Igziabeher (Let Jah Be Praised)
| "Igziabeher (Let Jah Be Praised)" | |
|---|---|
| Single by Peter Tosh | |
| from the album Legalize It | |
| Released | June 1976 |
| Format | 12" vinyl |
| Genre | Reggae |
| Length | 4:37 |
| Label | Columbia Records |
| Songwriter(s) | Peter Tosh |
Listen to the song Igziabeher (Let Jah Be Praised) or Buy it on amazon
"Igziabeher (Let Jah Be Praised)" is a reggae song written by Peter Tosh.[1]
Ge'ez, Amharic and Hebrew terms[edit]
The non-English terms in the title and lyrics are as follows:
- Igziabeher (Ge'ez and Amharic): Lord of a tribe or nation, i.e., God
- Jah (Hebrew): The first syllable of the Tetragrammaton, the personal name of the God of the Old Testament. In the Rastafari context it refers to Heile Selassie, the last emperor of Ethopia, whose name at birth was Ras Tafari Makonnen.
- Negusa nagast (Amharic): King of kings
- Medanialam (Amharic, also spelled Medhane alem): Savior of the world
Scriptural references[edit]
The Scriptural references in the lyrics are as follows:
- "He watereth the hills", "He maketh the grass to grow", "He made the herb for man": Psalm 104:13-14
- "Fret not thyself", "neither be thou envious", "For they shall soon be cut down ... like grass": Psalm 37:1-2
- "Let Jah arise", "let all his enemies be scattered", "As the smoke was driven away", "As the wax melted": Psalm 68:1-2
- Lightning: Revelation 4:5
- Brimstone and fire: Psalm 11:6, Isaiah 30:33, Isaiah 34:9, Ezekiel 38:22, Luke 17:29, Revelation 9:17, Revelation 9:18, Revelation 14:10, Revelation 19:20, Revelation 20:10, Revelation 21:8
"Kill them dead"[edit]
The lyrics end with a refrain that appears to fantasize about or encourage violence: "Kill them dead before them spread". Tosh's thinking at the time is possibly explained by this quote from 1977: "We are the victims of Rasclot circumstances. Victimization, colonialism, gonna lead to bloodbath".[2] The phrase "kill them dead" also appears in the song "Kill Them Dead", which was released by reggae artist King Sounds in 1979 on his album Come Zion Side Happiness.
References[edit]
- ↑ "Igziabeher (Let Jah Be Praised) – Peter Tosh – Song Info – AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved June 28, 2020.
- ↑ Davis, Stephen (1977). Reggae Bloodlines. ISBN 9780306804960. Search this book on
New page for the song Igziabeher (Let Jah Be Praised) by Peter Tosh.[edit]
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