To imprison his high officials at will, That he might teach his elders wisdom.
Parallel translations
- WEB to discipline his princes at his pleasure, and to teach his elders wisdom.
- KJV To bind his princes at his pleasure; and teach his senators wisdom.
- BSB to instruct his princes as he pleased and teach his elders wisdom.
- NKJV To bind his princes at his pleasure, And teach his elders wisdom.
- NLT He could instruct the king’s aides as he pleased and teach the king’s advisers.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Joseph was given authority to direct Egypt's officials and instruct its elders. It matters because God's servant brought wisdom even to the nations.
Overview
Joseph governed Egypt's leaders and dispensed wise counsel that saved many lives during the famine (Genesis 41). His God-given wisdom benefited not only Israel but the surrounding peoples. It anticipates how God's saving wisdom, fully revealed in Christ, reaches beyond His covenant people to the nations.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 4
- Gen 41:38Pharaoh said to his servants, “Can we find such a one as this, a man in whom is the Spirit of God?”
- Gen 41:44Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I am Pharaoh, and without you shall no man lift up his hand or his foot in all the land of Egypt.”
- Gen 41:33“Now therefore let Pharaoh look for a discreet and wise man, and set him over the land of Egypt.
- Isa 19:11The princes of Zoan are utterly foolish. The counsel of the wisest counselors of Pharaoh has become stupid. How do you say to Pharaoh, “I am the son of the wise, the son of ancient kings?”
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
The Psalms are Christ's own prayer book and a gallery of his portraits — the suffering one of Psalm 22, the risen Lord of Psalm 16, the priest-king of Psalm 110, the Son to whom the nations are given.
How Psalms 105:22 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.