Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Psalms 105:22
To bind his princes at his pleasure; and teach his senators wisdom.
To bind his princes at pleasure – Giving him absolute power. The power here referred to was that which was always claimed in despotic governments, and was, and is still, actually practiced in Oriental nations. Literally, to bind his princes by his soul; that is, at his will; or, as he chose.
And teach his senators wisdom – This is now an unhappy translation. The word senator in fact originally had reference to age (see Websters Dictionary), but it is now commonly applied to a body of men entrusted with a share in the administration of government – usually a higher body in a government – as the Senate of the United States. As these were usually aged men, the word has acquired its present meaning, and is now ordinarily used without reference to age. But there was no such constituted body in the government of Egypt – for despotism does not admit of such an arrangement. The Hebrew word here means aged men, and is employed with reference to those who were connected with the administration, or whom the monarch would consult – his counselors. The meaning of the phrase to teach them wisdom is, that he would instruct them what to do; literally, he would make them wise, that is, in reference to the administration. He had the right of commanding them, and directing them in the administration. At the same time, it is doubtless true that Joseph was endowed with practical wisdom in the affairs of government far beyond them, and that in instructing them what to do, he actually imparted wisdom to them.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Psa 105:22
To . . . teach His senators wisdom.
Wisdom-taught senators
I. Gods instruction of senators. Gods education of Joseph became the Divine education of the senators of Pharaoh; so we learn how statesmen are taught by God in all ages.
1. By the life-work of the great and good. The knowledge of Josephs biography would spread from the throne to the humblest tent in the land. An apprenticeship is needed for every great teacher and ruler of men.
2. By the events in a nations history. The Hebrews were now an incipient nation, of which Joseph was a member. Israel shall teach Egypt, and Egypt Israel. Whilst the Bible is the statesmans great manual, the facts of all history, rightly interpreted, are a high education in anticipative experience, and in the philosophy of life. The barbaric, feudal, and constitutional periods through which all nations pass, are intended by God to educate the statesman.
3. By insight into a nations needs. Joseph saw and taught what was coming upon Egypt, therefore he economized its resources. Valuable is vision and revelation! England needs men like Joseph, and those who learnt of him, in her senate-house; then should we obtain needful education, emigration, economy, and national unity.
II. Gods purpose in the instruction of senators. Every highly-gifted man is the bestow-ment of God upon the age in which he lives, and upon all subsequent ages. Joseph, Moses, David, Daniel, in Judaea; Socrates, Plato, Aristotle, Demosthenes, in Greece; Cicero, Marcus Aurelius, Boethius, in Rome; Goethe, Schlegel, Fichte, in Germany; Burke, Pitt, Peel, in England. Gods purpose in giving such men to a nation is–
1. The entire well-being of a country. Physical, mental, spiritual, domestic, social.
2. Advancement in scientific achievement. Egypt was scientific. The physical and spiritual resources of the universe are the gift of God for our development. God intended us to possess railways, telegraphs, machinery, and all other appliances of human progress.
3. Perfection of His creation. Perfect righteousness is the result of His will, and of all He has willed to create; therefore shall all things be gathered together in Christ. Inquire–
(1) How far have we wisdom-taught statesmen?
(2) How far is our nation a wise and understanding people? (W. N. Percival.)
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
To bind his princes by his commands, and if they were refractory, to punish them.
Teach his senators; his wisest counsellors, whom he commanded to receive instructions from Joseph upon all occasions.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
22. To bindNot literallybind; but exercise over them absolute control, as theparallel in the second clause shows; also Gen 41:40;Gen 41:44, in which not literalfettering, but commanding obedience, is spoken of. Itrefers to Ps 105:18. The soulthat was once bound itself now binds others, evenprinces. The same moral binding is assigned to the saints (Ps149:8).
teach . . . senatorswisdomthe ground of his exaltation by Pharaoh was his wisdom(Ge 41:39); namely, in statepolicy, and ordering well a kingdom.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
To bind his princes at his pleasure,…. Not to lay them in prison, and bind them with fetters, as he had been bound; but to give laws unto them as he pleased, and bind and oblige them to observe them: for, according to his word, all the people of Egypt, high and low, rich and poor, were to be ruled; and, without his leave, no man was to lift up his hand or foot in all the land, Ge 41:40. All Christ’s people are princes, to whom he gives laws at his pleasure, as one having authority, though they are not grievous; and these he binds, obliges, and constrains his people by love to observe, and which they do. Jarchi’s note is,
“this is an expression of love like that; and the soul of Jonathan was bound unto the soul of David: when he (Joseph) interpreted the dream, they all loved him.”
The Targum is,
“to bind his nobles as to his soul.”
And teach his senators wisdom; his elders, his privy counsellors: he made him president of his council; where he was a curb upon them, and restrained them from taking wrong or bad measures; so Schultens i, from the use of the word in the Arabic language, renders it, “to bridle”, or restrain his senators; which conveys an idea agreeable to the preceding clause. Nor were these the only persons he taught; he not only instructed the nobles and courtiers in politics, but the priests and men of learning in the arts and sciences; and all, no doubt, in the mysteries of the true religion, as he had an opportunity. And this is the source of the wisdom of the Egyptians, which Moses was afterwards brought up in; and for which that people were so famous, that many of the ancient philosophers, as Pythagoras, Plato, and others, travelled thither to acquire it. This they had from Joseph, and his people that dwelt in their land. Christ’s senators are his apostles and ministers, the elders that rule well, and labour in the word and doctrine: these are taught wisdom by him; the knowledge of divine and spiritual things; the words and doctrines of the wise are all from him, that one Shepherd; that they, as undershepherds and pastors, may feed others with knowledge and understanding.
i De Defect. Hod. Ling. Heb. s. 215.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
22. At his pleasure Hebrew, with his soul, a Hebraism for by his will. Absolute power.
And teach his senators wisdom He that could thus interpret dreams was justly placed over all wise men, magicians, necromancers, or astrologers, of the heathen. Compare Dan 2:48; Dan 4:9; Dan 4:18
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Psa 105:22. To bind his princes, &c. To command his princes at his pleasure, and to judge his senators. The Vulgate, LXX, and Arabic, read, That he might instruct his princes like himself, and teach, &c. See Wall on the place.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Psa 105:22 To bind his princes at his pleasure; and teach his senators wisdom.
Ver. 22. To bind his princes at his pleasure ] To overawe and to overrule them, to bind them in prison, if need so required, as himself had been bound, and that at his pleasure, or according to his own soul, sine consensu Pharaoh, saith Rabbi Solomon; without Pharaoh’s consent, as he dealt by Potiphar, say other Rabbis.
And teach his senators wisdom
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
at his pleasure = according to his soul (i.e. his will). Hebrew. nephesh.
senators = elders.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
teach: Gen 41:33, Gen 41:38, Isa 19:11
Reciprocal: Gen 39:21 – gave him Gen 41:40 – Thou shalt Gen 45:8 – father Act 5:21 – senate
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
105:22 To bind his {m} princes at his pleasure; and teach his senators wisdom.
(m) That the very princes of the countries would be at Joseph’s commandment, and learn wisdom from him.