Easton's Bible Dictionary

Coffer The receptacle or small box placed beside the ark by the Philistines, in which they deposited the golden mice and the emerods as their trespass-offering (Sa1 6:8, Sa1 6:11, Sa1 6:15).

Coffin Used in Gen 50:26 with reference to the burial of Joseph. Here, it means a mummy - chest. The same Hebrew word is rendered "chest" in Kg2 12:9, Kg2 12:10.

Cogitations (or "thoughts," as the Chaldee word in Dan 7:28 literally means), earnest meditation.

Coin Before the Exile the Jews had no regularly stamped money. They made use of uncoined shekels or talents of silver, which they weighed out (Gen 23:16; Exo 38:24; Sa2 18:12). Probably the silver ingots used in the time of Abraham may have been of a fixed weight, which was in some way indicated on them. The "pieces of silver" paid by Abimelech to Abraham (Gen 20:16), and those also for which Joseph was sold (Gen 37:28), were proably in the form of rings. The shekel was the common standard of weight and value among the Hebrews down to the time of the Captivity. Only once is a shekel of gold mentioned (Ch1 21:25). The "six thousand of gold" mentioned in the transaction between Naaman and Gehazi (Kg2 5:5) were probably so many shekels of gold. The "piece of money" mentioned in Job 42:11; Gen 33:19 (marg., "lambs") was the Hebrew kesitah, probably an uncoined piece of silver of a certain weight in the form of a sheep or lamb, or perhaps having on it such an impression. The same Hebrew word is used in Jos 24:32, which is rendered by Wickliffe "an hundred yonge scheep."

Collar (Heb. peh ), means in Job 30:18 the mouth or opening of the garment that closes round the neck in the same way as a tunic (Exo 39:23). The "collars" (Heb. netiphoth ) among the spoils of the Midianites (Jdg 8:26; R.V., "pendants") were ear-drops. The same Hebrew word is rendered "chains" in Isa 3:19.

Collection The Christians in Palestine, from various causes, suffered from poverty. Paul awakened an interest in them among the Gentile churches, and made pecuniary collections in their behalf (Act 24:17; Rom 15:25, Rom 15:26; Co1 16:1; Co2 8:9; Gal 2:10).

College Heb. mishneh (Kg2 22:14; Ch2 34:22), rendered in Revised Version "second quarter", the residence of the prophetess Huldah. The Authorized Version followed the Jewish commentators, word its post-Biblical sense, as if it meant a place of instruction. It properly meant a place of instruction. It properly means the "second," and may therefore denote the lower city (Acra), which was built after the portion of the city on Mount Zion, and was enclosed by a second wall.

Colony The city of Philippi was a Roman colony (Act 16:12), i.e., a military settlement of Roman soldiers and citizens, planted there to keep in subjection a newly-conquered district. A colony was Rome in miniature, under Roman municipal law, but governed by military officers (praetors and lictors), not by proconsuls. It had an independent internal government, the jus Italicum; i.e., the privileges of Italian citizens.

Colour The subject of colours holds an important place in the Scriptures. White occurs as the translation of various Hebrew words. It is applied to milk (Gen 49:12), manna (Exo 16:31), snow (Isa 1:18), horses (Zac 1:8), raiment (Ecc 9:8). Another Hebrew word so rendered is applied to marble (Est 1:6), and a cognate word to the lily (Sol 2:16). A different term, meaning "dazzling," is applied to the countenance (Sol 5:10). This colour was an emblem of purity and innocence (Mar 16:5; Joh 20:12; Rev 19:8, Rev 19:14), of joy (Ecc 9:8), and also of victory (Zac 6:3; Rev 6:2). The hangings of the tabernacle court (Exo 27:9; Exo 38:9), the coats, mitres, bonnets, and breeches of the priests (Exo 39:27, Exo 39:28), and the dress of the high priest on the day of Atonement (Lev 16:4, Lev 16:32), were white. Black, applied to the hair (Lev 13:31; Sol 5:11), the complexion (Sol 1:5), and to horses (Zac 6:2, Zac 6:6). The word rendered "brown" in Gen 30:32 (R.V., "black") means properly "scorched", i.e., the colour produced by the influence of the sun's rays. "Black" in Job 30:30 means dirty, blackened by sorrow and disease. The word is applied to a mourner's robes (Jer 8:21; Jer 14:2), to a clouded sky (Kg1 18:45), to night (Mic 3:6; Jer 4:28), and to a brook rendered turbid by melted snow (Job 6:16). It is used as symbolical of evil in Zac 6:2, Zac 6:6; Rev 6:5. It was the emblem of mourning, affliction, calamity (Jer 14:2; Lam 4:8; Lam 5:10). Red, applied to blood (2 Kings 3; 22), a heifer (Num 19:2), pottage of lentis (Gen 25:30), a horse (Zac 1:8), wine (Pro 23:31), the complexion (Gen 25:25; Sol 5:10). This colour is symbolical of bloodshed (Zac 6:2; Rev 6:4; Rev 12:3). Purple, a colour obtained from the secretion of a species of shell-fish (the Murex trunculus) which was found in the Mediterranean, and particularly on the coasts of Phoenicia and Asia Minor. The colouring matter in each separate shell-fish amounted to only a single drop, and hence the great value of this dye. Robes of this colour were worn by kings (Jdg 8:26) and high officers (Est 8:15). They were also worn by the wealthy and luxurious (Jer 10:9; Eze 27:7; Luk 16:19; Rev 17:4). With this colour was associated the idea of royalty and majesty (Jdg 8:26; Sol 3:10; Sol 7:5; Dan 5:7, Dan 5:16, Dan 5:29). Blue. This colour was also procured from a species of shell-fish, the chelzon of the Hebrews, and the Helix ianthina of modern naturalists. The tint was emblematic of the sky, the deep dark hue of the Eastern sky. This colour was used in the same way as purple. The ribbon and fringe of the Hebrew dress were of this colour (Num 15:38). The loops of the curtains (Exo 26:4), the lace of the high priest's breastplate, the robe of the ephod, and the lace on his mitre, were blue (Exo 28:28, Exo 28:31, Exo 28:37). Scarlet, or Crimson. In Isa 1:18 a Hebrew word is used which denotes the worm or grub whence this dye was procured. In Gen 38:28, Gen 38:30, the word so rendered means "to shine," and expresses the brilliancy of the colour. The small parasitic insects from which this dye was obtained somewhat resembled the cochineal which is found in Eastern countries. It is called by naturalists Coccus ilics. The dye was procured from the female grub alone. The only natural object to which this colour is applied in Scripture is the lips, which are likened to a scarlet thread (Sol 4:3). Scarlet robes were worn by the rich and luxurious (Sa2 1:24; Pro 31:21; Jer 4:30; Rev 17:4). It was also the hue of the warrior's dress (Nah 2:3; Isa 9:5). The Phoenicians excelled in the art of dyeing this colour (Ch2 2:7). These four colours - white, purple, blue, and scarlet - were used in the textures of the tabernacle curtains (Exo 26:1, Exo 26:31, Exo 26:36), and also in the high priest's ephod, girdle, and breastplate (Exo 28:5, Exo 28:6, Exo 28:8, Exo 28:15). Scarlet thread is mentioned in connection with the rites of cleansing the leper (Lev 14:4, Lev 14:6, Lev 14:51) and of burning the red heifer (Num 19:6). It was a crimson thread that Rahab was to bind on her window as a sign that she was to be saved alive (Jos 2:18; Jos 6:25) when the city of Jericho was taken. Vermilion, the red sulphuret of mercury, or cinnabar; a colour used for drawing the figures of idols on the walls of temples (Eze 23:14), or for decorating the walls and beams of houses (Jer 22:14).

Colossae Or Colosse, a city of Phrygia, on the Lycus, which is a tributary of the Maeander. It was about 12 miles above Laodicea, and near the greatroad from Ephesus to the Euphrates, and was consequently of some mercantile importance. It does not appear that Paul had visited this city when he wrote his letter to the church there (Col 1:2). He expresses in his letter to Philemon (Col 1:22) his hope to visit it on being delivered from his imprisonment. From Col 1:7; Col 4:12 it has been concluded that Epaphras was the founder of the Colossian church. This town afterwards fell into decay, and the modern town of Chonas or Chonum occupies a site near its ruins.