Purple

Purple was the most valuable dye in the ancient world. It included colors ranging from purple to red. People made the dye from certain sea snails.

The ancient Phoenicians may have been among the first people to use purple dye. Their name may come from a Greek word meaning “blood-red.” For many years, the Phoenicians controlled much of the production and trade of purple dye.

Purple was used in:

the tabernacle (Exodus 25:4; 26:1),

the priests' clothing (Exodus 28:5–8, 15, 33),

Solomon’s Temple (2 Chronicles 2:7),

Solomon’s chariot (Song of Solomon 3:10), and

decorations of the Persian court (Esther 1:6).

Wealthy people and rulers often wore purple clothing (Judges 8:26; Proverbs 31:22; Daniel 5:7). Mordecai received a purple robe as a reward (Esther 8:15). Daniel also received a purple robe (Daniel 5:29).

Assyrian soldiers wore purple clothing (Ezekiel 23:6). Jeremiah described idols dressed in blue and purple garments (Jeremiah 10:9). Ships from Tyre had blue and purple cloth coverings (Ezekiel 27:7). Purple dye was also traded between Tyre and the people of Aram (Ezekiel 27:16). In one verse, “purple” describes the color of hair (Song of Solomon 7:5).

The New Testament mentions “purple” less often than the Old Testament. However, these references show that purple dye remained valuable. Purple clothing was a sign of wealth (Luke 16:19). Roman soldiers dressed Jesus in purple to mock him as a king (Mark 15:17, 20; John 19:2, 5; compare Matthew 27:28 which describes the robe as “scarlet”).

In Revelation, the woman called Babylon wears purple and scarlet clothing as a sign of wealth and royal power (Revelation 17:4). Lydia, a woman from Thyatira, sold purple cloth (Acts 16:14).

See also Color; Snail.