Lily
“From its whiteness, or borrowed from Egyptian word for lotus”
Summary
A general term in Scripture for various beautiful flowering plants, used in temple ornamentation, poetic imagery in Canticles and Hosea, and by Jesus to illustrate God's providential care for creation.
☩Terminology and Identification
The Hebrew shushan or shoshannah derives from an Egyptian word for the lotus flower, and like the Arabic susan, probably served as a general term for various lily-like flowers. Botanically, the term likely included members of the true lily family (Liliaceae) such as asphodel, hyacinth, tulip, and fritillaria, but also showy irises, gladioli, narcissi, and even the scarlet anemone (Anemone coronaria). The Greek krinon similarly covered a range of beautiful flowers. Jesus' reference to 'lilies of the field' being clothed more splendidly than Solomon suggests brilliantly colored wild flowers rather than white lilies, leading many scholars to identify them with the scarlet martagon (Lilium chalcedonicum) or the abundant anemones that cover Galilean hillsides in spring.
☩Temple Ornamentation
The lily provided the model for architectural decoration in Solomon's temple. 'Lily-work' adorned the capitals of the two great bronze pillars Jachin and Boaz in the temple porch (1 Kings 7:19, 22). The rim of the molten sea was 'wrought like the brim of a cup, with flowers of lilies' (1 Kings 7:26). This ornamentation was likely modeled on the Egyptian lotus (Nymphaea lotus), reflecting the Phoenico-Egyptian architectural influence mediated through Hiram of Tyre who supervised the bronze work. The Assyrians similarly borrowed this decorative motif in their later structures. The lotus held special significance in Egyptian art as the favored flower of the country and an emblem associated with certain deities.
☩In Song of Solomon
The lily appears frequently throughout Canticles in poetic imagery of love and beauty. The beloved declares 'I am the rose of Sharon and the lily of the valleys' (Song 2:1), to which the bridegroom responds, 'As the lily among thorns, so is my love among the daughters' (Song 2:2). Travelers confirm that lilies in Palestine grow among tangled thorns, requiring careful extraction. The repeated phrase 'he feeds among the lilies' (Song 2:16; 6:3) suggests these were pasture flowers where gazelles grazed. The bridegroom's lips are 'like lilies, dropping sweet-smelling myrrh' (Song 5:13), implying fragrant flowers, possibly with red or ruby color.
☩In Prophetic and Gospel Texts
Hosea's prophecy of Israel's restoration declares 'he shall grow as the lily' (Hosea 14:5), referring to the plant's rapid, luxuriant growth—one root often producing fifty bulbs. Jesus drew from the lilies a powerful lesson on divine providence: 'Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: and yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these' (Matthew 6:28-29). The lesson emphasizes that if God so clothes the grass of the field—which today flourishes and tomorrow is cast into the oven—He will surely provide for His children who trust Him. The lily thus became an emblem of divine care transforming anxiety into faith.
Related Verses10 mentions
See Also
References
- 1.John McClintock and James Strong, "Lily," in Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature, vol. V (Harper & Brothers, 1867–1887).
- 2.James Orr (ed.), "Lily," in International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, vol. III (Howard-Severance Company, 1915).
- 3.James Hastings (ed.), "Lily," in Dictionary of Christ and the Gospels, vol. II (T. & T. Clark, 1906–1908).
- 4.George Morrish, "Lily," in Morrish's Concise Bible Dictionary (George Morrish, 1898).
- 5.Andrew Robert Fausset, "Lily," in The Englishman's Critical and Expository Bible Cyclopædia (Hodder & Stoughton, 1878).