All flesh is grass

All flesh is grass ( kol-habbāsār ḥāṣīr)Hebrew Text Analysis: Isaiah 40:6. Biblehub is a phrase found in the Old Testament book of Isaiah, chapter 40, verses 6–8. The English text in King James Version is as follows: KJV

A more modern text, English Standard Version, reads: ESV

Analysis In the New Testament the phrase reoccurs in the First Epistle of Peter (see 1 Peter 1:24; , pasa sarx hōs chortosGreek Text Analysis: 1 Peter 1:24. Biblehub). It was a commonly used epitaph, frequently found for example on old ledger stones and monuments in churches in 17th century England. The phrase is interpreted to mean that human life is transitory ('impotent, perishing, limited').Keil, Carl Friedrich; Delitzsch, Franz. ’’Commentary on the Old Testament’’ (1857-1878). Isaiah 40. Accessed September 24, 2019.

Uses It has been used in various works, including: Year Title Creator Type Notes Ref c. 1570 King Edward VI and the Pope Unknown Painting Inscribed on the pope's chest 1599 The Shoemakers' Holiday Thomas Dekker Play 1852 The Old Nurses Story Elizabeth Gaskell Short story "Flesh is grass, they do say..." Morton and Klinger, eds. Weird Women: Classic Supernatural Fiction by Groundbreaking Female Writers 1852-1923, p.7. 1855Leaves of GrassWalt WhitmanPoetry with prosaic introduction 1865-1868 "Denn alles Fleisch es ist wie Gras" Johannes Brahms Choral composition The second movement of the German Requiem, used as text 1886 "Arithmetic on the Frontier" Rudyard Kipling Poem Used in the first stanza 1889 - En vänlig grönskas rika dräkt Carl David af Wirsén Hymn Mid to late 1800s "All Flesh is Grass" Christina Rossetti Poem 1921-1923 The Good Soldier Švejk and His Fortunes in the World War Jaroslav Hašek Novel The volunteer Marek recites it to Švejk 1931 "Difficulties of a Statesman" T. S. Eliot Poem 1938 The Code of the Woosters PG Wodehouse Novel Quoted by Bertie Wooster 1939 "Ten Songs" W. H. Auden Poem Used in the third stanza of the ninth poem 1965 All Flesh is Grass Clifford D. Simak Novel 1972 The Bird of Night Susan Hill Novel 1980 Heaven's Gate Michael Cimino (writer/director) Film John Hurt's character Billy Irvine mutters it to himself 1985 "War Photographer" Carol Ann Duffy Poem It describes the sights seen in war photographs The Handmaid's Tale Margaret Atwood Novel In "Waiting Room: Chapter 8," Aunt Lydia references it incorrectly as "all flesh is weak" 1994 Cracker Ted Whitehead (writer) TV show The phrase appears in the episode "The Big Crunch" 1996 "6ix" The Lemonheads Song On the album Car Button Cloth 2001 All Flesh Is Grass Madder Mortem Album 2004 All flesh is Grass: Pleasures & Promises of Pasture Farming Gene Logsdon Nonfiction book 2006 The Omnivore's Dilemma Michael Pollan Nonfiction book 2014"Soldier of God"Ken Theriot (Musician)SongThe phrase appears in the third verse 2020 "All Flesh Is Grass" Una McCormack Novel A Doctor Who companion

See also Swords into ploughshares Straw dog

References