Lily
The lily is one of the best-known flowers of the Bible. It appears in the love poetry of the Song of Songs, in the decoration of Solomon's temple, in the promise of Israel's restoration in Hosea and, most famously, in the Sermon on the Mount, where Jesus tells his disciples to 'consider the lilies of the field'.
Yet the word 'lily' in our Bibles probably does not always mean the flower we know by that name today. The Hebrew and Greek terms seem to have covered several striking flowers, and scholars still debate which plant is meant in each passage. That uncertainty does not weaken the message; it reminds us that the biblical writers used the flowers they saw around them to speak of beauty, fragility and God's care.
1. Etymology and meaning
The Hebrew word is shushan or shoshan (שׁוּשַׁן), with a feminine form shoshannah (שׁוֹשַׁנָּה). Most scholars consider it a loanword from Egyptian sšn, the word for the lotus or water lily, a flower that was a favorite motif of Egyptian art. From the same Hebrew word comes the personal name Susanna, borne by one of the women who supported Jesus' ministry (Luke 8:3). Several psalm headings mention shoshannim, 'lilies' (Psalm 45, Psalm 69, Psalm 80; compare Psalm 60, 'Shushan Eduth'); this is probably the name of a tune or a musical instruction, but its exact meaning is unknown.
In the New Testament the word is krinon (κρίνον), which the Greek translation of the Old Testament had already used for shoshannah. It occurs only in Jesus' saying about the lilies of the field (Matthew 6:28; Luke 12:27). In ordinary Greek usage it could refer to lilies in the strict sense, but also more loosely to showy wild flowers.
2. Historical context and biblical usage
Which flower?
The land of Israel is rich in wild flowers, especially in late winter and spring after the rains. Several candidates have been proposed for the biblical lily. The white Madonna lily (Lilium candidum) grows wild in parts of Galilee and Carmel, but it is relatively rare. The crown anemone (Anemone coronaria), which carpets Galilean hillsides in red, purple and white, is a frequent suggestion for the 'lilies of the field'. The sea daffodil (Pancratium maritimum), which grows in coastal sands, has been proposed for some passages in the Song of Songs. For the architectural lilies of the temple, the Egyptian lotus or water lily (Nymphaea) is the most likely model. The honest answer is that the Bible does not allow us to identify a single species, and that the words probably covered more than one.
Lilies in the temple
The skilled bronze worker Hiram of Tyre made the two great pillars of Solomon's temple, and their capitals were of 'lily-work' (1 Kings 7:19, 22). The rim of the great bronze basin called 'the Sea' was shaped 'like the flower of a lily' (1 Kings 7:26; 2 Chronicles 4:5). Lotus-shaped capitals and rims were common in the art of Egypt and Phoenicia, which fits the involvement of a craftsman from Tyre (1 Kings 7:13-14). In the house of God, the beauty of the flower was fixed in bronze as a sign of life and splendor.
Lilies in poetry
The Song of Songs uses lilies more than any other book. The beloved woman calls herself 'a lily of the valleys' (Song of Songs 2:1), and the man answers, 'As a lily among brambles, so is my love among the young women' (Song of Songs 2:2). The lover 'grazes among the lilies' (Song of Songs 2:16; 6:2-3), the woman's breasts are like fawns grazing among the lilies (4:5), the man's lips are lilies (5:13), and the woman's waist is 'encircled with lilies' (7:2). The comparison of lips to lilies suggests that at least here a red flower is in view.
3. Key passages
Matthew 6:28-30 is the central passage: '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. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?' The parallel in Luke 12:27-28 is almost identical. Jesus points to the ordinary wild flowers of Galilee, which after a few weeks dry out and are gathered as fuel. Solomon, the richest king in Israel's memory (1 Kings 10:23), could not match their beauty. The argument moves from the lesser to the greater: if God clothes something so short-lived so splendidly, he will certainly provide for his children. The conclusion follows: 'seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you' (Matthew 6:33).
Song of Songs 2:1-2 is often quoted in Christian hymns, where 'the lily of the valley' is applied to Christ. In the text itself, most interpreters understand the woman as the speaker, describing herself modestly as a common wild flower, and the man replying that she stands out like a lily among thorns. Applying the phrase to Christ is a devotional use, not the plain sense of the passage, even though the Song as a whole can rightly lead us to reflect on the love between Christ and his church (Ephesians 5:25-32).
Hosea 14:5 (14:6 in the Hebrew text) belongs to God's promise to a repentant Israel: 'I will be like the dew to Israel; he shall blossom like the lily; he shall take root like the trees of Lebanon.' After a book full of judgment, the lily becomes a picture of the fresh life God gives when he heals his people's faithlessness (Hosea 14:4).
4. Theological significance
In Scripture the lily holds together two truths: beauty and brevity. Its splendor comes from God, who clothes the flowers without their effort, and yet it quickly fades like all flesh (Isaiah 40:6-8; 1 Peter 1:24-25). Jesus uses this fragile beauty to teach about the Father's providence. Anxiety forgets that God rules even the smallest parts of creation; faith sees the flowers and trusts the One who dresses them.
The lily also speaks of God's gracious renewal. In Hosea it is the fruit of divine love poured out on an undeserving people, not of their own achievement. In the temple, lily-work on the pillars reminded worshipers that the holy place was full of life and glory. In the Song of Songs, it celebrates the goodness of human love as a gift of the Creator. In each case, the flower points beyond itself to the generosity of God.
5. Legacy and canonical references
The main biblical references are: 1 Kings 7:19, 22, 26 and 2 Chronicles 4:5 (temple ornaments); Song of Songs 2:1-2, 16, 4:5, 5:13, 6:2-3 and 7:2 (love poetry); Hosea 14:5 (restoration); Matthew 6:28-30 and Luke 12:27-28 (the lilies of the field); and the psalm headings mentioning 'lilies'. The frequent translation 'lily' was fixed largely by the Greek krinon and the Latin lilium.
In Christian art the white lily became a symbol of purity, but that symbolism comes from later tradition rather than from the biblical texts, which never use the lily in that way. Jesus' saying about the lilies of the field, on the other hand, has left a deep mark on Christian devotion, and it continues to be one of the most quoted words of comfort for anxious believers.
6. Application for today
Jesus did not tell his disciples to ignore their needs, but to look at the flowers and learn. Worry imagines that everything depends on our toil; the lilies remind us that God's care comes first. Take time to notice creation around you and let it lead you to prayer: the Father who adorns the fields knows what you need (Matthew 6:32).
The lily also warns us about what lasts. Its beauty is real but brief, like the glory of Solomon and like our own lives. Only the word of our God stands forever. Those who seek first his kingdom will find that the One who clothes the grass of the field is faithful, and that his grace makes even a people like withered Israel blossom again.