Answers about
wool in the Bible
Hebrew: צֶמֶר —transliteration: tsemer —meaning: wool —occurrences: 17 times in the Old Testament
Greek: ἔριον —transliteration: erion —meaning: wool —occurrences: 2 times in the New Testament (Hebrews 9:19; Revelation 1:14)
Wool is one of the first materials used for making woven cloth (Leviticus 13:47-48, Lev. 13:52, 59; 19:19). The first biblical mention of wool is in Leviticus, but it was probably used in the pre-Flood world as well.
The wool of Damascus was famous for its whiteness, and had a great reputation in the Tyrian market (Ezek. 27:18).
The city of Colossae was famous for its dyed wool manufacturing and trade.
The Hebrews considered wool clean and very usable by for various purposes, including clothing.
In the event of wool garment exposure to leprosy, instructions were provided for its cleansing in Leviticus 13:47-59.
Priests wore wool and linen (Exodus 28, Ezekiel 44:17-18). At wool harvest time, the first-fruit of wool was to be offered to the priests (Deuteronomy 18:4) to help support them.
There was a Hebrew law prohibiting a type of wool-mixed garment. “You shall not wear a material mixed of wool and linen together” (Deuteronomy 22:11). Like some other laws of a similar character, this may have been intended to symbolically express the separateness and simplicity of God’s covenant people.
God compares forgiveness from sins to wool becoming white.
“Though your sins are as scarlet,
They will be as white as snow;
Though they are red like crimson,
They will be like wool. —Isaiah 1:18 excerpt
In the prophetic vision of the book of Revelation, the Apostle John describes seeing Jesus Christ’s hair white like wool (Revelation 1:14).
…in the middle of the lampstands I saw one like a son of man, clothed in a robe reaching to the feet, and girded across His chest with a golden sash. And His head and His hair were white like white wool, like snow; and His eyes were like a flame of fire. His feet were like burnished bronze, when it has been made to glow in a furnace, and His voice was like the sound of many waters, —Revelation 1:13-15 excerpt
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