Lily of the valleys

Although many people think that “Lily of the valleys” and “Rose of Sharon” are names of Jesus (Yeshua‘), they are not. The two titles occur in a verse in the Song of Solomon (which is also called the Song of songs or Canticles). When the Hebrew text of the verse is read carefully, it is clear that the bride is speaking of herself, not the bridegroom of himself.

In her classic devotional on the Song of Songs, Jeanne Guyon (1648–1717) identified the bridegroom in the passage with the “Rose of Sharon” and the “Lily of the Valleys.” Some other writers have continued to apply the names allegorically to Jesus.1

Lily of the valleys (Shoshannat ha‘amaqim) photographed in the Hebrew text of Song of songs 2:1. Unlikely to be an Old Testament name of Jesus.

Lily of the valleys (Shoshannat ha‘amaqim) in the Hebrew text of Song of songs 2:1.

Lily of the valleys in Hebrew:

Shoshannat ha‘amaqim

Strong’s Concordance numbers: 7799, 6010

Bible reference: Song 2:1

I am the rose of Sharon, and the lily of the valleys. (Song of Songs 2:1 KJV)

 

  1. Adapted from The Name Quest, by John Avery (Morgan James Publishing, 2014). [↩]