Seeing this thread reminded me of a question I’ve been meaning to ask for, oh, days…
Randy Newman’s God’s Song refers to the story of Cain’s murder of Abel (and, possibly, other bible stories, maybe in pastiche).
full lyrics here.
**Cain slew Abel Seth knew not why
For if the children of Israel were to multiply
Why must any of the children die?
So he asked the Lord
And the Lord said:
Man means nothing he means less to me
Than the lowliest cactus flower
Or the humblest Yucca tree…**
Is there any biblical verse that correspond to God’s “response” given here?
No exact correspondence that I’m aware of, but if you want an example from the Bible of God sneering at man, check out the speech from the whirlwind in the Book of Job.
Bumping this just to say, mods if you think this’ll do better in Cafe Society please move it there, else let it die a slow and humiliating death.
I presume that ‘he asked’ in the lyric refers to Seth - if so, then the question about Israel is a perplexing one, because Israel (Isaac) wasn’t born until much later. (according to the Bible, anyway).
PlanMan
November 26, 2003, 1:20pm
5
Don’t know about yucca trees or cactus flowers; but in the New Testament, Man is compared favorably with sparrows:
Luke 12: 5 "But I will warn you whom to fear: fear the One who, after He has killed, has authority to cast into hell; yes, I tell you, fear Him! 6 "Are not five sparrows sold for two cents? Yet not one of them is forgotten before God. 7 " Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not fear; you are more valuable than many sparrows.
A search of The Bible Gateway on-line Bible, does not turn up either “yucca” or “cactus”.
And what Mangetout said, sounds like Mr. Newman is going for a good lyric, and not Biblical scholarship here.
And seeing as how Yucca trees cactii are not native to the areas where the bible was written…