2 Chronicles 4:5
“It was a handbreadth thick; and its brim was made like the brim of a cup, like the flower of a lily. It received and held three thousand baths.”
What does 2 Chronicles 4:5 mean?
This verse describes an enormous bronze basin (called the "Sea") that King Solomon had made for the temple. The decorative rim curved outward like a lily flower, and despite being relatively thin-walled, it could hold about 18,000 gallons of water, which priests used for ceremonial washing. The poetic comparison to a lily suggests beauty and elegance in the temple's furnishings, not just functionality. Even practical objects in God's house were crafted with care and artistry.