Lily

Lily (Hebrew shushan, meaning "whiteness") was the general Hebrew term for a variety of flowering plants common in Palestine — including tulip, iris, anemone, and gladiolus — rather than one specific botanical species. The lily was a major decorative motif in Solomon's temple: the capitals of the great pillars were carved in lily form (1 Kgs. 7:19, 22), and the rim of the bronze sea was shaped like a lily blossom (1 Kgs. 7:26). The Song of Solomon uses the lily as a symbol of beauty and purity (Song 2:1–2, 16; 6:2–3). Jesus invoked the lilies of the field as a supreme example of divinely provided beauty surpassing even Solomon's splendor, teaching freedom from anxiety (Matt. 6:28–29).