תוֹלָ֔ע
𐤕𐤅𐤋𐤏
tôwlâʻ
purple
A worm or maggot, specifically referring in many biblical contexts to the 'crimson worm' (coccus ilicis), from which a deep red dye was extracted; by extension, used for the color crimson or scarlet, or for cloths dyed with that color. The term primarily denotes an insect, but its usage also encompasses the vivid crimson dye obtained from it, as well as items colored by that dye.
Lamentations 4:5 · Word #7
Lexicon H8438
| Lemma | תּוֹלָע |
| Lemma (Paleo) | 𐤕𐤅𐤋𐤏 |
| Transliteration | tôwlâʻ |
| Strong's | H8438 |
| Definition | A worm or maggot, specifically referring in many biblical contexts to the 'crimson worm' (coccus ilicis), from which a deep red dye was extracted; by extension, used for the color crimson or scarlet, or for cloths dyed with that color. The term primarily denotes an insect, but its usage also encompasses the vivid crimson dye obtained from it, as well as items colored by that dye. |
Morphology HNcbsa
All morphology codes
| Part of Speech | N — Noun — A person, place, thing, or idea |
| Subtype | c — Common — Common noun |
| Gender | b — Both — Both (masculine and feminine) |
| Number | s — Singular — Singular |
| State | a — Absolute — The noun stands independently |
Common Translation
| Phrase | purple |
SIBI-P1 Translation H8438-04
Worm
| Morphological Notes | Proper noun, masculine singular; personal name derived from a feminine noun. |
| Rendering Rationale | Although used here as a masculine proper name, the form derives from the feminine noun meaning "worm" or "maggot." The rendering preserves the underlying root meaning without contextual expansion. |
View full lexicon entry for H8438 →
SILEX v2
SIBI-P2 (Context-Aware)
crimson
| Same as P1 | No — adjusted for context |
| Rationale | P1 renders the literal 'worm' but in context וּסְתוֹלַע often means 'crimson' or 'scarlet' as a metonymy for luxury or fine clothing. Here, the common and the context of luxury point to 'crimson.' This corrects P1's overly literal approach. |