248. And therefore when man had regard to heavenly things, he was said to “walk erect” and to “look upward” or “forward” which means the same; but when he had regard to corporeal and earthly things, he was said to be “bowed to the earth” and to “look downward” or “backward.” As in Leviticus:

I am Jehovah your God, who brought you forth out of the land of Egypt, that ye should not be their bondmen; and I have broken the bonds of your yoke, and made you to go erect (Leviticus 26:13).

In Micah:

Ye shall not thence remove your necks, neither shall ye go erect (Micah 2:3).

In Jeremiah:

Jerusalem hath sinned a sin, therefore they despise her, because they have seen her nakedness; yea, she groaned and hath turned backward. From on high hath He sent fire into my bones, and hath made me to return backward; He hath made me desolate (Lamentations 1:8, 13).

And in Isaiah:

Jehovah thy Redeemer, that turneth wise men backward, and maketh foolish their knowledge (Isaiah 44:24-25).