Many are talking about the wonderful poem and vision of 22-year-old National Youth Poet Laureate Amanda Gorman at Biden’s inauguration. Gorman was fantastic – like somebody dropped down from another place – colorful and warm in a cold and dark crowd, speaking clearly and intentionally among politicians, youthful and optimistic in an old crowd.
At about 2:20″ into her reading of “The Hill We Climb“, your ears may have perked with the line starting “Scripture tells us…” Here’s Gorman’s complete verse:
“Scripture tells us to envision that everyone shall sit under their own vine and fig tree. And no one shall make them afraid.” (Amanda Gorman)
A quick online search reveals this line comes to us from Micah, Zechariah, and 1 Kings, with an unlikely detour through George Washington, Lin-Manuel Miranda, and Hamilton!
Let’s start with George, who used the line in a 1790 speech now known as Washington’s Letter to the Hebrew Congregations of Newport, Rhode Island. Assuring his audience of religious liberty and peace, Washington spoke a line from Micah 4:4,
“May the children of the stock of Abraham who dwell in this land continue to merit and enjoy the good will of the other inhabitants – while every one shall sit in safety under his own vine and fig tree and there shall be none to make him afraid.” (George Washington)
Washington evidently loved this line and used it some fifty times in speech and writing, associating it with the peace of the United States, religious liberty, and even his own Mount Vernon home.
Moving forward 225 years to Act 2 of Hamilton, Lin-Manuel Miranda has George Washington singing for peace in the United States for the citizens and himself. The song is “One Last Time“, around 2:00”, as Washington tells Hamilton that he intends to retire and not seek the Presidency:
“If I say goodbye, the nation learns to move on
It outlives me when I’m gone
Like the scripture says:
“Everyone shall sit under their own vine and fig tree
And no one shall make them afraid.”
They’ll be safe in the nation we’ve made
I wanna sit under my own vine and fig tree
A moment alone in the shade
At home in this nation we’ve made
One last time” (Lin-Manuel Miranda)
To update this antiquated blog format, here’s a Tweet for you:
(Btw, if you’re a fan, all the Bible references in Hamilton are listed and discussed here.)
So what are the Bible sources for the “vine and fig tree”? There are three: 1 Kings 4:25, Micah 4:4, and Zechariah 3:8-10.
The reference in 1 Kings is to the peace and plenty for everyone living under the reign of King Solomon:
“During Solomon’s lifetime Judah and Israel, from Dan to Beersheba, lived in safety, everyone under their own vine and under their own fig tree.“ (1 Kings 4:25)
Zechariah 3:8-10 looks forward to the future peace brought by Jesus the Branch:
“I am going to bring my servant, the Branch. … ‘and I will remove the sin of this land in a single day. … “In that day each of you will invite your neighbor to sit under your vine and fig tree,’ declares the Lord Almighty.” (Zechariah 3:8-10)
Micah 4:4 is the verse likely used by Gorman, Washington, and Miranda because all include the second phrase about lack of fear. Micah refers to the last days, and includes the familiar line of beating swords into plowshares:
“In the last days
…They will beat their swords into plowshares
and their spears into pruning hooks.
Nation will not take up sword against nation,
nor will they train for war anymore.
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.” (Micah 4:1, 3-4)
Amen. Surely when the Almighty speaks, others listen, and repeat.
Agree or disagree? I’d be interested in hearing what you think – and especially if you have additions or corrections – if I’m wrong, please let me know how!
words on The Word 