Lily
Identifying the Biblical Lily
The Hebrew word translated "lily" was a broad term, much like the modern English use of the word, encompassing a variety of showy flowers rather than a single botanical species. It likely derived from an Egyptian word for the lotus flower and covered many plants including what we now call anemones, irises, gladioli, hyacinths, tulips, and true lilies. The Arabic equivalent is still used broadly for various flowers today.
This breadth of meaning is important for understanding biblical references. When Scripture mentions lilies, it is not pointing to one specific flower but celebrating the rich tapestry of wildflowers that blanketed the fields and valleys of the Holy Land in spring.
Lilies in Temple Architecture
The lily inspired decorative elements in Solomon's temple. The capitals of the two great bronze pillars in the temple porch featured "lily-work" (1 Kings 7:19, 22). The enormous bronze basin called "the molten sea," which held water for priestly purification, had a rim "made like the brim of a cup, like the flower of a lily" (1 Kings 7:26). The lily motif in 2 Chronicles 4:5 further describes this massive basin as holding thousands of baths of water.
The use of lily designs in the temple connected the beauty of creation with the worship of the Creator. Floral motifs were common in ancient Near Eastern temple architecture, but in Israel's temple they took on special significance as reminders of God's handiwork.
Lilies in the Song of Solomon
The Song of Solomon is saturated with lily imagery. The beloved declares, "I am a rose of Sharon, a lily of the valleys" (Song of Solomon 2:1). Her lover feeds "among the lilies" (Song of Solomon 2:16; 6:3), and she describes his lips as "lilies, dripping with flowing myrrh" (Song of Solomon 5:13). The bride's beauty is compared to "a heap of wheat encircled with lilies" (Song of Solomon 7:2).
In this love poetry, the lily represents beauty, delicacy, sweetness, and the lush abundance of nature in bloom. The repeated association of the beloved with lilies elevates romantic love as something beautiful and God-given, rooted in the goodness of creation.
Consider the Lilies
Jesus' most famous reference to lilies comes in the Sermon on the Mount: "Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these" (Matthew 6:28-29; Luke 12:27). This teaching addresses anxiety about material provision, using the wild flowers that carpeted Galilean hillsides as evidence of God's generous care.
The force of Jesus' argument lies in the comparison with Solomon — the wealthiest king in Israel's history, whose temple was decorated with lily-work. Even Solomon's splendor could not match the beauty God gives freely to flowers that last only a day. If God so clothes the grass of the field, Jesus reasons, "will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?" (Matthew 6:30).
The Lily as Symbol of Restoration
The prophet Hosea uses the lily as a symbol of Israel's future restoration. God promises, "I will be like the dew to Israel; he shall blossom like the lily; he shall take root like the trees of Lebanon" (Hosea 14:5). After judgment and repentance, God's people will flourish like a lily bursting into bloom — beautiful, vigorous, and nourished by God himself.
The sweetness and beauty of the lily also appears in the wisdom literature of Sirach, which compares the righteous to "lilies by the rivers of water" (Sirach 50:8) — an image of flourishing life sustained by proximity to God's provision.
Lilies on Ancient Coins
The lily held such cultural significance that it appeared on Jewish coins, suggesting it was a widely recognized national symbol. This connection between the lily and Jewish identity reinforces the flower's importance as a symbol of beauty and divine favor in Israelite culture.
Biblical Context
Lilies appear in the temple descriptions (1 Kings 7:19, 22, 26; 2 Chronicles 4:5), extensively in the Song of Solomon (2:1-2, 16; 4:5; 5:13; 6:2-3; 7:2), in Hosea's prophecy of restoration (14:5), and in Jesus' teaching on anxiety and God's provision (Matthew 6:28-30; Luke 12:27). Several psalm titles mention 'lilies' as a musical term (Psalm 45; 69; 80).
Theological Significance
The lily teaches about God's character as Creator and Provider. In the temple, lily-work connected worship with the beauty of creation. In the Song of Solomon, lilies celebrate the goodness of love as part of God's design. In Jesus' teaching, lilies demonstrate that the God who adorns ephemeral flowers with surpassing beauty will certainly care for his children. In Hosea, the lily symbolizes the restoration that follows repentance — God making his people beautiful again.
Historical Background
The wildflowers of Palestine include numerous species that could be called 'lilies' — crown anemones (with their brilliant red petals), various irises (sometimes called 'Tabor lilies'), gladioli, hyacinths, tulips, and true lilies. The Egyptian lotus, which inspired the Hebrew word, was a prominent motif in Egyptian art and architecture. Lily and lotus designs were common throughout ancient Near Eastern decorative arts, appearing on ivory carvings, pottery, and architectural elements from Egypt to Mesopotamia.