μέλας, μέλαινα, μέλαν, genitive μέλανος, μελαινης, μέλανος (from Homer down), the Sept. several times for ωΘΡηΙψ, black: Rev_6:5; Rev_6:12; opposed to λευκός, Mat_5:36. Neuter τό μέλαν, substantive black ink (Plato, Phaedr., p. 276 c.; Demosthenes, p. 313, 11; Plutarch, mor., p. 841 e.; others): 2Co_3:3; 2Jn_1:12; 3Jn_1:13; (cf. Gardthausen, Palaeographie, Buch i. Kap. 4; Edersheim, Jesus the Messiah, ii., 270f; B. D. under the word , under the end.)

G3188, G3189 μέλας melas 6x black, Mat_5:36 ; Rev_6:5 ; Rev_6:12 , the form μέλαν means ink, 2Co_3:3 ; 2Jn_1:12 ; 3Jn_1:13

μέλας , -αινα , -αν , gen ., -ανος , -αίνης , -ανος , [in LXX : Son_1:5 , Zec_6:2 ( H7838 ), etc.;] black: Rev_6:5 ; Rev_6:12 ; opp . to λευκός , Mat_5:36 ; neut., τὸ μ ., ink : 2Co_3:3 , 2Jn_1:12 , 3Jn_1:13 .†

μέλας [page 395] μέλας is used in the neut. ink, as in 2Co_3:3 , 2Jn_1:12 , 3Jn_1:13 , in P Grenf II. 38 .8 (B.C. 81) μ [έ ]λαν στατηροῦ ὀκτώ , P Oxy II. 326 τὸ βροχίον τοῦ μέλανος , the ink-pot, and P Leid X x. 1 ff. (iii/ivA.D.) (= II. p. 229 f.) where a recipe for making ink is found τρίψας τὸ ἴδιον ( l. τὸ ἰὸν ?), καὶ τὸ θεῖον , καὶ τὴν στυπτηρίαν λείαν , εὖ μάλα μεῖξας ( l. μίξας ) ἐπιμελῶς τρίβε , καὶ χρῶ ὡς μέλανι γραφικῷ , trita rubiginem (?), et sulphur, et alumen contusum, et probe mixta diligenter terito, et utitor prouti atramento scriptorio (Ed.), see s.v. μετά (1 f.). For other applications of the adj. cf. P Meyer 7 .9 (A.D. 130) κυάμο (υ ) μέλανο (ς ), black beans, P Oxy XIV. 1631 .23 (A.D. 280) ἐλαι [ῶ ]ν μελαινῶν , black olives, P Par 574 .1247 (iii/A.D.) (= Selections , p. 114) παραδίδωμί σε εἰς τὸ μέλαν χάος ἐν ταῖς ἀπωλίαις , and Kaibel 274 .6 μέλας θάνατος . Μέλας is used as a distinguishing epithet in P Amh II. 62 .6 (ii/B.C.) (cited s.v. λευκός ), and as a proper name in P Oxy XIV. 1682 .3 (iv/A.D.) ἀπέστειλα [[τινα ]] Μέλανα , I am sending Melas, and in P. Grenf II. 77 (iii/iv A.D.). For the form μέλανος , η , ον see P Iand 35 .5 (ii/iii A.D.) βοῦν μελ [ά ]νην with the editor s note, and for μελάγχρως see Mayser Gr. p. 296.

μέλας [Etym: cf. τάλας, the only word like it in form] "black, swart", Hom. , etc.; μέλαν ὕδωρ of water drawn from a deep well (cf. μελάνυδρος), Od. "black, dark, murky", ἕσπερος, νύξ Hom. , etc. metaph. "black, dark", θάνατος, Κήρ, the origin of the metaphor being seen in such phrases as μέλαν νέφος θανάτοιο, Hom. "dark, obscure", Anth. comp. μελάντερος, η, ον, "blacker, very black", Il. ; cf. ἠΰτε. μέλαν, v. sub voc.

μέλας, -αινα, -αν genitive, -ανος, -αίνης, -ανος, [in LXX: Sng.1:5, Zec.6:2 (שָׁחֹר), etc. ;] black: Rev.6:5, 12; opposite to λευκός, Mat.5:36; neut., τὸ μ., ink : 2Co.3:3, II Jn 12, 3Jn.13.† (AS)