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תְּכֵלֶת

𐤕𐤊𐤋𐤕

tᵉkêleth

H8504 noun

SILEX Entry

Definition

A distinctive blue or blue-violet dye, or fabric dyed with this color, produced from a sea mollusk and used in high-status garments and sacred textiles. The term denotes either the dye itself or items colored with it, especially cloth used in the tabernacle, priestly garments, and regalia.

Semantic Range

blue dye from sea mollusk, blue-violet color, material or fabric dyed with blue, textile used for tabernacle and garments, symbol of sacred status

Root / Etymology

Derived from the root כלל or uncertain; the form appears unique, with no clear cognates in other Semitic languages. The traditional association is to a dye obtained from a sea mollusk, but the precise etymology is uncertain.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In the Hebrew Bible, תְּכֵלֶת refers to a precious blue (or blue-violet) dye or the fabric dyed with it, considered rare and prestigious in the ancient Near East. It is most characteristically associated with instructions for the construction of the tabernacle and the making of priestly or high-status garments (e.g., Exodus 25–28, Numbers 4). It signifies sacredness, privilege, and divine command—not merely a color designation. The source of the dye, likely the Murex sea snail (though some debate exists), required significant labor, making תְּכֵלֶת costly and limited mainly to religious use or elite society. Translations as "blue" or "violet" are imprecise, as the color described in ancient sources is a deep blue with possible purple undertones; in some later rabbinic and post-biblical contexts, the term is associated with ritual fringes (tzitzit), a practice still known in Jewish tradition. There is no evidence that this term refers to the modern English term "blue" in a general sense, nor does it connote the broader color spectrum implied by later usage. Compare to אַרְגָּמָן (argaman, 'purple' or 'red-purple'), another expensive dye, with which תְּכֵלֶת is sometimes paired, highlighting distinct but related color materials in ancient Israelite ritual and elite culture.

Translation Consistency

primary "blue-violet" 49 occurrences

Most P2 renderings (44 of 49) use “blue-violet,” which best captures the distinctive hue of the sea‑mollusk dye and the color of cloth/garments signified by תְּכֵלֶת. “Blue-violet” is more specific than just “blue,” and it naturally covers both the dye and items dyed with that color (sacred/regal textiles) while remaining plain, modern English.

✓ All renderings match approved senses

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

probably for שְׁחֶלֶת; the cerulean mussel, i.e. the color (violet) obtained therefrom or stuff dyed therewith; blue.

Bantu Hebrew

No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been recorded for this word yet.

Root Family

כָּלַל or uncertain (tᵉkêleth) — to complete, perfect, encompass (uncertain for this word)

Root כָּלַל or uncertain to complete, perfect, encompass (uncertain for this word)

Word Forms

4 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
H8504-03 תְּכֵ֥לֶת tekhelet HNcfsa blue blue-violet sacred dye blue-violet sacred dye 35
H8504-04 וּ/תְכֵ֔לֶת utekhelet HC/Ncfsa and blue blue-violet sacred dye and blue-violet sacred dye 7
H8504-02 הַ/תְּכֵ֖לֶת hatekhelet HTd/Ncfsa the blue the blue-violet dye the blue-violet dye 4
H8504-01 בַּ/תְּכֵ֨לֶת֙ batekhelet HRd/Ncfsa in blue in the blue-violet cloth in the blue-violet cloth 3

Occurrences in Scripture

49 occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
H8504-04 Exodus 25:4 וּ/תְכֵ֧לֶת utekhelet HC/Ncfsa and blue blue-violet sacred dye and blue-violet sacred dye
H8504-04 Exodus 26:1 וּ/תְכֵ֤לֶת utekhelet HC/Ncfsa and blue blue-violet sacred dye and blue-violet sacred dye
H8504-03 Exodus 26:4 תְּכֵ֗לֶת tekhelet HNcfsa of blue blue-violet sacred dye of blue-violet sacred dye
H8504-03 Exodus 26:31 תְּכֵ֧לֶת tekhelet HNcfsa blue blue-violet sacred dye blue-violet sacred dye
H8504-03 Exodus 26:36 תְּכֵ֧לֶת tekhelet HNcfsa blue blue-violet sacred dye blue-violet sacred dye
H8504-03 Exodus 27:16 תְּכֵ֨לֶת tekhelet HNcfsa blue blue-violet sacred dye blue-violet sacred dye
H8504-02 Exodus 28:5 הַ/תְּכֵ֖לֶת hatekhelet HTd/Ncfsa the blue the blue-violet dye the blue-violet dye
H8504-03 Exodus 28:6 תְּכֵ֨לֶת tekhelet HNcfsa blue blue-violet sacred dye blue-violet sacred dye
H8504-03 Exodus 28:8 תְּכֵ֧לֶת tekhelet HNcfsa blue blue-violet sacred dye blue-violet sacred dye
H8504-03 Exodus 28:15 תְּכֵ֨לֶת tekhelet HNcfsa blue blue-violet sacred dye blue-violet sacred dye
H8504-03 Exodus 28:28 תְּכֵ֔לֶת tekhelet HNcfsa of blue blue-violet sacred dye blue-violet sacred dye
H8504-03 Exodus 28:31 תְּכֵֽלֶת tekhelet HNcfsa blue blue-violet sacred dye blue-violet sacred dye
H8504-03 Exodus 28:33 תְּכֵ֤לֶת tekhelet HNcfsa blue blue-violet sacred dye blue-violet sacred dye
H8504-03 Exodus 28:37 תְּכֵ֔לֶת tekhelet HNcfsa blue blue-violet sacred dye blue-violet sacred dye
H8504-04 Exodus 35:6 וּ/תְכֵ֧לֶת utekhelet HC/Ncfsa and blue blue-violet sacred dye and blue-violet sacred dye
H8504-03 Exodus 35:23 תְּכֵ֧לֶת tekhelet HNcfsa blue blue-violet sacred dye blue-violet sacred dye
H8504-02 Exodus 35:25 הַ/תְּכֵ֨לֶת֙ hatekhelet HTd/Ncfsa the blue the blue-violet dye the blue-violet dye
H8504-01 Exodus 35:35 בַּ/תְּכֵ֣לֶת batekhelet HRd/Ncfsa in blue in the blue-violet cloth in the blue-violet cloth
H8504-04 Exodus 36:8 וּ/תְכֵ֤לֶת utekhelet HC/Ncfsa and blue blue-violet sacred dye and blue-violet sacred dye
H8504-03 Exodus 36:11 תְּכֵ֗לֶת tekhelet HNcfsa of blue blue-violet sacred dye of blue-violet sacred dye
H8504-03 Exodus 36:35 תְּכֵ֧לֶת tekhelet HNcfsa blue blue-violet sacred dye blue-violet sacred dye
H8504-03 Exodus 36:37 תְּכֵ֧לֶת tekhelet HNcfsa blue blue-violet sacred dye blue-violet sacred dye
H8504-03 Exodus 38:18 תְּכֵ֧לֶת tekhelet HNcfsa blue blue-violet sacred dye blue-violet sacred dye
H8504-01 Exodus 38:23 בַּ/תְּכֵ֨לֶת֙ batekhelet HRd/Ncfsa in blue in the blue-violet cloth in the blue-violet cloth
H8504-02 Exodus 39:1 הַ/תְּכֵ֤לֶת hatekhelet HTd/Ncfsa the blue the blue-violet dye the blue-violet dye
H8504-03 Exodus 39:2 תְּכֵ֧לֶת tekhelet HNcfsa blue blue-violet sacred dye blue-violet sacred dye
H8504-02 Exodus 39:3 הַ/תְּכֵ֨לֶת֙ hatekhelet HTd/Ncfsa the blue the blue-violet dye the blue-violet dye
H8504-03 Exodus 39:5 תְּכֵ֧לֶת tekhelet HNcfsa blue blue-violet sacred dye blue-violet sacred dye
H8504-03 Exodus 39:8 תְּכֵ֧לֶת tekhelet HNcfsa blue blue-violet sacred dye blue-violet sacred dye
H8504-03 Exodus 39:21 תְּכֵ֗לֶת tekhelet HNcfsa of blue blue-violet sacred dye blue-violet sacred dye
H8504-03 Exodus 39:22 תְּכֵֽלֶת tekhelet HNcfsa of blue blue-violet sacred dye blue-violet sacred dye
H8504-03 Exodus 39:24 תְּכֵ֥לֶת tekhelet HNcfsa of blue blue-violet sacred dye blue-violet sacred dye
H8504-04 Exodus 39:29 וּ/תְכֵ֧לֶת utekhelet HC/Ncfsa and blue blue-violet sacred dye and blue-violet sacred dye
H8504-03 Exodus 39:31 תְּכֵ֔לֶת tekhelet HNcfsa of blue blue-violet sacred dye blue-violet sacred dye
H8504-03 Numbers 4:6 תְּכֵ֖לֶת tekhelet HNcfsa blue blue-violet sacred dye blue-violet sacred dye
H8504-03 Numbers 4:7 תְּכֵלֶת֒ tekhelet HNcfsa of blue blue-violet sacred dye blue-violet sacred dye
H8504-03 Numbers 4:9 תְּכֵ֗לֶת tekhelet HNcfsa of blue blue-violet sacred dye of blue-violet sacred dye
H8504-03 Numbers 4:11 תְּכֵ֔לֶת tekhelet HNcfsa blue blue-violet sacred dye blue-violet sacred dye
H8504-03 Numbers 4:12 תְּכֵ֔לֶת tekhelet HNcfsa blue blue-violet sacred dye blue-violet sacred dye
H8504-03 Numbers 15:38 תְּכֵֽלֶת tekhelet HNcfsa blue blue-violet sacred dye blue-violet sacred dye
H8504-03 Jeremiah 10:9 תְּכֵ֤לֶת tekhelet HNcfsc violet blue-violet sacred dye blue-violet sacred dye
H8504-03 Ezekiel 23:6 תְכֵ֨לֶת֙ tekhelet HNcfsa with blue blue-violet sacred dye blue-violet sacred dye
H8504-03 Ezekiel 27:7 תְּכֵ֧לֶת tekhelet HNcfsa blue blue-violet sacred dye blue-violet sacred dye
H8504-03 Ezekiel 27:24 תְּכֵ֣לֶת tekhelet HNcfsa blue blue-violet sacred dye blue-violet sacred dye
H8504-04 Esther 1:6 וּ/תְכֵ֗לֶת utekhelet HC/Ncfsa and-blue blue-violet sacred dye and blue-violet sacred dye
H8504-03 Esther 8:15 תְּכֵ֣לֶת tekhelet HNcfsa blue blue-violet sacred dye blue-violet sacred dye
H8504-04 2 Chronicles 2:6 וּ/תְכֵ֔לֶת utekhelet HC/Ncfsa and blue blue-violet sacred dye and blue-violet sacred dye
H8504-01 2 Chronicles 2:13 בַּ/תְּכֵ֨לֶת֙ batekhelet HRd/Ncfsa in blue in the blue-violet cloth in the blue-violet cloth
H8504-03 2 Chronicles 3:14 תְּכֵ֥לֶת tekhelet HNcfsa blue blue-violet sacred dye blue-violet sacred dye
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