The opening lines of this song echo the story of Joseph
in the Old Testament. Please see 'Characters of the Old
Testament'
for a brief summary of Joseph's story. |
Bob Marley - Redemption
Song
Song
Lyrics
|
Biblical
Reference
|
Old
pirates yes they rob I
Sold I to the merchant ships
Minutes after they took I
From the bottom-less pit |
Genesis
37:23-28 - And it came to pass,
when Joseph was come unto his brethren, that they
stript Joseph out of his coat, his coat of many
colours that was on him; And they took him, and
cast him into a pit: and the pit was empty, there
was no water in it. And they sat down to eat
bread: and they lifted up their eyes and looked,
and, behold, a company of Ishmeelites came from
Gilead with their camels bearing spicery and balm
and myrrh, going to carry it down to Egypt. And
Judah said unto his brethren, What profit is it
if we slay our brother, and conceal his blood?
Come, and let us sell him to the Ishmeelites, and
let not our hand be upon him; for he is our
brother and our flesh. And his brethren were
content. Then there passed by Midianites
merchantmen; and they drew and lifted up Joseph
out of the pit, and sold Joseph to the
Ishmeelites for twenty pieces of silver: and they
brought Joseph into Egypt. |
But my hand was
made strong
By the hand of the Almighty |
Genesis
49:24 - But his bow abode in
strength, and the arms of his hands were made
strong by the hands of the mighty God of Jacob;
(from thence is the shepherd, the stone of
Israel:) |
We forward in
this generation triumphantly
Won't you help to sing these songs of freedom?
Cause all I ever had redemption songs,
Redemption songs
Emancipate yourselves from mental slavery
None but ourselves can free our minds
Have no fear for atomic energy
Cause none of them can stop the time |
|
How long shall
they kill our prophets
While we stand aside and look? |
Matthew
23:34 - Wherefore, behold, I
send unto you prophets, and wise men, and
scribes: and some of them ye shall kill and
crucify; and some of them shall ye scourge in
your synagogues, and persecute them from city to
city:
Matthew 23:37
- O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the
prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto
thee, how often would I have gathered thy
children together, even as a hen gathereth her
chickens under her wings, and ye would not!
Romans 11:3 -
Lord, they have killed thy prophets, and digged
down thine altars; and I am left alone, and they
seek my life. |
| Ooh, some say
it's just a part of it |
|
| We've got to
fulfil the book |
Mark
14:49 - I was daily with you in
the temple teaching, and ye took me not: but the
scriptures must be fulfilled.
Luke 24:44 -
And he said unto them, These are the words which
I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that
all things must be fulfilled, which were written
in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in
the psalms, concerning me. |
Won't you help
to sing
These songs of freedom?
Cause all I ever had redemption songs,
Redemption songs, redemption songs
Emancipate yourselves from mental slavery
None but ourselves can free our minds
Whoa! Have no fear for atomic energy
Cause none of them can stop the time
How long shall they kill our prophets
While we stand aside and look?
Yes, some say it's just a part of it
We've got to fulfil the book
Won't you help to sing
These songs of freedom?
Cause all I ever had, redemption songs
All I ever had, redemption songs
These songs of freedom, songs of freedom |
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