אַרְגְּוָן
𐤀𐤓𐤂𐤅𐤍
ʼargᵉvân
H711 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A rare term denoting a fabric or material dyed purple, typically associated with luxury, prestige, and ceremonial or royal contexts. The primary lexical meaning is 'purple cloth' or material of a purple color, often referencing the highly prized textiles produced from expensive dyes in the ancient Near East.
Semantic Range
purple cloth, purple dye, material dyed purple, symbol of nobility or royal status, item of luxury
Root / Etymology
Borrowed from Old Persian (cf. Persian ارغوان arghavān, 'dark purple, crimson'), itself possibly ultimately from a substrate Mediterranean or Semitic source. It is related to the Hebrew אַרְגָּמָן (’argāmān, 'purple [cloth]'). The specific root in Hebrew is uncertain; this term is largely a loanword into Aramaic and Hebrew literature.
Historical & Contextual Notes
אַרְגְּוָן occurs only in Aramaic sections of the Tanakh, specifically Daniel (Daniel 5:7, 16, 29), and always denotes 'purple,' especially as a symbol of wealth, honor, or high status. This color was historically associated with royalty and the elite in the ancient Near East due to the expense and difficulty of producing true purple dyes (often derived from murex snails or certain plants). The Aramaic אַרְגְּוָן is distinct from Hebrew אַרְגָּמָן, though both refer to purple-dyed fabric. In Daniel, it is closely linked to the bestowing of honor by Babylonian or Persian rulers. English translations generally render the word as "purple," but the term may carry connotations exceeding merely the color, including notions of courtly honor and elite status. The later emergence of 'purple' as a symbolic royal color in Hellenistic and Roman times influenced subsequent translation traditions.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
(Aramaic) corresponding to אַרְגְּוָן; {purple}; purple.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
ארגון (ʾ-r-g-w-n) — purple dyeing, purple cloth, deep crimson-purple material
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H710 | אַרְגְּוָן | and in purple-dyed fabric |
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H711-01 |
אַרְגְּוָנָ֣/א | aregevana | ANcmsd/Td |
purple | the purple cloth | 3 |
Occurrences in Scripture
3 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H711-01 |
Daniel 5:7 | אַרְגְּוָנָ֣/א | aregevana | ANcmsd/Td |
purple | the purple cloth |
H711-01 |
Daniel 5:16 | אַרְגְּוָנָ֣/א | aregevana | ANcmsd/Td |
purple | the purple cloth |
H711-01 |
Daniel 5:29 | אַרְגְּוָנָ֔/א | aregevana | ANcmsd/Td |
purple | the purple cloth |