H0711 H0711
purple (Aramaic: purple dye or fabric, royal color)
The Aramaic term for purple dye or purple fabric, a luxury associated with royalty. Daniel uses this word when describing the honors promised to whoever could interpret the writing on the wall: clothed in purple along with gold and a chain. Purple dye, extracted from Mediterranean mollusks, was extraordinarily expensive and therefore restricted to royalty and the wealthy elite. The color signified power, prestige, and privilege across ancient Near Eastern cultures.
Senses
1. sense 1 — Daniel 5:7, 16, and 29 all mention purple as part of the reward offered to and eventually bestowed upon Daniel. The king promises that the interpreter 'shall be clothed with purple and have a chain of gold around his neck'—royal honors marking elevation to third ruler in the kingdom. The threefold repetition underscores the significance: purple marks the transfer of status from common interpreter to royal official. The Aramaic term matches the cultural reality of the Babylonian court, where color communicated social hierarchy. 3×
AR["أُرْجُوَانًا"]·ben["বেগুনি"]·DE["[ארגונא]"]·EN["purple"]·FR["[ארגונא]"]·heb["ארגמן"]·HI["अरगवान"]·ID["kain-ungu"]·IT["porpora"]·jav["wungu"]·KO["자주옷-을"]·PT["de-púrpura", "púrpura"]·RU["в-пурпур", "пурпур"]·ES["púrpura"]·SW["nguo-za-zambarau"]·TR["erguvan"]·urd["ارغوان"]
Related Senses
H2719 1. sword, weapon of war (410×)H4196 1. altar (place of sacrifice) (403×)H7393 1. chariot, chariotry (117×)H7198 1. bow (weapon) (72×)H7979 1. table (71×)H7782 1. ram's horn trumpet (69×)H4294 2. staff, rod, scepter (63×)H4043 1. shield, defensive weapon (60×)H0646 1. ephod (priestly garment) (49×)H8504 1. blue (violet-blue yarn/fabric) (49×)H2595 1. spear, lance (48×)H2671 1. arrow, projectile weapon (46×)H4818 1. chariot, war-chariot (44×)H3658 1. lyre, harp (stringed instrument) (42×)H1537 1. Gilgal (place name) (41×)H0713 1. purple (fabric/dye) (38×)H0905 3. poles, staves (37×)H7392 1. Qal participle: rider, charioteer (37×)H4501 1. cultic lampstand (menorah) (36×)H0212 1. wheel (35×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
† [אַרְגְּוָן] n.m. purple, red-purple (BH id., אַרְגָּמָן);—emph. אַרְגְּוָנָא Dn 5:7, 16, 29.