Jacob, Joseph and many colors

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puzzleannie

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okay bible experts, this question comes from middle school bible class. They spend two years on the OT, the third year on the NT. Last year they learned a story about how Jacob fooled his father-in-law Laban with the spotted sheep and goats to increase his own flocks at Laban’s expense.

This year they covered Joseph again in another context and have a question about his coat of many colors. Are the colors real hues, presumably of dyed wool or linen? Or was the cloak made of multicolored yarn spun from the wool of spotted or piebald sheep or goats, presumably mix of white, browns, greys, black etc.? They asked if there is a connection between these two stories, and if there is a deeper meaning to the “coat of many colors.” I am clueless but I know where to find experts when I need them, so have at it.
 
puzzleannie said:
okay bible experts, this question comes from middle school bible class. They spend two years on the OT, the third year on the NT. Last year they learned a story about how Jacob fooled his father-in-law Laban with the spotted sheep and goats to increase his own flocks at Laban’s expense.

This year they covered Joseph again in another context and have a question about his coat of many colors. Are the colors real hues, presumably of dyed wool or linen? Or was the cloak made of multicolored yarn spun from the wool of spotted or piebald sheep or goats, presumably mix of white, browns, greys, black etc.? They asked if there is a connection between these two stories, and if there is a deeper meaning to the “coat of many colors.” I am clueless but I know where to find experts when I need them, so have at it.
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Well, for one we don’t even know whether ketonet passim actually translates to ‘coat of many colors’. 😉
 
Wool, linen, and other fabrics of the time all take natural dyes well. Dyes go back to the very beginning of human history and the Middle East is where a lot of the best dyes come from; there’s no reason to assume that we’re talking only natural-wool colors here.

Other than dyes like Tyrian purple, however, most natural dyes from that time and place would tend to fade within a few years.
 
thanks Patrick, love your blog, want to spend some more time there

now I am further intrigued the idea that the coat was “a richly ornamented robe” of fine cloth

do you think there is a comparison to the coat given to the prodigal (younger) son upon his return in Luke’s story?
 
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