Ochre is a naturally occurring earth pigment that has been used since ancient times for art, decoration, and practical purposes. It is composed primarily of iron oxide, which gives it a range of colors from yellow to deep orange and red. In biblical times, ochre would have been a readily available material in the regions surrounding the Mediterranean, including the lands of the Bible.

Biblical Context and Usage

While the Bible does not explicitly mention ochre by name, its use and significance can be inferred through the cultural and historical context of the ancient Near East. Ochre was commonly used in ancient art and decoration, including pottery, wall paintings, and possibly even in the preparation of sacred items. The Israelites, like their neighbors, would have been familiar with ochre and its applications.

Symbolism and Significance

In the Bible, colors often carry symbolic meanings. Red, for example, is frequently associated with blood, sacrifice, and atonement. The red hues of ochre could symbolize these themes, particularly in the context of sacrificial rituals and offerings. The use of red ochre in ancient cultures for burial rites and religious ceremonies suggests a connection to life, death, and the divine.

Cultural and Historical Insights

Archaeological findings have shown that ochre was used extensively in the ancient world, including in the regions where biblical events took place. The use of ochre in art and decoration is evident in the remnants of ancient civilizations, such as the Egyptians and Mesopotamians, who utilized it for its vibrant color and durability. This widespread use underscores its importance in daily life and religious practices.

Ochre in Ancient Craftsmanship

The craftsmanship of the Tabernacle and the Temple, as described in the Bible, involved the use of various colors and materials. While ochre is not specifically mentioned, the artisans of the time would have had access to it as a pigment for coloring fabrics, such as those used in the priestly garments and the curtains of the Tabernacle. The Bible describes the use of "blue, purple, and scarlet yarn" (Exodus 25:4), and while ochre is not listed, its availability and versatility make it a plausible component in the broader palette of ancient craftsmanship.

Conclusion

Ochre, though not explicitly mentioned in the Bible, played a significant role in the cultural and artistic expressions of the ancient world. Its presence in the archaeological record provides valuable insights into the daily life and religious practices of the peoples of the Bible. Through its symbolic associations and practical applications, ochre contributes to our understanding of the rich tapestry of biblical history and culture.1. (n.) A impure earthy ore of iron or a ferruginous clay, usually red (hematite) or yellow (limonite), -- used as a pigment in making paints, etc. The name is also applied to clays of other colors.

2. (n.) A metallic oxide occurring in earthy form; as, tungstic ocher or tungstite.

3. (n.) See Ocher.

OCHRE, RED

o'-ker, (Isaiah 44:13, "He marketh it out with a pencil," margin "red ochre," the King James Version "line"; seredh, a word found only here, and of unknown etymology): Designates the implement used by the carpenter to mark the wood after measuring and before cutting. "Red ochre" supposes this to have been a crayon (as does "pencil"), but a scratch-awl is quite as likely. Ochre is clay colored by an iron compound.

8350. shasher -- red color, vermilion
... vermillion. Perhaps from the base of sharar in the sense of that of saruq; red ochre
(from its piercing color) -- vermillion. see HEBREW sharar. see HEBREW saruq ...
/hebrew/8350.htm - 6k

The Same Rule Holds with Regard to Colours God's Creatures ...
... Purple with them is more paltry than red ochre; (and justly,) for what legitimate
honour can garments derive from adulteration with illegitimate colours? ...
/.../tertullian/on the apparel of women/chapter viii the same rule holds.htm

Letter L. (AD 399. )
... ornamented. We will give in addition some red ochre, to make him blush
in such a way as may well harmonize with your devotions. ...
/.../augustine/the confessions and letters of st/letter l a d 399.htm

The First Discovery of America
... Yonder on the left, in that copse where the red-ochre gully runs, is Sanguelac,
the drain of blood, into which (as the Bayeux tapestry, woven by Matilda's maids ...
/.../kingsley/historical lectures and essays/the first discovery of america.htm

The First Discovery of America.
... Yonder on the left, in that copse where the red-ochre gully runs, is Sanguelac,
the drain of blood, into which (as the Bayeux tapestry, woven by Matilda's maids ...
/.../lectures delivered in america in 1874/lecture iii the first discovery.htm

The Reaction against Egypt
... One of these plans has come down to us, in which the districts are coloured bright
red, the mountains dull ochre, the roads dotted over with footmarks to show ...
/.../chapter iithe reaction against egypt.htm

The Nile and Egypt
... A similar black line surrounded and prolonged the oval of the eye to the middle
of the temple, a layer of green coloured the under lid, and ochre and carmine ...
/.../chapter i the nile and egypt.htm

Syria at the Beginning of the Egyptian Conquest
History Of Egypt, Chaldaea, Syria, Babylonia, and Assyria, V 4. <. ...
/.../chapter iisyria at the beginning.htm

Ochre
... Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia. OCHRE, RED. ... "Red ochre" supposes this to have been
a crayon (as does "pencil"), but a scratch-awl is quite as likely. ...
/o/ochre.htm - 7k

Red (124 Occurrences)
...OCHRE, RED. ... "Red ochre" supposes this to have been a crayon (as does "pencil"), but
a scratch-awl is quite as likely. Ochre is clay colored by an iron compound. ...
/r/red.htm - 77k

Pencil (1 Occurrence)
... Standard Bible Encyclopedia. PENCIL. pen'-sil (Isaiah 44:13, margin "red ochre,"
the King James Version "line"). See LINE; OCHRE, RED. Multi-Version Concordance ...
/p/pencil.htm - 8k

Ocidelus

/o/ocidelus.htm - 6k

Ochran (5 Occurrences)

/o/ochran.htm - 8k

Chios (1 Occurrence)
... In modern times large quantities of ochre are mined. The chief industry is
the culture of the silkworm, the cocoons being sent to Lyons. ...
/c/chios.htm - 11k

Line (131 Occurrences)
... For "line" in Isaiah 44:13, the Revised Version (British and American) reads "pencil,"
margin "red ochre" (seredh), and in 2 Corinthians 10:16, "province ...
/l/line.htm - 43k

Mark (182 Occurrences)
... exceptions to this mental signification of the verb are two verses in the Old Testament:
Isaiah 44:13, "He marketh it out with a pencil" ("red ochre," the King ...
/m/mark.htm - 93k

Writing (194 Occurrences)
... in Isaiah 44:13 certainly means some instrument for shaping, but is variously
translated as "line" (the King James Version), "red ochre" (Revised Version margin ...
/w/writing.htm - 70k

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