A coat of paint for porch pictures

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KJV: Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children, because he was the son of his old age: and he made him a coat of many colours.

Hebrew: וישראל אהב את יוסף מכל בניו כי בן זקנים הוא לו ועשה לו כתנת פסים׃

Greek: ιακωβ δε ηγαπα τον ιωσηφ παρα παντας τους υιους αυτου οτι υιος γηρους ην αυτω εποιησεν δε αυτω χιτωνα ποικιλον

Latin: Israhel autem diligebat Ioseph super omnes filios suos eo quod in senectute genuisset eum fecitque ei tunicam polymitam

Genesis 37:3 Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children, because he was the son of his old age: and he made him a coat of many colours. [kjv]

… כתנת … [he]

ιακωβ δε ηγαπα τον ιωσηφ παρα παντας τους υιους αυτου οτι υιος γηρους ην αυτω εποιησεν δε αυτω χιτωνα ποικιλον [lxx]

… diligebat … filios … senectute … tunicam polymitam [v]

Book: Joseph and the coat of many colors

The ancient Greek word "ποικίλος" ≈ "dappled, variegated" and whose translation (or mistranslation) led to the children's story of Joseph and his multi-colored coat.
That same Greek word was used for the "painted" in "painted porch" or "Stoa Poikile" in Athens where philosophers met and were named "Stoics". The "painted" were intricate and colored paintings of historical events. Is there a connection?

A related word is the ancient Greek word "πικρός" ≈ "pointed, sharp, keen".

The modern Greek word "πικρός" (pee-KROS) ≈ "bitter" where the meaning has narrowed to the sense of taste.

More: Bitter bitter bits

The PIE (Proto Indo-European) root "*PEYK" ≈ "mark, color, paint" has other related words.

The Latin word "pingo" ≈ "paint, color" which is the origin of words such as "paint", "pigment" and "picture".
The Old Church Slavonic word "писати" ≈ "write".
The Russian word "писать" (pisati) ≈ "write, paint".
The Russian word "пёстрый" (pjostry) ≈ "variegated, multi-colored".
The Russian word "пятно" (pjatno) ≈ "spot, stain".
The Middle English word "fou" ≈ "multi-colored, stippled".
The Sanskrit word "पिशङ्ग" (pisanga) ≈ "reddish, tawny".

The Greek philosophy of Stoicism was named for the Stoics whose name comes from the place in Athens where they met called "ἡ ποικίλη στοά," ≈ "the painted porch" or "Stoa Poikile".

"ποικίλος" ≈ "dappled, colored, intricate, painted".
"στοά" ≈ "colonnade, roofed porch" and became the basis for the name "Stoic".

More: Stoics and Epicureans

The "painted" was due to the many paintings by artists that depicted famous historical events such as battles, etc.

The porch was thus intricate and colorful with many paintings. These included the following (source Wikipedia) (as of 2022-09-05):

The Battle of Oenoe
Amazonomachy
The Taking of Troy
The Battle of Marathon

Now, fast-forward about 150 years to Egypt and the translation of the LXX (Septuagint).

Genesis 37:3 Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children, because he was the son of his old age: and he made him a coat of many colours. [kjv]

… כתנת … [he]

… diligebat … filios … senectute … tunicam polymitam [v]

The word that the KJV (King James Version) translates as "many colors" is the same Greek word as "painted" in "painted porch" where the Greek word for "porch" became the name of the Stoics.

Genesis 37:3 Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children, because he was the son of his old age: and he made him a coat of many colours. [kjv]

… כתנת … [he]

… diligebat … filios … senectute … tunicam polymitam [v]

The Latin word "polymitam" ≈ "many threaded". The ancient Greek word "ποικίλος" ≈ "dappled, variegated" and whose translation (or mistranslation) led to the children's story of Joseph and his multi-colored coat.
The Latin word "tunica" ≈ "tunic" and is related to the ancient Greek word "χιτών" ≈ "tunic" which appears to be Semitic and related to the Hebrew word "כתנת" (ke-to-net) ≈ "coat, tunic".

It is not clear how the word for the intricate and many colored paintings on the famous porch in Athens became the same adjective used for the coat made for Joseph. The connection is interesting.

The Russian word "разноцвет" ≈ "variegated".

The Russian word "одежду" ≈ "clothes".

The KJV often uses "divers" as in "diverse" as in "variegated" or "many types of" in describing certain events.

Matthew 4:24 And his fame went throughout all Syria: and they brought unto him all sick people that were taken with divers diseases and torments, and those which were possessed with devils, and those which were lunatick, and those that had the palsy; and he healed them. [kjv]

This verse is the lead-in to the Beatitudes.

More: Matthew 5:1-2 Sermon on the mount audience

Matthew 4:24

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KJV: And his fame went throughout all Syria: and they brought unto him all sick people that were taken with divers diseases and torments, and those which were possessed with devils, and those which were lunatick, and those that had the palsy; and he healed them.

Greek: και απηλθεν η ακοη αυτου εις ολην την συριαν και προσηνεγκαν αυτω παντας τους κακως εχοντας ποικιλαις νοσοις και βασανοις συνεχομενους και δαιμονιζομενους και σεληνιαζομενους και παραλυτικους και εθεραπευσεν αυτους

Latin: et abiit opinio eius in totam Syriam et obtulerunt ei omnes male habentes variis languoribus et tormentis conprehensos et qui daemonia habebant et lunaticos et paralyticos et curavit eos

*G4164 *10 ποικίλος (poy-kee'-los) : of uncertain derivation; motley, i.e. various in character:--divers, manifold.

Usage

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ποικιλαις *7

Matthew 4:24 ... all sick people that were taken with divers diseases and torments, ...
Mark 1:34 ... many that were sick of divers diseases, and cast out ...
Luke 4:40 ... they that had any sick with divers diseases brought them ...
2 Timothy 3:6 ... laden with sins, led away with divers lusts,
Titus 3:3 ... disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, ...
Hebrews 2:4 ... and wonders, and with divers miracles, and gifts ...
Hebrews 13:9 Be not carried about with divers and strange doctrines. ...

ποικιλοις *2

James 1:2 ... joy when ye fall into divers temptations;
1 Peter 1:6 ... ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations:

ποικιλης

1 Peter 4:10 ... as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.

The Latin uses the word "varius" ≈ "diverse" and is the source of the English word "various".

Matthaeus 4:24 … ei omnes male habentes variis languoribus et … [v]

Mark 1:34 And he healed many that were sick of divers diseases, and cast out many devils; and suffered not the devils to speak, because they knew him. [kjv]

Mark 1:34

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KJV: And he healed many that were sick of divers diseases, and cast out many devils; and suffered not the devils to speak, because they knew him.

Greek: και εθεραπευσεν πολλους κακως εχοντας ποικιλαις νοσοις και δαιμονια πολλα εξεβαλεν και ουκ ηφιεν λαλειν τα δαιμονια οτι ηδεισαν αυτον χριστον ειναι

Latin: et curavit multos qui vexabantur variis languoribus et daemonia multa eiciebat et non sinebat loqui ea quoniam sciebant eum

James 1:2 My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; [kjv]

πασαν χαραν ηγησασθε αδελφοι μου οταν πειρασμοις περιπεσητε ποικιλοις [gnt]

More: Matthew 4:1-11 Examining evil temptations

James 1:2

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KJV: My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations;

Hebrew: אך לשמחה חשבו לכם אחי כאשר תבאו בנסינות שונים׃

Greek: πασαν χαραν ηγησασθε αδελφοι μου οταν πειρασμοις περιπεσητε ποικιλοις

Let us look at the OT (Old Testament) in the LXX. At this time, about 300 years before the GNT (Greek New Testament), the word would have had a meaning closer to that of the intricate paintings on the Greek "painted porch" is in an intricate needlework or tapestry or embroidery.

Exodus 28:39 And thou shalt embroider the coat of fine linen, and thou shalt make the mitre of fine linen, and thou shalt make the girdle of needlework. [kjv]

Exodus 28:39

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KJV: And thou shalt embroider the coat of fine linen, and thou shalt make the mitre of fine linen, and thou shalt make the girdle of needlework.

Hebrew: ושבצת הכתנת שש ועשית מצנפת שש ואבנט תעשה מעשה רקם׃

Greek: και οι κοσυμβοι των χιτωνων εκ βυσσου και ποιησεις κιδαριν βυσσινην και ζωνην ποιησεις εργον ποικιλτου

Exodus 35:35 And God filled them with wisdom, understanding and perception, to understand to work all the works of the sanctuary, and to weave the woven and embroidered work with scarlet and fine linen, to do all work of curious workmanship and embroidery. [bs3]

Exodus 35:35

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KJV: Them hath he filled with wisdom of heart, to work all manner of work, of the engraver, and of the cunning workman, and of the embroiderer, in blue, and in purple, in scarlet, and in fine linen, and of the weaver, even of them that do any work, and of those that devise cunning work.

Hebrew: מלא אתם חכמת לב לעשות כל מלאכת חרש וחשב ורקם בתכלת ובארגמן בתולעת השני ובשש וארג עשי כל מלאכה וחשבי מחשבת׃

Greek: ενεπλησεν αυτους σοφιας και συνεσεως διανοιας παντα συνιεναι ποιησαι τα εργα του αγιου και τα υφαντα και ποικιλτα υφαναι τω κοκκινω και τη βυσσω ποιειν παν εργον αρχιτεκτονιας ποικιλιας

Brenton: And God filled them with wisdom, understanding and perception, to understand to work all the works of the sanctuary, and to weave the woven and embroidered work with scarlet and fine linen, to do all work of curious workmanship and embroidery.

KJV from the Hebrew:

Job 38:36 Who hath put wisdom in the inward parts? or who hath given understanding to the heart? [kjv]

LXX from the Greek:

And who has given to women skill in weaving, or knowledge of embroidery? [bs3]

Do you see any connection between the verses? Keep in mind the idea of idioms.

Job 38:36

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KJV: Who hath put wisdom in the inward parts? or who hath given understanding to the heart?

Hebrew: מי שת בטחות חכמה או מי נתן לשכוי בינה׃

Greek: τις δε εδωκεν γυναιξιν υφασματος σοφιαν η ποικιλτικην επιστημην

Brenton: And who has given to women skill in weaving, or knowledge of embroidery?

The PIE root has a meaning of "spot" is in this verse.

Jeremiah 13:23 Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots? then may ye also do good, that are accustomed to do evil. [kjv]

More: Jeremiah 13: Nature and nurture and leopard spots

Jeremiah 13:23

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KJV: Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots? then may ye also do good, that are accustomed to do evil.

Hebrew: היהפך כושי עורו ונמר חברברתיו גם אתם תוכלו להיטיב למדי הרע׃

Greek: ει αλλαξεται αιθιοψ το δερμα αυτου και παρδαλις τα ποικιλματα αυτης και υμεις δυνησεσθε ευ ποιησαι μεμαθηκοτες τα κακα

Brenton: If the Ethiopian shall change his skin, or the leopardess her spots, then shall you° be able to do good, having learnt evil.

Luther: Kann auch ein Mohr seine Haut wandeln oder ein Parder seine Flecken? So könnet ihr auch Gutes tun, weil ihr des Bösen gewohnt seid.

Ezekiel 27:7 Fine linen with broidered work from Egypt was that which thou spreadest forth to be thy sail; blue and purple from the isles of Elishah was that which covered thee. [kjv]

Ezekiel 27:7

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KJV: Fine linen with broidered work from Egypt was that which thou spreadest forth to be thy sail; blue and purple from the isles of Elishah was that which covered thee.

Hebrew: שש ברקמה ממצרים היה מפרשך להיות לך לנס תכלת וארגמן מאיי אלישה היה מכסך׃

Greek: βυσσος μετα ποικιλιας εξ αιγυπτου εγενετο σοι στρωμνη του περιθειναι σοι δοξαν και περιβαλειν σε υακινθον και πορφυραν εκ των νησων ελισαι και εγενετο περιβολαια σου

Brenton: Fine linen with embroidery from Egypt supplied the couch, to put honour upon you, and to clothe you with blue and purple from the isles of Elisai; and they became your coverings.

Zechariah 6:3 And in the third chariot white horses; and in the fourth chariot grisled and bay horses. [kjv]

Zechariah 6:3

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KJV: And in the third chariot white horses; and in the fourth chariot grisled and bay horses.

Hebrew: ובמרכבה השלשית סוסים לבנים ובמרכבה הרבעית סוסים ברדים אמצים׃

Greek: και εν τω αρματι τω τριτω ιπποι λευκοι και εν τω αρματι τω τεταρτω ιπποι ποικιλοι ψαροι