Prayer Tents Bible References - Prayer Tents

PURPLE

Purple fabrics were highly prized in the ancient world. The Phoenicians developed the purple dye industry, centered in Tyre and Sidon (Ezek. 27:7, 16). The source of the dye was one of several carnivorous snails that lived in the Mediterranean Sea: Murex brandaris, Murex trunculus, and Purpura haemostoma. The hypobranchial glands of these shellfish produce a colorless liquid, which upon exposure to air dyed fabrics a colorfast purple. Archaeologists find evidence of the industry in the piles of crushed mollusk shells.

The process of extracting the dye was complex. First, wicker baskets, baited with fish or meat scraps, were lowered into the water to catch the shellfish. When the shellfish were drawn up, the dye was extracted from the hypobranchial gland by crushing the shell. The resulting liquid was mixed with salt and allowed to set for three days. Then the mixture was simmered for 10 days, reducing it to one sixth of its original volume. Wool was placed in the resulting dye bath for five hours. Sometimes the wool was dyed twice to produce a richer color. Twelve thousand shells would produce less than 2 g. (.07 oz.) of dye. The process was costly, and thus purple fabrics were associated with royalty and wealth.

Skilled artisans used purple fibers, along with blue and crimson, for the curtains of the tabernacle and for Aaron’s priestly vestments (Exod. 26:1; 28:15-33); Gideon received purple garments worn by the kings of Midian (Judg. 8:26); and King Belshazzar clothed Daniel in purple (Dan. 5:29). The soldiers clothed Jesus in purple as they mocked him (Mark 15:17-20; John 19:2-5); Lydia dealt in purple cloth (Acts 16:14); and purple was associated with the decadence of “Babylon” (Rev. 17:4; 18:12, 16).

Bibliography. I. I. Ziderman, “Seashells and Ancient Purple Dyeing,” BA 53 (1990): 98-101.

Mary Petrina Boyd

Prayer Tents Bible References - Prayer Tents

PURPLE

Eerdmans Dictionary of the Bible (2000)