שָׁנִי42 H8144
Scarlet, crimson; the vivid red color or dye derived from the kermes insect, used for fabrics, garments, and thread
Referring to the brilliant red dye extracted from the kermes insect (coccus ilicis), this noun names both the color itself and objects dyed with it. The Tabernacle narratives pair scarlet yarn with blue and purple in an iconic triad of costly colors (Exod 25:4; 26:1), while the priestly purification rituals specify scarlet thread alongside cedar and hyssop (Lev 14:4; Num 19:6). Outside the cult, scarlet marks identity and promise: the midwife ties a scarlet thread on Zerah's wrist (Gen 38:28), and Rahab hangs a scarlet cord from her window as a sign of salvation (Josh 2:18). Isaiah's haunting image -- 'though your sins are like scarlet' (Isa 1:18) -- draws on the dye's famous permanence to dramatize the seeming impossibility of forgiveness.
Senses
1. scarlet, crimson color/dye — The color scarlet or crimson, derived from the kermes insect dye, used attributively of fabrics, garments, and materials. Spanish 'escarlata' and German 'Karmesin/scharlachrot' both preserve the rich chromatic specificity. This sense pervades the Tabernacle construction (Exod 25:4; 26:1,31,36) and priestly vestments (Exod 28:5-8), where scarlet appears in a fixed triad with blue and purple. It also colors royal garments (2 Sam 1:24), the clothing of the virtuous woman (Prov 31:21), and Isaiah's metaphor for indelible sin (Isa 1:18), where French 'écarlate' captures the same dye-fast permanence that makes the image so striking. 38×
AR["القِرمِزِ","الْ-قِرْمِزُ","دودِيٌّ","دودِيٍّ","قِرمِزٍ","قِرْمِزًا","قِرْمِزٍ"]·ben["-লাল-সুতো","লাল","লাল-সুতো","লালের"]·DE["Karmesin","das-Karmesin","scharlachrot"]·EN["scarlet","the-scarlet"]·FR["le-écarlate","écarlate"]·heb["ה-שני","שני"]·HI["लाल","लाल-धागा"]·ID["kain-merah","kirmizi","merah"]·IT["il-scarlatto","scarlatto"]·jav["abrit","abrit,","benang-abrit","benang-abrit-punika","cemeng","sutra","sutra,"]·KO["주홍색을","주홍색의","주홍의","진홍색","진홍색의","진홍의"]·PT["de-escarlate","escarlate","o-escarlate"]·RU["красная-нить","красную-нить","нити","нить"]·ES["escarlata","la-escarlata"]·SW["nyekundu"]·TR["-kırmızı","iplik","kırmızı","kırmızı-iplik","kızıl"]·urd["سرخ","لال","لال-یہ"]
Gen 38:28, Gen 38:30, Exod 25:4, Exod 26:1, Exod 26:31, Exod 26:36, Exod 27:16, Exod 28:5, Exod 28:6, Exod 28:8, Exod 28:15, Exod 28:33 (+26 more)
2. scarlet thread/yarn — Scarlet thread or yarn as a distinct physical object serving as a marker or sign. While the color sense is attributive, this usage treats the scarlet material as a concrete, identifiable item. The midwife ties scarlet yarn on Zerah's hand to mark the firstborn (Gen 38:28,30), and Rahab's scarlet cord in her window becomes a covenant sign of deliverance (Josh 2:18,21). The Song of Songs compares the beloved's lips to a thread of scarlet (Song 4:3). In the Exodus materials lists (Exod 35:6,23,25), 'scarlet' names a specific commodity brought as an offering -- yarn or fiber ready for weaving. 4×
AR["القِرمِزِ"]·ben["লাল","লালের"]·DE["der-yarn","yarn"]·EN["the-yarn","yarn"]·FR["le-yarn","yarn"]·heb["ה-שני","שני"]·HI["लाल","लाल-के"]·ID["kirmizi"]·IT["il-yarn","yarn"]·jav["abrit"]·KO["그-진홍의","진홍의"]·PT["escarlate","o-escarlate"]·RU["нити","нить"]·ES["escarlata","la-escarlata"]·SW["rangi-nyekundu"]·TR["-kızıl","kızıl"]·urd["سرخ"]
BDB / Lexicon Reference
שָׁנִי42 n.[m.] scarlet (proposes coccus ilicis, which attaches itself to leaves and twigs of quercus coccifera; the dried body of female yields coloring matter; cf. TristrNHB 319 PostHastDB scarlet M’LeanEncy. Bib. id.);—usually שׁ׳: תִּקְוַת חוּט הַשּׁ׳ הַזֶּה Jos 2:18 this cord of thread of scarlet, ת׳ הַשּׁ׳ v 21, חוּט הַשּׁ׳ Ct 4:3 (sim. of lips); so (הַ)שּׁ׳ alone Gn 38:28, 30 (J), and as…