Blue

In the Bible, “blue” probably refers to a blue-purple dye made from mollusks found in the Mediterranean Sea. This color was popular, but people in the ancient world valued “royal” purple more highly.

The city of Tyre produced both blue and purple dye. At one time, Tyre controlled much of this trade (2 Chronicles 2:7, 14; Ezekiel 27:24). Ships from Tyre had blue and purple cloth coverings (Ezekiel 27:7).

Blue was used in:

• the tabernacle fabrics (Exodus 26:1; Numbers 4:6–9),

• the priests’ garments (Exodus 28:5–6),

• Solomon’s Temple (2 Chronicles 2:7, 14), and

• in the Persian court (Esther 1:6; 8:15).

The New Testament does not mention the color blue.

See Color.