Psalms 105:22

to discipline his princes at his pleasure, and to teach his elders wisdom.

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WEBBE

to discipline his princes at his pleasure, and to teach his elders wisdom.

BSB

to instruct his princes as he pleased and teach his elders wisdom.

ASV

To bind his princes at his pleasure, And teach his elders wisdom.

Original Hebrew

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לֶאְסֹר le'·sor to bind H631 שָׂרָיו sa·rav officials his H8269 בְּנַפְשׁוֹ be·naf·sho in will his H5315 וּזְקֵנָיו u·ze·ke·nav and elders his H2205 יְחַכֵּם ye·cha·kem he taught wisdom H2449

The early church

"He made him lord also of his house: and ruler of all his substance" [Psalm 105:21]. "That he might inform his princes like himself, and teach his old men wisdom" [Psalm 105:22]. The Greek has, "and teach his elders wisdom." Which might altogether be rendered to the letter thus; "Might inform his princes like himself, and make his elders wise." The word translated old men being presbyters or elders, not gerontas, old men: and to teach wisdom being from the Greek to sophize, which cannot be rendered by a single word in Latin, and is from the word sophia, wisdom, different from prudence, which is in Greek phronesis. Yet we do not read this in the high elevation of Joseph, as we read not of fetters in his low estate. But how could it happen that so great a man, the worshipper of the One True God, while in Egypt, should have been intent upon the nourishing of bodies, and the government of carnal matters only, and have felt no anxiety for souls, and how he could render them better? But those things are written in that history, which, according to the intention of the writer, in whom was the Holy Spirit, were judged sufficient for signifying future events in that narration.

Augustine of Hippo · d. 430Expositions on the Psalms

Commentary

Matthew Henry · Verses 8–23

Let us remember the Redeemer's marvellous works, his wonders, and the judgments of his mouth. Though true Christians are few number, strangers and pilgrims upon earth, yet a far better inheritance than Canaan is made sure to them by the covenant of God; and if we have the anointing of the Holy Spirit, none can do us any harm. Afflictions are among our mercies. They prove our faith and love, they humble our pride, they wean us from the world, and quicken our prayers. Bread is the staff which supports life; when that staff is broken, the body fails and sinks to the earth. The word of God is the staff of spiritual life, the food and support of the soul: the sorest judgment is a famine of hearing the word of the Lord. Such a famine was sore in all lands when Christ appeared in the flesh; whose coming, and the blessed effect of it, are shadowed forth in the history of Joseph. At the appointed time Christ was exalted as Mediator; all the treasures of grace and salvation are at his disposal, perishing sinners come to him, and are relieved by him.

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Spurgeon · Verse 22

To bind his princes at his pleasure. He who was bound obtains authority to bind. He is no longer kept in prison, but keeps all the prisons, and casts into them the greatest nobles when justice demands it. And teach his senators wisdom. The heads of the various peoples, the elders of the nations, learned from him the science of government, the art of providing for the people. Joseph was a great instructor in political economy, and we doubt not that he mingled with it the purest morals, the most upright jurisprudence, and something of that divine wisdom without which the most able senators remain in darkness. The king's authority made him absolute both in the executive and in the legislative courts, and the Lord instructed him to use his power with discretion. What responsibilities and honours loaded the man who had been rejected by his brothers, and sold for twenty pieces of silver! What glories crown the head of that greater one who was "separated from his brethren."

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Cross-references

Topics

Senate

Cross-references: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. Hebrew and Greek data from STEPBible.org (Tyndale House, Cambridge), CC BY 4.0. Library: sources.