耶利米書 2
2
你去向耶路撒冷人的耳中喊叫說，耶和華如此說：你幼年的恩愛，婚姻的愛情，你怎樣在曠野，在未曾耕種之地跟隨我，我都記得。
3
那時以色列歸耶和華為聖，作為土產初熟的果子；凡吞吃他的必算為有罪，災禍必臨到他們。這是耶和華說的。
5
耶和華如此說：你們的列祖見我有甚麼不義，竟遠離我，隨從虛無的神，自己成為虛妄的呢？
6
他們也不說：那領我們從埃及地上來，引導我們經過曠野，沙漠有深坑之地，和乾旱死蔭、無人經過、無人居住之地的耶和華在哪裡呢？
7
我領你們進入肥美之地，使你們得吃其中的果子和美物；但你們進入的時候就玷污我的地，使我的產業成為可憎的。
8
祭司都不說，耶和華在哪裡呢？傳講律法的都不認識我。官長違背我；先知藉巴力說預言，隨從無益的神。
10
你們且過到基提海島去察看，打發人往基達去留心查考，看曾有這樣的事沒有。
11
豈有一國換了他的神嗎？其實這不是神！但我的百姓將他們的榮耀換了那無益的神。
12
諸天哪，要因此驚奇，極其恐慌，甚為淒涼！這是耶和華說的。
13
因為我的百姓做了兩件惡事，就是離棄我這活水的泉源，為自己鑿出池子，是破裂不能存水的池子。
15
少壯獅子向他咆哮，大聲吼叫，使他的地荒涼；城邑也都焚燒，無人居住。
16
挪弗人和答比匿人也打破你的頭頂。
17
這事臨到你身上，不是你自招的嗎？不是因耶和華─你神引你行路的時候，你離棄他嗎？
18
現今你為何在埃及路上要喝西曷的水呢？你為何在亞述路上要喝大河的水呢？
19
你自己的惡必懲治你；你背道的事必責備你。由此可知可見，你離棄耶和華─你的神，不存敬畏我的心，乃為惡事，為苦事。這是主─萬軍之耶和華說的。
20
我在古時折斷你的軛，解開你的繩索。你說：我必不事奉耶和華；因為你在各高岡上、各青翠樹下屈身行淫（或譯：我在古時折斷你的軛，解開你的繩索，你就說：我必不事奉別神。誰知你在各高岡上、各青翠樹下仍屈身行淫）。
21
然而，我栽你是上等的葡萄樹，全然是真種子；你怎麼向我變為外邦葡萄樹的壞枝子呢？
22
你雖用鹼、多用肥皂洗濯，你罪孽的痕跡仍然在我面前顯出。這是主耶和華說的。
23
你怎能說：我沒有玷污、沒有隨從眾巴力？你看你谷中的路，就知道你所行的如何。你是快行的獨峰駝，狂奔亂走。
24
你是野驢，慣在曠野，慾心發動就吸風；起性的時候誰能使牠轉去呢？凡尋找牠的必不致疲乏；在牠的月分必能尋見。
25
我說：你不要使腳上無鞋，喉嚨乾渴。你倒說：這是枉然。我喜愛別神，我必隨從他們。
26
賊被捉拿，怎樣羞愧，﹞以色列家和他們的君王、首領、祭司、先知也都照樣羞愧。
27
他們向木頭說：你是我的父；向石頭說：你是生我的。他們以背向我，不以面向我；及至遭遇患難的時候卻說：起來拯救我們。
28
你為自己做的神在哪裡呢？你遭遇患難的時候，叫他們起來拯救你罷！猶大啊，你神的數目與你城的數目相等。
30
我責打你們的兒女是徒然的，他們不受懲治。你們自己的刀吞滅你們的先知，好像殘害的獅子。
31
這世代的人哪，你們要看明耶和華的話。我豈向以色列作曠野呢？或作幽暗之地呢？我的百姓為何說：我們脫離約束，再不歸向你了？
32
處女豈能忘記他的妝飾呢？新婦豈能忘記他的美衣呢？我的百姓卻忘記了我無數的日子！
33
你怎麼修飾你的道路要求愛情呢？就是惡劣的婦人你也叫他們行你的路。
34
並且你的衣襟上有無辜窮人的血；你殺他們並不是遇見他們挖窟窿，乃是因這一切的事。
35
你還說：我無辜；耶和華的怒氣必定向我消了。看哪，我必審問你；因你自說：我沒有犯罪。
Apocalypse Explained # 507
507. And all green grass was burnt up, signifies that all true knowledge [scientificum] was destroyed by the cupidities of the same loves. This is evident from the signification of "grass," as being knowledge [scientificum] (of which presently); also from the signification of "green," as being truth and living from truth, because as green grass serves as food for animals, so true knowledge serves for spiritual nourishment for man; for whatever is produced in fields, in gardens, and in plains, and serves for nourishment either for man or beast, has a correspondence with such things as serve for the nourishment of the spirit and mind, and such nourishment is called spiritual nourishment. Like things appear in the spiritual world, from the correspondence of spiritual things with natural things; and as the Word in the letter is natural, and is written by correspondences, it is here said that "the third part of the trees and all green grass were burnt up," which means in the spiritual sense that all perception and knowledge of truth and good, as well as all true knowledge [scientificum] are destroyed, by these two corporeal, terrestrial, and merely natural loves.
[2] By true knowledge [scientifica] is meant all knowledge by which spiritual truth is confirmed, and which has life from spiritual good. For by knowledges [scientifica] a man may become wise or he may become insane. A man becomes wise by knowledges when he uses them to confirm the truths and goods of the church, which are spiritual truths and goods; and he becomes insane by knowledges when he uses them to invalidate and refute the truths and goods of the church. When they are used to confirm the truths and goods of the church they are called true knowledges, as also living knowledges; but when they are used to invalidate and refute the truths and goods of the church they are called false knowledges, and also dead knowledges. Knowledges [scientiae] are only means to uses, and they are such as the uses are that spring from them. They are living knowledges when man by means of them acquires for himself intelligence and wisdom. All intelligence and wisdom is from truths that are from heaven; such intelligence and wisdom, because it is from heaven, that is, from the Lord through heaven, is living, because it is the very spiritual life of man; but from falsities there can be no intelligence and wisdom, and if it is supposed to exist in anyone, yet it is dead, because it is from hell.
[3] This has been said to make known that "green grass" signifies true knowledge [scientificum], which is living, but "grass burnt up" signifies false knowledge, which is dead. When truth and good, which come from heaven, find no receptacle in the cognitions and knowledges with man, but evils and falsities which are from hell are received, then knowledges [scientifica] are not living but dead, and correspond to grass withered and burnt up. It is similar with man himself, for a man is such a man as the cognitions and knowledges are alive in him; for from living knowledges [scientiae] he has intelligence, but from knowledges not living he has no intelligence; and if they are dead in consequence of the confirmation of falsities by them there is insanity and folly.
[4] Such a man, from correspondence, is compared in the Word to "grass," and is also called "grass" in the following passages. In Isaiah:
The inhabitants have become as the herb of the field, as the greenness of the tender herb, as the grass of the housetops and as a field scorched before it is grown up (Isaiah 37:27; 2 Kings 19:26).
In David:
The wicked are cut down in haste as the grass, and wither as the greenness of the herb (Psalms 37:2).
In the same:
As for man, his days are as grass; as a flower of the field so he flourisheth (Psalms 103:15).
In the same:
The haters of Zion shall be as the grass of the housetops, which withereth before it is plucked up (Psalms 129:6).
In Isaiah:
The glory of Jehovah shall be revealed, and they shall see. The voice said, Cry; and he said, What shall I cry? All flesh is grass, and all its holiness is as the flower of the field; the grass hath dried up and the flower hath fallen off because the breath of Jehovah hath blown upon it. Surely the people is grass. The grass hath dried up, the flower hath fallen off; but the Word of our God shall stand up forever (Isaiah 40:5-8).
This is said of the Lord's coming, and of the revelation of Divine truth from Him at that time, which is meant by "the glory of Jehovah shall be revealed, and they shall see." That there will then be no true knowledge [scientificum] and no spiritual truth with men, is signified by "all flesh is grass, all its holiness is as the flower of the field; the grass hath dried up, the flower hath fallen off," "grass" meaning true knowledge, and "the flower of the field" spiritual truth. That man is such is meant by "all flesh is grass," and by "surely the people is grass; the grass is dried up;" "all flesh" meaning every man, and "people" those who are in truths, here those who are in falsities.
[5] In the same:
I am He that comforteth you; who art thou, that thou fearest man that dieth, and a son of man that is given for grass? (Isaiah 51:12).
These words signify that all things are from the Lord, and nothing from self-wisdom and self-intelligence. "Man" means man in respect to wisdom, and the "son of man" the same in respect to intelligence; that this latter is mere knowledge [scientifia] is meant by "is given for grass."
[6] In the same:
I will pour out My spirit upon thy seed, and My blessing upon thine offspring; and they shall spring up in the midst of the grass (Isaiah 44:3, 4).
The "spirit of Jehovah" signifies the Divine truth, and "blessing" signifies its multiplication and fructification; intelligence thence through true knowledges (scientifica) is signified by "springing up in the midst of the grass."
[7] In David:
Jehovah who causeth the grass to spring forth for the beast, and herb for the service of man (Psalms 104:14).
In the same:
Jehovah who prepareth rain for the earth, who maketh grass to spring forth upon the mountains, who giveth to the beast his food (Psalms 147:8, 9).
In Moses:
My doctrine shall flow down as the rain, My Word shall drop as the dew, as the mist on the grass, and as the drops on the herb (Deuteronomy 32:2).
In these passages "grass" signifies true knowledge [scientificum], and "the herb of the field" spiritual truth; for "the herb of the field" means what springs up in a field at first, that is, when it has just been plowed, therefore it is called "herb for the service of man." It is said "grass for the beast," and "as food for the beast," because "beast" signifies in the Word the affection of the natural man, and to this, true knowledge is for food and nourishment.
[8] In Job:
Behold the behemoth, which I made with thee; he eateth grass as an ox (Job 40:15).
"Behemoth" has the same meaning as "beast" in the Word, namely, the natural affections that belong to man, therefore it is said, "behold behemoth, which I have made with thee." His spiritual pasture is true knowledge; this is meant by "he eateth grass as an ox."
[9] That "green" signifies what is living can be seen without further explanation; for any vegetable subject while it is growing, that is, while it lives as it were, is green, but when it is no longer growing, or is as it were dying, its greenness perishes; therefore "green" or "to be green" signifies living or to be living; as can be seen also from the following passages (Jeremiah 11:16; 17:8; Ezekiel 17:24; 20:47; Hosea 14:8; Psalms 37:35; 52:8; 92:10) and elsewhere.
