, before thy face:
all that is not speckled and spotted among the goats, andbrown among the lambs...
Ethiopia (26 Occurrences)
... But by the side of these natives of K'sh, the artist also represents various
reddish-brown varieties; for from the beginning of historic time...
Myrrh (22 Occurrences)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary. (n.) A gum resin, usually of a yellowishbrown or amber
color, of an aromatic odor, and a bitter, slightly pungent taste....
Muse (5 Occurrences)
... 6. (n.) To be absent in mind; to be so occupied in study or contemplation as not
to observe passing scenes or things present; to be in abrown study....
Resources
What is Opus Dei? | GotQuestions.orgIs Yeshua Hamashiach the proper Hebrew name/title for Jesus Christ? | GotQuestions.orgWhat does the Bible say about the ice age? | GotQuestions.orgBrown: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.comBible Concordance •
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