Topical Encyclopedia
In biblical times, the process of dyeing fabrics was a significant and skilled craft, often associated with wealth and status due to the labor-intensive methods and the rarity of certain dyes. The Bible references dyed materials in various contexts, highlighting their importance in ancient cultures and religious practices.
Biblical References:1.
Purple Dye: Purple dye, derived from the murex snail, was highly prized and often associated with royalty and nobility. In the Book of Acts, Lydia, a seller of purple goods, is mentioned: "A woman named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth from the city of Thyatira, who was a worshiper of God, listened. The Lord opened her heart to respond to Paul’s message" (
Acts 16:14). This indicates the economic and social significance of dyed fabrics.
2.
Scarlet and Crimson: Scarlet and crimson dyes were also prominent in biblical texts. These colors were often used in the construction of the Tabernacle and the garments of the priests. In
Exodus 26:1, the instructions for the Tabernacle include: "You are to make the tabernacle with ten curtains of finely spun linen, with blue, purple, and scarlet yarn, with cherubim skillfully worked into them" . The use of scarlet and other vibrant colors symbolized beauty and divine craftsmanship.
3.
Symbolism of Dyed Garments: Dyed garments often symbolized wealth, power, and sometimes sin. In
Isaiah 1:18, the prophet uses the imagery of dyed colors to convey a message of redemption: "Come now, let us reason together, says the LORD. Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool" . Here, the transformation from dyed colors to white signifies purification and forgiveness.
4.
Cultural and Economic Aspects: The production and trade of dyed fabrics were significant economic activities in ancient times. The city of Tyre, known for its production of purple dye, is mentioned in
Ezekiel 27:16: "Aram was your customer because of your many products. They exchanged turquoise, purple, embroidered work, fine linen, coral, and rubies for your wares" . This highlights the extensive trade networks and the value placed on dyed materials.
5.
Religious and Ceremonial Use: Dyed fabrics were integral to religious ceremonies and the construction of sacred spaces. The high priest's garments, as described in
Exodus 28, included blue, purple, and scarlet yarns, signifying their sacred purpose and the glory of God. The use of these colors in religious contexts underscored their symbolic and aesthetic importance.
In summary, dyed fabrics in the Bible are emblematic of wealth, status, and religious significance. The intricate process of dyeing and the vibrant colors produced were not only a testament to human skill and artistry but also served as powerful symbols in the spiritual and cultural life of ancient Israel and its neighbors.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
(
imp. & p. p.) of Dye.
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
ATTIRE; DYED ATTIREa-tir': "Can a virgin forget her ornaments, or a bride her attire?" asks the prophet Jeremiah in hot remonstrance against Israel's unfaithfulness. "Yet," saith Yahweh, "my people have forgotten me" (2:32). "And I saw that she was defiled," cries Ezekiel against Jerusalem; "she saw men. girded with girdles upon their loins, with flowing turbans [AV exceeding in dyed attire] upon their heads,... after the likeness of the Babylonians in Chaldea,. and. she doted upon them. "(Ezekiel 23:13-16). "And, behold, there met him," says the author of Proverbs (Proverbs 7:10) in his description of the "strange woman," that "lieth in wait at every street corner," "a woman with the attire of a harlot, and wily of heart," whose "house is the way to Sheol" (Proverbs 7:27). These passages show how diversely and elastically the term "attire" was used among the Hebrews. The numerous synonyms for "dress," "attire," "apparel," "clothes," "raiment," "garment," etc., found in English Versions of the Bible, reflect a similar wealth of nomenclature in the original Hebrew and Greek; but the lack of exactness and consistency in the renderings of translators makes the identification of the various articles of dress referred to very difficult, sometimes impossible. SeeDRESS.
George B. Eager
Greek
4210. porphurous -- purple... Hence, giving Jesus a cloak, Him as someone merely to be a. [This garment was
perhaps a discarded officers' cloak that had been
dyed purple.].
...2847. kokkinos -- scarlet
... Part of Speech: Adjective Transliteration: kokkinos Phonetic Spelling:
(kok'-kee-nos) Short Definition: crimson Definition: crimson, scarlet,dyed with...
4209. porphura -- purple fish, purple dye, purple cloth
... purple. Of Latin origin; the "purple" mussel, ie (by implication) the red-blue
color itself, and finally a garmentdyed with it -- purple....
Strong's Hebrew
6648. tseba -- dye,dyed stuff... 6647, 6648. tseba. 6649 . dye,
dyed stuff. Transliteration: tseba Phonetic
Spelling: (tseh'-bah) Short Definition: work. Word Origin
...2871. tebul -- a turban
...dyed attire. Passive participle of tabal; properly,dyed, ie A turban (probably
as of colored stuff) --dyed attire. see HEBREW tabal. 2870b, 2871....
119. adom -- to be red
... Word Origin from an unused word Definition to be red NASB Word Usagedyed
red (6), red (3), ruddy (1). bedyed, made red ruddy. To...
2556. chamets -- to be sour or leavened
... to be sour or leavened. Transliteration: chamets Phonetic Spelling: (khaw-mates')
Short Definition: leavened. cruel man,dyed, be grieved, leavened...
6641. tsabua -- colored, variegated
... speckled. Passive participle of the same as tseba';dyed (in stripes), ie The hyena --
speckled. see HEBREW tseba'. 6640, 6641. tsabua. 6642 . Strong's Numbers
713. argaman -- purple, red-purple
... threads (1). purple. Of foreign origin; purple (the color or thedyed stuff) --
purple. 712, 713. argaman. 714 . Strong's Numbers.
8438. tola -- worm, scarlet stuff
... specifically (often with ellipsis of shaniy) the crimson-grub, but used only (in
this connection) of the color from it, and clothsdyed therewith -- crimson...
8144. shani -- scarlet
... crimson, scarlet thread. Of uncertain derivation; crimson, properly, the insect
or its color, also stuffdyed with it -- crimson, scarlet (thread)....
8504. tekeleth -- violet, violet thread
... blue. Probably for shcheleth; the cerulean mussel, ie The color (violet) obtained
therefrom or stuffdyed therewith -- blue. see HEBREW shcheleth. 8503, 8504...
Library
That the Ruler Should be Always Chief in Action.
... Which ephod is also rightly ordered to be made of gold, blue, purple, twicedyed
scarlet, and flue twined linen (Exodus 28:8), that it may be shewn by how...
Concerning the Tabernacle which Moses Built in the Wilderness for...
... gold, and brass, and of the best sorts of wood, and such as would not at all decay
by putrefaction; camels' hair also, and sheep-skins, some of themdyed of a...
How the Steps in the Passion of the Saviour were Predetermined in...
... discover how anciently wine is used as a figure for blood, turn to Isaiah, who asks,
"Who is this that cometh from Edom, from Bosor with garmentsdyed in red...
Women who Saved a Nation
... A woman or two for each warrior, For Sisera a spoil ofdyed stuffs, A spoil of
dyed stuffs embroidered, Some pieces of lace for his neck?'....
The Apology of Aristides as it is Preserved in the History of...
... Moreover it is trodden under foot of men and the other creatures; it isdyed with
the blood of the murdered; it is dug open and filled with dead bodies and...
Our Lord in the Garden
... "Who is this that cometh from Edom, withdyed garments from Bozrah? . . .... What became,
I wonder, of that "dyed" garment? and all that "red apparel"?...
Whether Sufficient Reason Can be Assigned for the Ceremonies...
... curtains, curtains of goats' hair, rams' skinsdyed red, and violet-colored skins
(Ex.26).... twisted linen, violet, purple, and scarlet twicedyed....
Clement of Alexandria.
... quoted, 308, 418, 428, 495. Clothing, Christian use of, 263. not to bedyed, 265.
of women, 266.... repentance in, 491. Hair, may be trimmed, but notdyed, 286....
Book iv. --Of Marcion's Antitheses.
... With lambs'skins [1582]dyed with heaven's hue; within. Gold... foretold. [1606]
A?�rial, ie, as he said above, "dyed with heaven's hue."....
The Joyous Return
... "Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots?" You have lain in
the lye of evil till you aredyed ingrain with the scarlet of iniquity, and the...
Thesaurus
Dyed (10 Occurrences)... Standard Bible Encyclopedia. ATTIRE;
DYED ATTIRE.
... girded with girdles upon their
loins, with flowing turbans [AV exceeding in
dyed attire] upon their heads,...
...Goatskins (8 Occurrences)
... (See NIV). Exodus 25:5 rams' skinsdyed red, sea cow hides, acacia wood, (See RSV)....
Exodus 35:7 rams' skinsdyed red, sea cow hides, acacia wood, (See RSV)....
Tanned (7 Occurrences)
... Exodus 25:5 rams' skinsdyed red, sea cow hides, acacia wood, (See RSV).... (See RSV).
Exodus 35:7 rams' skinsdyed red, sea cow hides, acacia wood, (See RSV)....
Rams (81 Occurrences)
... RSV NIV). Exodus 25:5 rams' skinsdyed red, sea cow hides, acacia wood,
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV). Exodus 26:14 You shall...
Porpoise (14 Occurrences)
... Exodus 25:5 rams' skinsdyed red, sea cow hides, acacia wood, (See NAS).... (See NAS).
Exodus 35:7 rams' skinsdyed red, sea cow hides, acacia wood, (See NAS)....
Cows (33 Occurrences)
... Exodus 25:5 rams' skinsdyed red, sea cow hides, acacia wood, (See NIV).... (See NIV).
Exodus 35:7 rams' skinsdyed red, sea cow hides, acacia wood, (See NIV)....
Cow (32 Occurrences)
... (BBE). Exodus 25:5 rams' skinsdyed red, sea cow hides, acacia wood, (WEB NIV).... Exodus
35:7 rams' skinsdyed red, sea cow hides, acacia wood, (WEB NIV)....
Skins (27 Occurrences)
... (WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV). Exodus 25:5 rams' skinsdyed red,
sea cow hides, acacia wood, (WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)....
Sealskins (6 Occurrences)
... Multi-Version Concordance Sealskins (6 Occurrences). Exodus 25:5 and rams'skins
dyed red, and sealskins, and acacia wood, (See JPS ASV)....
Dyeing
... di, di'-ing (me'oddam, hamuc, tebhul, cebha`): Four different Hebrew words have
been translated "dyed": the King James Version (a) me'-oddam, found in Exodus 25...
Resources
What does the Bible say about dyeing hair? | GotQuestions.orgWhy does the Bible speak against wearing clothing made of different types of fabric? | GotQuestions.orgWhat is churchianity? | GotQuestions.orgDyed: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.comBible Concordance •
Bible Dictionary •
Bible Encyclopedia •
Topical Bible •
Bible Thesuarus
