Occurrences in the Bible
The English word "brown" is recorded only four times in the King James Bible translation. The color is not mentioned in the New Testament. All four occurrences are derived from the Hebrew chum (Strong's Concordance #H2345).
Background
Brown has an HTML hex code of #A52A2A. It has a wavelength of around 600 to 611 nanometers within the visible spectrum.
Red, green and blue (RGB) are considered primary colors for displaying images on electronic devices such as televisions, computer screens and smartphones. Brown is created on these devices by mixing red, yellow and blue.
Brown has been used in art since prehistoric times. The color can be created by using umber, a natural clay pigment composed of iron oxide and manganese oxide. Brown pigments can also be derived from raw sienna, ochres, and cuttlefish ink (sepia).
Biblical Symbolism
The symbolism of brown comes from the story of how Jacob used the color to become prosperous and able to leave the employ of Laban.
It all starts when Jacob, at the age of 77, flees his family in fear of Esau and begins to work for Laban in 1723 B.C. Meeting Laban's youngest daughter Rachel and falling in love with her, he agrees to work seven years for the right to marry her.
After seven years, in 1716 B.C., Jacob is tricked into marrying Laban's oldest daughter named Leah. Jacob then agrees to work another seven years so that he can also immediately marry Rachel.
By the time Jacob reaches 91 he has produced eleven sons and one daughter through Leah, her handmaid, and the handmaid of Rachel. He informs Laban that he will be returning to Canaan after 14 years of serving him. Laban, who believes God has blessed him on account of Jacob, begs him to continue working for him by offering him whatever he wants in wages.
Jacob agrees to work a little longer for Laban but not for wages. He makes a proposal that seems, on the surface, quite risky for him but a sure moneymaker for Laban.
I will pass through all thy flock to day, removing from thence all the speckled and spotted cattle, and all the brown cattle among the sheep, and the spotted and speckled among the goats: and of such shall be my hire.
So shall my righteousness answer for me in time to come, when it shall come for my hire before thy face: every one that is not speckled and spotted among the goats, and brown among the sheep, that shall be counted stolen with me. (Genesis 30:32 - 33, KJV).
Jacob proposes a simple and honest method of payment for his services. All the speckled and spotted cattle and goats, as well as the brown sheep, born to Laban's herd would become Jacob's property. These types of animals were generally quite rare. Any newborn animals which did not look this way would belong to Laban.
Laban agrees to the deal but then selfishly seeks to make it even harder for his son-in-law to become wealthy! He separates all the speckled, spotted and brown animals into their own herd and has his sons take them a significant distance away from Jacob. This means only the most common colored beasts are left to be herded by Jacob.
As time passes Jacob separates to himself all the animals that are speckled, spotted or brown.
And Jacob did separate the lambs, and set the faces of the flocks toward the ringstraked, and all the brown in the flock of Laban; and he put his own flocks by themselves, and put them not unto Laban's cattle. (Genesis 30:40, KJV).
After six years Jacob, with God's help, grew to be quite wealthy.
And the man increased exceedingly, and had much cattle, and maidservants, and menservants, and camels, and asses. (Genesis 30:43, KJV).
God, in 1703 B.C., finally commands Jacob, after twenty years of serving Laban, to leave him and travel back to Canaan (Genesis 31:3).
More Info on Brown
Chalcedony stones are one of the many gemstones found in the Bible. The most common colors found within this type of precious gems are white, gray, reddish or light brown, green and blue.
And the foundations of the wall of the city were adorned with every precious stone: the first foundation was jasper; the second, sapphire; the third, chalcedony; the fourth, emerald (Revelation 21:19, HBFV).
Jacinth (hyacinth) gems were used in the High Priest's breastplate (Exodus 28:19) and will be utilized in the New Jerusalem soon to be built by God (Revelation 21:20). These stones can manifest colors from yellow to brown.
Jaspers are considered an opaque variety of Chalcedony stones. They were used both in the High Priest's breastplate (Exodus 28:20) and were one of the gems God's used to decorate Lucifer upon his creation (Ezekiel 28:13). These stones are capable of displaying red, green, brown or yellow and they can appear flamed or striped.
Traditionally, one of the challenges of translators is trying to determine what color is being referenced in the original language text.
"There are but few real color terms found in Biblical or traditional literature. Only white, and . . . red and green, are distinguished by name; while for blue and yellow distinct terms are entirely wanting . . . " (1906 Jewish Encyclopedia).
For example, in the King James the word "brown" appears four times (all within Genesis 30). In the Contemporary English Version, however, it shows up five times (all of which are not in Genesis 30)! The Living Bible has it showing up only once (1Peter 1:24). Many translations, such as the NASB, ASV, RV and others, do not have the color brown recorded at all.