Zechariah 3:10 In that day, saith the LORD of hosts, shall ye call every man his neighbour under the vine and under the fig tree. A reference to this effect can be found in a 1787 issue of the New-York Journal, alluding to the idea of the oppressed of other nations having a place to go for refuge.8. The phrase refers to the independence of the peasant farmer who is freed from military oppression.5 In the biblical passage there is a juxtaposition of the simple life with that of royalty or the state.6 Thus, it would seem that Washington's use of "vine and fig tree" in its full context would be an appropriate message in the setting of the American Revolution and the founding of the United States. Its such a frequent reference that the same phrasing appears in both the Nicene Creed and the Apostles Creed, which many Christian churches recite every Sunday as part of their liturgy. "I'm not going to in any way gloss over what we've seen," she says. George Washington, the first president of the United States, also had his own special glimpse of what the future nation would look like. Everyone will sit under their own vine and under their own fig tree, and no one will make them afraid, for the Lord Almighty has spoken. Hamilton was a religious man as well, and he read everything, including the Bible. If you have any questions, please review our Privacy Policy or email us at privacy@biblegateway.com. For the mouth of the LORD of Hosts has spoken. The use of Micah 4:4 in Hamilton acts as the audiences quick look into Washingtons desire without having the characters give the entire farewell address, which fully outlines Washingtons future United States. The Biden administration seems committed to working on repairing racial injustice, and Gormans presence on the stage as a young Black woman was inspiring symbol. READ: Transcript of Amanda Gorman's inaugural poem | The Hill The people of the United Statesand, in the context of Hamilton, the audiencehave come to rely on that fact. In this truth, in this faith we trust, for while we have our eyes on the future, history has its eyes on us. [10], On December 21, 2018, "One Last Time (44 Remix)" featuring Original Broadway Cast Member Christopher Jackson, BeBe Winans, and 44th President of the United States Barack Obama was released as the final "Hamildrop". Need help with homework? Amanda Gorman reads "The Hill We Climb" at Biden's inauguration When day comes, we ask ourselves, where can we find light in this never-ending shade? We see the hopeful vision of Micah 4:4 invoked during the historical Washingtons farewell address. The phrase is also notably found in a well-known letter that Washington wrote to the Hebrew Congregation in Newport, Rhode Island. So let us leave behind a country better than the one we were left. Read full chapter Micah 4:4 in all English translations Micah 3 Micah 5 New International Version (NIV) Alissa Wilkinson is Christianity Todays critic at large and an assistant professor of English and humanities at The Kings College in New York City. . And so in that particular song we owe a very specific debt and really, more to will.i.am [who wrote the song] than Obama but to Obama. The hymn On Jordans Stormy Banks, written by British Seventh Day Baptist minister Samuel Stennett, is contemporary with Hamiltons settingit was first published in 1787and became popular in 19th-century America thanks to camp meetings. 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. The 22-year-old Los Angeles resident, youth poet laureate of Los Angeles, first national youth poet laureate and Harvard graduate was invited to speak at the event by First Lady Jill Biden, who had previously seen the poet do a reading at the Library of Congress. We, the successors of a country and a time where a skinny Black girl descended from slaves and raised by a single mother can dream of becoming president, only to find herself reciting for one. Scripture tells us to envision that everyone shall sit under their own vine and fig tree And no one shall make them afraid If we're to live up to our own time Then victory won't. The phrase the other side recurs throughout the show: Hamilton tells Burr in The Story of Tonight reprise that hell see him on the other side of the war, and tells Lafayette in Yorktown that hell see you on the other side. But he invokes the term most obviously, and with different implications, in the moments after hes been shot and the world slows to bullet speed while his life flashes before his eyes. That is the promise to glade, the hill we climb if only we dare. This contrasts with Washington, who purposefully withdraws his influence to let the United States flourish. These are the first five lines of the show, and they suggest, in a parlance favored at that time, that Hamiltons place in history was fixed by Providenceor God. The Meaning of Amanda Gorman's Poem "The Hill We Climb - Cosmopolitan By stepping down hell retain his idealist future for his country and enjoy its citizenry in his final years. (LogOut/ If we're to live up to her own time, then victory won't lie in the blade, but in all the bridges we've made. In this moment, he starts to see those who have passed away alreadyhis friend John Laurens, his mother, his son Philip, George Washington. like the scripture says: "everyone shall sit under their own vine, and fig tree. Here hes singing of his newborn son Philip, and borrowing from biblical suggestions that the glory of the Lord is brighter than the sun (Isaiah 60:9, for instance). Scripture tells us to envision that everyone shall sit under their own vine and fig tree and no one shall make them afraid. The Schuyler sisters in 'Hamilton: An American Musical'. In addition to the Farewell Address, the song also quotes a verse of the Bible: "Everyone shall sit under their own vine and fig tree, and no one shall make them afraid" (Micah 4:4, 1 Kings 4:25 and 2 Kings 18:31). Watch this obnoxious, arrogant, loudmouth bother / Be seated on the right hand of the father. In Hamilton, Micah 4:4 tells the audience the future Washington wants for the United States: a home where all can be safe and unafraid. In Zechariah and 1 Kings, it also refers to a new and prosperous time after suffering. Were happy to make this story available to republish for free, unless it originated with JTA, Haaretz or another publication (as indicated on the article) and as long as you follow our guidelines. What Washington wants is an idealized country, hence his encouragement to seek justice and benevolence in his farewell address. Please use Chrome, Safari, Firefox, or Edge to view this site. Washington was trying to emphasize the importance of religious liberty in the new country. And you can see the point, given that people are frequently awful, but the world is still spinning. We will not be turned around or interrupted by intimidation because we know our inaction and inertia will be the inheritance of the next generation, become the future. Does the Bible Condemn Using Tarot Cards? Scripture tells us to envision. NLT 4 Everyone will live in peace and prosperity, enjoying their own grapevines and fig trees, for there will be nothing to fear.