Grass

Grass (Hebrew ḥāṣîr, deše'; Greek chortos) is a recurring biblical metaphor for the brevity and fragility of human life. The classic expression is Isaiah 40:6–8: "All flesh is grass, and all the goodliness thereof is as the flower of the field: the grass withereth, the flower fadeth... but the word of our God shall stand for ever." This image is taken up in 1 Peter 1:24 and James 1:10–11. In contrast, Jesus' reference to God clothing "the grass of the field" (Matt. 6:30) grounds the argument for divine provision: if God so adorns what is temporary and common, how much more will he provide for his children? The rapid growth and withering of grass in the Near Eastern dry season makes it an apt illustration of human transience.