Isaiah

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Basel's dance of death, forside  
 
Emanuel Büchel, Basel's dance of death
Bible quotes and preacher (Büchel, 1773)

The dance starts with quotes from Isaiah and the Book of Job.

The Bible texts have presumably been a part of the mural, as shown by Büchels watercolour (picture to the right). These Bible texts also introduce the dance in Huldreich Frölichs representation.

In contrast there are neither Bible quotes nor preacher in Kleinbasel, which raises the question whether the Bible quotes were a part of the original mural, or if they were added in 1568 when Hans Kluber renovated the mural.

Warnung Esaie am 40. Capitul.
ES spricht der Prophet Esaias,
Daß alles Fleisch ist Höw und Graß,
Sein Schöne wie die Blum im Feld,
Das Graß verdorrt, die Blum wird welck:
Vergleichts Volck dem Graß auff der Heyd,
Wanns HERRN Athem sie anwäyt,
Die Blum verreißt, das Graß verdorrt,
Doch bleibt in Ewigkeit sein Wort.		 Isaiah' warning in chapter 40
The Prophet Isaiah says
that all flesh is like hay and grass.
Its beauty is like the flower in the field,
the grass withers, the flower fades.
He compares people with the grass on the heath,
when the spirit of the Lord blows on them.
The flower is carried off, the grass withers.
Yet his word shall stand for ever.
 
Trost des Jobs am 19. Capitel.
Ich weiß daß mein Heyland thut leben
Christus, der mir hats Leben geben,
Wird mich auß der Erden erwecken,
Mein Gebein mit der Haut bedecken:
Und wird mein Fleisch GOtt lebend sehen,
Mit meinen Augen wirds geschehen. 		Job's comfort in chapter 19
I know my Saviour makes alive.
Christ who gave me the life,
will awaken me from the earth,
cover my bones with skin,
and my flesh will see God alive
with my eyes.(1) Let it happen.

Then comes the saying: »Was lebt, Das stirbt durch Adams Noth. Was stirbt, Das lebt durch Christi Todt.«, which is a slight rewrite of 1. Chorinthians 15:22: »For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.«. You might check the page about the Original Sin.

Footnotes: (1)

If you check in the Book of Job chapter 19, it doesn't say anything about Christ covering Job's bones with skin. How could it, when Jesus only appears in the New Testament? In fact the text says almost the opposite:
25: »For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth:«
26: »And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God:«
27: »Whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another; though my reins be consumed within me.«

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