COERCION to COLORS

COERCION

RELIGIOUS Ex 22:20; 2Ch 15:12-15; Da 3:1-30; 6:26-27 .

COELE-SYRIA

hollow Syria, the name (not found in Scripture) given by the Greeks to the extensive valley, about 100 miles long, between the Lebanon and the Anti-Lebanon range of mountains.

COFFER

the receptacle or small box placed beside the ark by the Philistines, in which they deposited the golden mice and the emerods as their trespass-offering (1 Sam. 6:8, 11, 15).

A chest 1Sa 6:8, 11, 15; Eze 27:24

See TREASURE

COFFIN

used in Gen. 50:26 with reference to the burial of Joseph. Here, it means a mummy-chest. The same Hebrew word is rendered "chest" in 2 Kings 12:9, 10.

General scriptures concerning Ge 50:26

See BURIAL

COL-HOZEH

Father of Baruch Ne 11:5

COIN

Before the Exile the Jews had no regularly stamped money. They made use of uncoined shekels or talents of silver, which they weighed out (Gen. 23:16; Ex. 38:24; 2 Sam. 18:12).

Probably the silver ingots used in the time of Abraham may have been of a fixed weight, which was in some way indicated on them. The "pieces of silver" paid by Abimelech to Abraham (Gen. 20:16), and those also for which Joseph was sold (Ge 37:28), were proably in the form of rings.

The shekel was the common standard of weight and value among the Hebrews down to the time of the Captivity. Only once is a shekel of gold mentioned (1 Chr. 21:25).

The "six thousand of gold" mentioned in the transaction between Naaman and Gehazi (2 Kings 5:5) were probably so many shekels of gold. The "piece of money" mentioned in Job 42:11; Gen. 33:19 (marg., "lambs") was the Hebrew kesitah, probably an uncoined piece of silver of a certain weight in the form of a sheep or lamb, or perhaps having on it such an impression.

The same Hebrew word is used in Josh. 24:32, which is rendered by Wickliffe "an hundred yonge scheep."

See MONEY

COLLEGE

Heb. mishneh (2 Kings 22:14; 2 Chr. 34:22), rendered in Revised Version "second quarter", the residence of the prophetess Huldah.

The Authorized Version followed the Jewish commentators, who, following the Targum, gave the Hebrew word its post-Biblical sense, as if it meant a place of instruction.

It properly means the "second," and may therefore denote the lower city (Acra), which was built after the portion of the city on Mount Zion, and was enclosed by a second wall.

Second quarter of the city of Jerusalem 2Ki 22:14; 2Ch 34:22

See SCHOOL

COLONY

The city of Philippi was a Roman colony (Acts 16:12), i.e., a military settlement of Roman soldiers and citizens, planted there to keep in subjection a newly-conquered district.

A colony was Rome in miniature, under Roman municipal law, but governed by military officers (praetors and lictors), not by proconsuls. It had an independent internal government, the jus Italicum; i.e., the privileges of Italian citizens.

COLLECTION

The Christians in Palestine, from various causes, suffered from poverty. Paul awakened an interest in them among the Gentile churches, and made pecuniary collections in their behalf (Acts 24:17; Rom. 15:25, 26; 1 Cor. 16:1-3; 2 Cor. 8:9; Gal. 2:10).

(Of money, for the poor people)

See ALMS
See BENEFICENCE
See GIVING
See LIBERALITY

COLLUSION

IN SIN Le 20:4-5

See COMPLICITY
See CONNIVANCE

COLONIZATION

Of conquered countries and people 2Ki 17:6, 24; Ezr 4:9-10

COLOURS

The subject of colours holds an important place in the Scriptures.

White occurs as the translation of various Hebrew words. It is applied to milk (Gen. 49:12), manna (Ex. 16:31), snow (Isa. 1:18), horses (Zech. 1:8), raiment (Eccl. 9:8). Another Hebrew word so rendered is applied to marble (Esther 1:6), and a cognate word to the lily. A different term, meaning "dazzling," is applied to the countenance.

This colour was an emblem of purity and innocence (Mark 16:5; John 20:12; Rev. 19:8, 14), of joy (Eccl. 9:8), and also of victory (Zech. 6:3; Rev. 6:2). The hangings of the tabernacle court (Ex. 27:9; 38:9), the coats, mitres, bonnets, and breeches of the priests (Ex. 39:27,28), and the dress of the high priest on the day of Atonement (Lev. 16:4,32), were white.

Black, applied to the hair (Lev. 13:31), the complexion, and to horses (Zech. 6:2,6). The word rendered "brown" in Gen. 30:32 (R.V., "black") means properly "scorched", i.e., the colour produced by the influence of the sun's rays. "Black" in Job 30:30 means dirty, blackened by sorrow and disease. The word is applied to a mourner's robes (Jer. 8:21; 14:2), to a clouded sky (1 Kings 18:45), to night (Micah 3:6; Jer. 4:28), and to a brook rendered turbid by melted snow (Job 6:16). It is used as symbolical of evil in Zech. 6:2, 6 and Rev. 6:5. It was the emblem of mourning, affliction, calamity (Jer. 14:2; Lam. 4:8; 5:10).

Red, applied to blood (2 Kings 3:22), a heifer (Num. 19:2), pottage of lentils (Gen. 25:30), a horse (Zech. 1:8), wine (Prov. 23:31), the complexion (Gen. 25:25). This colour is symbolical of bloodshed (Zech. 6:2; Rev. 6:4; 12:3).

Purple, a colour obtained from the secretion of a species of shell-fish (the Murex trunculus) which was found in the Mediterranean, and particularly on the coasts of Phoenicia and Asia Minor. The colouring matter in each separate shell-fish amounted to only a single drop, and hence the great value of this dye. Robes of this colour were worn by kings (Judg. 8:26) and high officers (Esther 8:15). They were also worn by the wealthy and luxurious (Jer. 10:9; Ezek. 27:7; Luke 16:19; Rev. 17:4). With this colour was associated the idea of royalty and majesty (Judg. 8:26; Dan. 5:7, 16,29).

Blue. This colour was also procured from a species of shell-fish, the chelzon of the Hebrews, and the Helix ianthina of modern naturalists. The tint was emblematic of the sky, the deep dark hue of the Eastern sky. This colour was used in the same way as purple. The ribbon and fringe of the Hebrew dress were of this colour (Num. 15:38). The loops of the curtains (Ex. 26:4), the lace of the high priest's breastplate, the robe of the ephod, and the lace on his mitre, were blue (Ex. 28:28, 31, 37).

Scarlet, or Crimson. In Isa. 1:18 a Hebrew word is used which denotes the worm or grub whence this dye was procured. In Gen. 38:28,30, the word so rendered means "to shine," and expresses the brilliancy of the colour. The small parasitic insects from which this dye was obtained somewhat resembled the cochineal which is found in Eastern countries. It is called by naturalists Coccus ilics. The dye was procured from the female grub alone. The only natural object to which this colour is applied in Scripture is the lips, which are likened to a scarlet thread.

Scarlet robes were worn by the rich and luxurious (2 Sam. 1:24; Prov. 31:21; Jer. 4:30. Rev. 17:4). It was also the hue of the warrior's dress (Nah. 2:3; Isa. 9:5). The Phoenicians excelled in the art of dyeing this colour (2 Chr. 2:7).

These four colours - white, purple, blue, and scarlet - were used in the textures of the tabernacle curtains (Ex. 26:1, 31, 36), and also in the high priest's ephod, girdle, and breastplate (Ex. 28:5, 6, 8, 15).

Scarlet thread is mentioned in connection with the rites of cleansing the leper (Lev. 14:4, 6, 51) and of burning the red heifer (Num. 19:6). It was a crimson thread that Rahab was to bind on her window as a sign that she was to be saved alive (Josh. 2:18; 6:25) when the city of Jericho was taken.

Vermilion, the red sulphuret of mercury, or cinnabar; a colour used for drawing the figures of idols on the walls of temples (Ezek. 23:14), or for decorating the walls and beams of houses (Jer. 22:14).

Symbolical uses of

BLACK: A SYMBOL OF AFFLICTION AND CALAMITY Job 3:5; 10:20-22; 30:26; Ps 107:10-11; 143:3; Isa 5:30; 8:22; 9:19; 24:11; 50:3; Joe 2:6, 10; 3:14-15; Am 5:8; Na 2:10; Zep 1:14, 15; Mt 8:12; 22:13; 25:30; 2Pe 2:4; Jude 1:13; Re 16:10

BLUE: SYMBOL OF DEITY Ex 24:10; 25:3-4; 26:1; 28:28, 37; 38:18; 39:1-5, 21, 24, 29, 31; Nu 4:5-12; 15:38-40; 2Ch 2:7, 14; 3:14; Jer 10:9; Eze 1:26; 10:1

For additional reference, see passages below under

CRIMSON, SYMBOL OF ROYALTY Es 8:15; Eze 23:6

CRIMSON, RED, PURPLE, AND SCARLET, SYMBOLS OF VARIOUS IDEAS

Of iniquity Isa 1:18; Re 17:3-4; 18:12, 16 Of royalty Da 5:7, Jud 8:26; 16, 29; Mt 27:28

Prosperity 2Sa 1:24; Pr 31:21; La 4:5 Conquest Na 2:3; Re 12:3

These colors figured largely in the symbolisms of the tabernacle furnishing, and priestly vestments and functions, as types and shadows of the atonement Ex 25:3-5; 36:8, 19, 31, 36 35, 37; 27:16; 28:4-8, 15, 35:5-7, 23, 31, 33; 25, 35; 39:2-3, 38:18, 23; 5, 29; Le 14:4, 6, 49, Nu 4:7, 51-52; 19:2, 8, 13; 5-6; Isa 63:1-3; Heb 9:19-23

WHITE: SYMBOL OF HOLINESS

The high priest's holy garments were made of white linen Le 16:4, 32

Choir singers were arrayed in white 2Ch 5:12

SCRIPTURES EMPLOYING THE SYMBOL Ps 51:7; Ec 9:8; Isa 1:18; Da 7:9; 11:35; 12:10; Mt 17:1-2; 28:2-3; Mr 9:3; Re 1:13-14; 3:4, 2:17; 5, 18; 4:4; 6:2, 11; 7:9, 13-14; 19:8, 15:6; 11, 14; 20:11