1) Hunter originally wrote this as "Moses come riding up on a guitar." That was what Weir sang in very early versions, but he subsequently changed the lyrics to "... on a quasar" - having also used "car" in intermediate versions. Thanks to Brian Poronsky for this information.
(2) some have suggested it should be "His buckler was silver ..." This would make equal sense, but Robert Hunter's printed lyrics in "Box Of Rain" show it as "buckle."
Moses come riding up on a quasar (note 1)
His spurs was a-jingling, the door was ajar
His buckle was silver, his manner was bold (note 2)
I asked him to come on in out of the cold
His brain was boiling, his reason was spent
Nothing is borrowed, nothing is lent
I asked him for mercy, he gave me a gun
Now and again these things just got to be done
Abraham and Isaac sitting on a fence
Get right to work if you have any sense
You know the one thing we need is a left-hand monkey wrench
Gideon come in with his eyes on the floor
Says, "you ain't got a hinge, you can't close the door"
Moses stood up a full six foot ten
Said "you can't close the door when the wall's caved in"
I asked him for water he poured me some wine
We finished the bottle then broke into mine
You get what you come for, you're ready to go
And it's one in ten thousand done come for the show
Abraham and Isaac digging on a well
Mama come quick with the water witch spell
Cool clear water where you can't never tell