Colour

The subject of colours holds an important place in the Scriptures.

White occurs as the translation of various Hebrew words. It is applied to milk ( Genesis 49:12 ), manna ( Exodus 16:31 ), snow ( Isaiah 1:18 ), horses ( Zechariah 1:8 ), raiment (Eccl 9:8 ). Another Hebrew word so rendered is applied to marble ( Esther 1:6 ), and a cognate word to the lily (Cant 2:16 ). A different term, meaning "dazzling," is applied to the countenance (Cant 5:10 ).

This colour was an emblem of purity and innocence ( Mark 16:5 ; John 20:12 ; Revelation 19:8 Revelation 19:14 ), of joy (Eccl 9:8 ), and also of victory ( Zechariah 6:3 ; Revelation 6:2 ). The hangings of the tabernacle court ( Exodus 27:9 ; 38:9 ), the coats, mitres, bonnets, and breeches of the priests ( Exodus 39:27 Exodus 39:28 ), and the dress of the high priest on the day of Atonement ( Leviticus 16:4 Leviticus 16:32 ), were white.

Black, applied to the hair ( Leviticus 13:31 ; Cant 5:11 ), the complexion (Cant 1:5 ), and to horses ( Zechariah 6:2 Zechariah 6:6 ). The word rendered "brown" in Genesis 30:32 (RSV, "black") means properly "scorched", i.e., the colour produced by the influence of the sun's rays. "Black" in Job 30:30 means dirty, blackened by sorrow and disease. The word is applied to a mourner's robes ( Jeremiah 8:21 ; 14:2 ), to a clouded sky ( 1 Kings 18:45 ), to night ( Micah 3:6 ; Jeremiah 4:28 ), and to a brook rendered turbid by melted snow ( Job 6:16 ). It is used as symbolical of evil in Zech 6:2,6and Revelation 6:5 . It was the emblem of mourning, affliction, calamity ( Jeremiah 14:2 ; Lamentations 4:8 ; 5:10 ).

Red, applied to blood ( 2 Kings 322 ;22), a heifer ( Numbers 19:2 ), pottage of lentils ( Genesis 25:30 ), a horse ( Zechariah 1:8 ), wine ( Proverbs 23:31 ), the complexion ( Genesis 25:25 ; Cant 5:10 ). This colour is symbolical of bloodshed ( Zechariah 6:2 ; Revelation 6:4 ; 12:3 ).