Purple

Purple - (Webster's 1828 Dictionary)

PUR'PLE, a. [L. purpureus; purpura, a shell from which the color was obtained.]

1. Designating a color composed of red and blue blended, much admired, and formerly the roman emperors wore robes of this color.

2. In poetry, red or livid; dyed with blood.

I view a field of blood,

And Tyber rolling with a purple flood.

PUR'PLE, n. A purple color or dress; hence, imperial government in the Roman empire, as a purple robe was the distinguishing dress of the emperors.

1. A cardinalate.

PUR'PLE, v.t. [L. purpuro.] To make purple, or to dye of a red color; as hands purpled with blood.

When morn

Purples the east.

Reclining soft in blissful bowers,

Purpled sweet with springing flowers.

pur'-p'-l ('argaman; Chaldaic 'argewan (2Ch 2:7); compare Arabic 'urjuwan, and Persian 'arghawan; porphura, porphureos Septuagint and New Testament)):

Purple dye was manufactured by the Phoenicians from a marine mollusk, Murex trunculus. The shell was broken in order to give access to a small gland which was removed and crushed. The crushed gland gives a milky fluid that becomes red or purple on exposure to the air. Piles of these broken shells still remain on the coast at Sidon and Tyre. The purple gland is found in various species of Murex and also of Purpura.

Purple cloth was used in the furnishings of the tabernacle (Ex 25:4, etc.) and of Solomon's temple (2Ch 2:14; 3:14); in the palanquin of Solomon (So 3:10); and in the hangings of the palace of Ahasuerus (Es 1:6). The kings of Midian had purple raiment (Jud 8:26); the worthy woman of Pr 31:22 has clothing of fine linen and purple. Mordecai was clothed with purple by Ahasuerus (Es 8:15); Jesus by the Roman soldiers (Mr 15:17,20; Joh 19:2,5). The rich man of Lu 16:19 and the scarlet woman of Re 18:12,16 were arrayed in purple. In So 7:5 the bride has hair like purple. Purple is in the merchandise of Babylon (Re 18:12). It is surprising that Ezekiel speaks of the Tyrians as obtaining purple from the isles of Elisha (Eze 27:7) and from Syria (Eze 27:16).

See COLORS; DYE, DYEING.

Alfred Ely Day

Definition

The term “purple” is the name of a color that is a mixture of blue and red.

• In ancient times, purple was a rare and highly valuable color of dye that was used to dye the clothing of kings and other high officials.
• Because it was costly and time-consuming to produce this dye, purple clothing was considered a sign of wealth, distinction, and royalty.
• Purple was also one of the colors used for the curtains in the tabernacle and temple, and for the ephod worn by the priests.
• Purple dye was extracted from a kind of sea snail by either crushing or boiling the snails or by causing them to release the dye while still alive. This was an expensive process.
• Roman soldiers put a purple royal robe on Jesus before his crucifixion, to mock him for his claim to be King of the Jews.
• Lydia from the town of Philippi was a woman who made her living by selling purple cloth.

(Translation suggestions: Translate Names)

(See also: ephod, Philippi, royal, tabernacle, temple)

Bible References

• 2 Chronicles 2:13-14
• Daniel 5:7
• Daniel 5:29-31
• Proverbs 31:22-23

Word Data

• Strong’s: H0710, H0711, H0713, G42090, G42100, G42110