What does אַרְגָּמָן (ʾarĕgāmān) mean in the Bible?
Purple describes a color or the dyed material named in the scene. Exodus includes purple yarn among willingly supplied tabernacle materials and records skilled women spinning it.
Hebrew · H713
אַרְגָּמָן
Purple describes a color or the dyed material named in the scene. Exodus includes purple yarn among willingly supplied tabernacle materials and records skilled women spinning it.
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אַרְגָּמָןH713
Pronunciationʾarĕgāmān
What does אַרְגָּמָן (ʾarĕgāmān) mean in the Bible?
Reader summary
Full entry for אַרְגָּמָן (H713) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render H713?
The BSB source-word alignment has 38 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include purple (29), and purple (3), a purple (1), and a purple (1), and purple [material] (1).
Where does אַרְגָּמָן (ʾarĕgāmān) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Exodus 25:4. Its strongest book concentrations include Exodus (26), 2 Chronicles (2), Esther (2), Ezekiel (2).
What This Word Actually Means
Purple describes a color or the dyed material named in the scene. Exodus includes purple yarn among willingly supplied tabernacle materials and records skilled women spinning it. Esther places a purple robe in Mordecai's royal clothing, while Proverbs describes purple garments beside household work and care for the needy. Jeremiah also describes purple clothing on handmade idols, and Ezekiel lists purple among traded goods.
The color therefore does not by itself certify holiness, rightful authority or wrongdoing. Read what is made, worn or exchanged and what the passage says about the people involved. Skilled service, public honor, household provision and idol manufacture receive different evaluations from their contexts. Teach those actions without requiring costly clothing as a sign of worth or treating a person's choice of color as proof of spiritual status.
How the Bible Uses It
Offered yarn, skilled sanctuary work, royal clothing, household garments, idol coverings and merchandise show different roles. The material remains purple while the surrounding action supplies its evaluation.
- Exod.35.25
Every skilled woman spun with her hands and brought what she had spun: blue, purple, or scarlet yarn, or fine linen.
Skilled women spin and bring purple alongside other yarn and linen, keeping the contribution in the narrated work of willing material provision.
- Esth.8.15
Mordecai went out from the presence of the king in royal garments of blue and white, with a large gold crown and a purple robe of fine linen. And the city of Susa shouted and rejoiced.
Mordecai's purple robe belongs to the specifically described royal garments and Susa's rejoicing, without making the color a universal certificate of righteous rule.
- Jer.10.9
Hammered silver is brought from Tarshish, and gold from Uphaz—the work of a craftsman from the hands of a goldsmith. Their clothes are blue and purple, all fashioned by skilled workers.
Purple clothing covers handmade idols in an argument contrasting crafted objects with the living Lord, so attractive material does not validate the worshiped object.
Source Word Evidence
BSB source-word alignment connects this entry to exact verse rows, English rendering, source form, transliteration, and parsing.
How English Renders Itpurple29×Exodus 25:4, Exodus 26:1, Exodus 26:31, Exodus 26:36
and purple3×Proverbs 31:22, Jeremiah 10:9, Ezekiel 27:7
a purple1×Numbers 4:13
and a purple1×Esther 8:15
and purple [material]1×Esther 1:6
like purple [threads]1×Song Of Solomon 7:5
of purple [fabric]1×Song Of Solomon 3:10
the purple1×Judges 8:26
Show sample aligned rows
Exodus 25:4וְאַרְגָּמָ֛ןtopurpleConjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singularExodus 26:1וְאַרְגָּמָן֙topurpleConjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singularExodus 26:31וְאַרְגָּמָ֛ןtopurpleConjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singularExodus 26:36וְאַרְגָּמָ֛ןtopurpleConjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singularExodus 27:16וְאַרְגָּמָ֜ןtopurpleConjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singularExodus 28:5הָֽאַרְגָּמָ֑ןtopurpleArticle | Noun - masculine singularExodus 28:6וְאַרְגָּמָ֜ןtopurpleConjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singularExodus 28:8וְאַרְגָּמָ֛ןtopurpleConjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singularExodus 28:15וְאַרְגָּמָ֜ןtopurpleConjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singularExodus 28:33וְאַרְגָּמָן֙topurpleConjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned rowExodus 25:4
Aligned rows38
Books represented9
Exodus26Numbers1Judges12 Chronicles2Esther2Proverbs1Song Of Solomon2Jeremiah1Ezekiel2
Source forms
וְאַרְגָּמָ֛ן14xwə·’ar·gā·mānExodus 25:4, Exodus 26:31, Exodus 26:36, Exodus 28:8
וְאַרְגָּמָן֙4xwə·’ar·gā·mānExodus 26:1, Exodus 28:33, Exodus 36:8, Jeremiah 10:9
וְאַרְגָּמָ֜ן3xwə·’ar·gā·mānExodus 27:16, Exodus 28:6, Exodus 28:15
הָֽאַרְגָּמָ֔ן2xhā·’ar·gā·mānExodus 35:25, Exodus 39:3
וְאַרְגָּמָ֖ן2xwə·’ar·gā·mānExodus 39:24, 2 Chronicles 3:14
אַרְגָּמָ֑ן1x’ar·gā·mānSong Of Solomon 3:10
אַרְגָּמָ֨ן1x’ar·gā·mānEzekiel 27:16
אַרְגָּמָֽן׃1x’ar·gā·mānNumbers 4:13
Parsing patterns
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular24xExodus 25:4, Exodus 26:1, Exodus 26:31, Exodus 26:36
Article | Noun - masculine singular4xExodus 28:5, Exodus 35:25, Exodus 39:3, Judges 8:26
Noun - masculine singular3xNumbers 4:13, Song Of Solomon 3:10, Ezekiel 27:16
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular construct2xExodus 35:6, Exodus 35:23
Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singular2xExodus 35:35, Exodus 38:23
Conjunctive waw, Article | Noun - masculine singular1xExodus 39:1
Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singular1x2 Chronicles 2:14
Preposition-k, Article | Noun - masculine singular1xSong Of Solomon 7:5
Using This Word Well
Be careful not to...
- Welcome practical skill and generosity without shaming people who lack costly clothes.
- Do not derive modern political authority or permission for harm from Mordecai's robe.
Avoid claiming...
- Purple clothing always proves holiness, royal legitimacy or personal corruption.
- Wearing a biblical person's color transfers that person's authority or narrated promise.
Evidence Summary
Hebrew word. Purple dye signifying royalty, wealth, and sacred majesty in ancient Near Eastern contexts
Source Gloss
purple (the color or the dyed stuff)
Extended definitionSource: Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon + Brown-Driver-Briggs
Purple dye signifying royalty, wealth, and sacred majesty in ancient Near Eastern contexts
purple (the color or the dyed stuff) BDB: purple Usage: purple.
Grammatical Forms
How this word appears across different grammatical cases and numbers.
Selected Scripture Witness
Selected passage-level study witnesses for this word. This section is not the full occurrence list.
Biblical Witnesses
luxurious fabric worn as clothing, signifying wealth and status
Showing 1 selected witness from 38 lexical occurrence verses.
Word Origins
אַרְגָּמָן is of foreign origin - no further derivation.
Part of These Phrases
Compound and idiomatic phrases that include this word. Follow a link to study the phrase and how its parts work together.
For the Preacher and Teacher
A color can serve a worthy task or cover an object that the passage rejects. Exodus names purple among contributions and describes skilled work, so willingness and craftsmanship matter beside the material. Esther reports Mordecai's royal clothing within a particular turning point, while Proverbs places garments beside practical work and an open hand to the needy.
Jeremiah's crafted idols can also wear purple; their clothing does not make them the living God. Ezekiel's cargo scene adds another ordinary role for the same material. Read these actions and stated judgments without inventing a color theology that erases their differences. Encourage skill, care and attention to actual conduct where those are shown, while refusing the claim that expensive clothing proves righteousness or that a present leader inherits a biblical person's authority by wearing a similar robe.
Anchor passage
Exod.35.25
Doctrinal connections
- Exodus 25:2-6 includes purple yarn in offerings received from willing hearts, preserving the specific contribution setting rather than prescribing a purchase for everyone.
- Exodus 35:23-26 names supplied materials and skilled women spinning yarn, joining practical skill with the narrated tabernacle work.
- Esther 8:15-17 places Mordecai's purple royal garment beside rejoicing after the issued edict, without turning color into a modern violence mandate.
- Proverbs 31:20-24 places linen and purple clothing beside aid to the needy, household provision and trade, retaining conduct beyond appearance.
- Jeremiah 10:8-11 describes crafted idols clothed in blue and purple while distinguishing them from the living Lord, refusing material prestige as divine identity.
- Ezekiel 27:14-18 lists purple among goods exchanged with Tyre, naming trade relationships rather than assigning each fabric a separate spiritual verdict.
The licensed Hebrew range identifies purple, including the dyed material. Sentences about yarn, robes and cargo determine the object in view. Color terminology should not import an unverified account of manufacturing methods or replace the actions and judgments actually supplied by the passage.
From Old to New Testament
Mark 15:17-19 describes a purple robe used by soldiers while mocking and striking Jesus. Revelation 17:4 also names purple in its separate visionary description. These Greek uses receive their evaluation from actual mockery or the vision's named abominations, not from the color alone. They can be read alongside Exodus' contributed material without claiming that sacred craft, royal honor and abusive parody are morally identical scenes.