RED (adjective and verb: אָדֹם, H137; LXX and NT πυρρός, G4794; adjectives: אַדְמﯴנִי, H145; LXX πυρράκης, Gen 25:25; חַכְלִילִ֥י; LXX χαροπός, Gen 49:12; חַכְלִל֥וּת; LXX πέλειος, Prov 23:29; אֲדַמְדָּם, H140; LXX πυρος or πυρρίζουσα, Lev 13; 14; verb: πυρράζω, G4793, Matt 16:2-3; all meaning red, reddish, or to be red, חָמַר֒, H2812; LXX συγχέω, G5177, meaning confused, mixed, and hence red in the face, Job 16:16; adjectives: שָׁנִי֒, H9106; LXX φοινικοῦν, meaning scarlet; תּﯴלָע֒, H9355,כַּרְמִיל, H4147; LXX κόκκινος, G3132, meaning crimson).

Of this long list of Heb. and Gr. words and cognates, the most common Heb. root (אדם) is based on the color of the red soil of the Middle E. The most common Gr. word (πυρρος) is related to the word for “fire.” In connection with the Heb. word, it is of note that this root appears in the name of the first man “Adam,” who was made from the red earth (אֲדָמָה֒, H141). The name of the nation “Edom” has the same radical elements. Not only did the “red” man Esau populate Edom, but the color of much of the landscape is red (cf. Petra, “the red Rose City”). Another connection may be made between the common Heb. word for “red” (אָדֹם, H137) and the word for “blood” (דָּם, H1947). The author of 2 Kings 3:22 makes a play on these two words.

Red was a natural color for some cereal (Gen 25:30), wine (Prov 23:31), a heifer (Num 19:2), some horses (Zech 1:8; 6:2; Rev 6:4), and the sky before fair weather (Matt 16:2f.). Red spots may indicate leprosy on a person, according to Leviticus 13:19, or in a garment (Lev 13:49). Red or purple was used on expensive things such as the ram skins for the Tabernacle (Exod 25:5 et al. RSV tanned), or war shields (Nahum 2:3). Isaiah 1:18 uses three parallel words for “red” to describe sin.