The evil bow before the good; and the wicked at the gates of the righteous.
Ver. 19. The evil bow before the good.] Here they do so many times, as Joseph's brethren before him in his greatness, as Saul before Samuel, Belshazzar before Daniel, the persecuting tyrants before Constantine the Great; a yea, one of them, viz., Maximinus Galerius, being visited with grievous sickness, not only proclaimed liberty to the poor persecuted Christians, but also commanded their churches to be re-edified, and public prayers to be made for his recovery b So Ezra 6:10, "Pray for the king's life, and for his sons'," some of which had died in their minority; for the rest, therefore, prayer must be made by the Church. That place is well known, Isa 49:23 "Kings shall be thy nursing fathers, and their queens thy nursing mothers: they shall bow down to thee with their faces toward the earth, and lick up the dust of thy feet." The prophet seems to allude to the manner of the Persians, who, when they were to speak to their king, did first kiss the pavement whereon he trod. c Howsoever, natural consciences cannot but do homage to the image of God, stamped upon the natures and practices of the righteous, as is aforenoted; and the worst cannot but think well of such, and honour them in their hearts. In the life to come these things shall have their full accomplishment; and at the last day, when the saints shall judge the world, and Christ shall have put all things under his feet, so that they shall have "power over the nations." Rev 2:26
a Euseb.
b Ctesius.
c Pictorum solea basiare regum. - Martial.