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He does not allow the wicked to live,[a]
but he gives justice to the poor.
He does not take his eyes[b] off the righteous;
but with kings on the throne
he seats the righteous[c] and exalts them forever.[d]
But if they are bound in chains,[e]
and held captive by the cords of affliction,

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Footnotes

  1. Job 36:6 tn Or “he does not keep the wicked alive.”
  2. Job 36:7 tc Many commentators accept the change of “his eyes” to “his right” (reading דִּינוֹ [dino] for עֵינָיו [ʿenayv]). There is no compelling reason for the change; it makes the line commonplace.
  3. Job 36:7 tn Heb “them”; the referent (the righteous) has been repeated from the first part of the verse for clarity.
  4. Job 36:7 tn Heb “he seats them forever and exalts them.” The last verb can be understood as expressing a logical consequence of the preceding action (cf. GKC 328 §111.l = “he seats them forever so that he exalts them”). Or the two verbs can be taken as an adverbial hendiadys whereby the first modifies the second adverbially: “he exalts them by seating them forever” or “when he seats them forever” (cf. GKC 326 §111.d). Some interpret this verse to say that God seats kings on the throne, making a change in subject in the middle of the verse. But it makes better sense to see the righteous as the subject matter throughout—they are not only protected, but are exalted.
  5. Job 36:8 tn Dhorme thinks that the verse is still talking about kings, who may be in captivity. But this diverts attention from Elihu’s emphasis on the righteous.

He does not keep the wicked alive(A)
    but gives the afflicted their rights.(B)
He does not take his eyes off the righteous;(C)
    he enthrones them with kings(D)
    and exalts them forever.(E)
But if people are bound in chains,(F)
    held fast by cords of affliction,(G)

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