Paint
(as a cosmetic). The use of cosmetic dyes has prevailed in all ages in eastern countries. We have abundant evidence of the practice of painting the eyes both in ancient Egypt and in Assyria; and in modern times no usage is more general. It does not appear, however, to have been by any means universal among the Hebrews. The notices of it are few; and in each instance it seems to have been used as a meretricious art, unworthy of a woman of high character.
The Bible gives no indication of the substance out of which the dye was formed. The old versions agree in pronouncing the dye to have been produced from antimony. Antimony is still used for the purpose in Arabia and in Persia, but in Egypt the kohl is a root produced by burning either a kind of frankincense or the shells of almonds. The dye-stuff was moistened with oil and kept in a small jar.
Whether the custom of staining the hands and feet, particularly the nails, now so prevalent in the past, was known to the Hebrews is doubtful. Painting as an art was not cultivated by the Hebrews, but they decorated their buildings with paint.
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia on Paint
Paint pant (from Old French peinctre, frequentative of peindre, Latin pingo, "to paint"): (1) From Hebrew verb mashach, "to smear," "to anoint," "to paint," describing the painting of interiors with vermilion, perhaps resembling lacquer: "ceiled with cedar, and painted with vermilion" (Jer 22:14). The shields of the Ninevite soldiers were red, presumably painted (Na 2:3). (2) From noun pukh, "paint," "antimon," "stibium," "black mineral powder" used as a cosmetic, to lend artificial size and fancied beauty to the eye, always spoken of as a meretricious device, indicating light or unworthy character. Jezebel "painted her eyes, and attired her head" (2Ki 9:30, literally, "put pukh into her eyes"). To the harlot city Jerusalem, Jeremiah (2Ki 4:30) says, "deckest thee ...., enlargest thine eyes with paint" (pukh). the King James Version renders "rentest thy face," as if the stain were a cut, or the enlarging done by violence. (3) From verb kachal, "to smear," "to paint." Ezekiel says to Oholah-Oholibah (Judah-Israel), "didst wash thyself, paint (kachal) thine eyes," as the adulteress pre…
Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible on Paint
Mention is made Jer 22" of the paint- ing (πῦρ mashah) of interiors with vermilion, prob- ably after the manner of lacquer-work, which in a somewhat debased form is still practised in Damascus. The shields of the warriors of Nineveh were painted red, Nah 2. The variegation by colour was, however, chiefly by dyes in cloth, and by inlaying in wood, stone, and metal. The a plication of paint was especially an art eatin y the ancient Egyptians, some of whose pigments were exceedingly beautiful, and have retained their freshness through the centuries. The other biblical references are to the oe of the eyes, 2K 9”, Jer 4%, Ezk 23”. he sub- stance used for this purpose is antimony ("= pik, Arab. ku/l), and the act of applying it is >n> (kahal). It is pounded to a powder of extreme fineness, so that ‘as soft as kuAl’ has passed into a proverbial expression. The eyelids are held between two fingers and drawn forward a little, and then a fine rod covered with the black paste is drawn along between the edges of the eyelids. The powder does not irritate the delicate coating of the eye with which…
References
- Orr, J. (ed.) (1915) The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia. Chicago: Howard-Severance Company. [Public Domain]
- Easton, M.G. (1893) Easton's Bible Dictionary. 3rd edn. Thomas Nelson. [Public Domain]
- Nave, O.J. (1897) Nave's Topical Bible. Topical Bible Publishing Co.. [Public Domain]
- Hastings, J. (ed.) (1909) A Dictionary of the Bible. Edinburgh: T&T Clark. [Public Domain]
- Smith, W. (ed.) (1884) Smith's Bible Dictionary. London: John Murray. [Public Domain]
- Fausset, A.R. (1878) Fausset's Bible Dictionary. [Public Domain]A Critical and Expository Bible Cyclopaedia