Job 36:7 kjv
He withdraweth not his eyes from the righteous: but with kings are they on the throne; yea, he doth establish them for ever, and they are exalted.
Job 36:7 nkjv
He does not withdraw His eyes from the righteous; But they are on the throne with kings, For He has seated them forever, And they are exalted.
Job 36:7 niv
He does not take his eyes off the righteous; he enthrones them with kings and exalts them forever.
Job 36:7 esv
He does not withdraw his eyes from the righteous, but with kings on the throne he sets them forever, and they are exalted.
Job 36:7 nlt
He never takes his eyes off the innocent,
but he sets them on thrones with kings
and exalts them forever.
Job 36 7 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Ps 33:18 | Behold, the eye of the LORD is on those who fear Him... | God's watchful eye on the godly. |
| Ps 34:15 | The eyes of the LORD are toward the righteous, and His ears toward their cry. | God's attentive care for the righteous. |
| 1 Pet 3:12 | For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and His ears are open to their prayer. | New Testament affirmation of God's gaze. |
| Ps 121:3-4 | He who keeps you will not slumber; behold, He who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. | God's constant, vigilant protection. |
| Isa 49:15 | Can a woman forget her nursing child... I will not forget you. | God's unchanging remembrance and commitment. |
| Ps 37:23-24 | The steps of a man are established by the LORD... though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down. | God's upholding hand despite setbacks. |
| Prov 15:3 | The eyes of the LORD are in every place, keeping watch on the evil and the good. | God's omnipresent observation. |
| 1 Sam 2:8 | He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the ash heap; He seats them with princes and makes them inherit a throne of honor. | God's power to humble and to exalt. |
| Ps 75:7 | but it is God who judges; He brings one down, He exalts another. | God's sovereign control over promotion. |
| Ps 113:7-8 | He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the ash heap, to make them sit with princes, with the princes of His people. | Divine elevation of the lowly to honor. |
| Lk 1:52 | He has brought down the mighty from their thrones and exalted those of humble estate. | God's kingdom principle of exaltation. |
| Jas 4:10 | Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will exalt you. | Humility as a path to divine exaltation. |
| 1 Pet 5:6 | Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time He may exalt you... | God's timing for raising the humble. |
| Rev 3:21 | The one who conquers, I will grant him to sit with me on my throne, as I also conquered and sat down with My Father on His throne. | Ultimate spiritual co-reigning and honor. |
| Rom 8:17 | ...and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ... | Future spiritual inheritance and joint reign. |
| Dan 2:21 | He changes times and seasons; He removes kings and sets up kings... | God's supreme authority over rulers. |
| Matt 23:12 | Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted. | Jesus' teaching on humility and honor. |
| Eph 2:6 | and raised us up with Him and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus... | Present spiritual seating in Christ. |
| Ps 1:3 | He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season... In all that he does, he prospers. | Stability and fruitfulness for the righteous. |
| Ps 37:11 | But the meek shall inherit the land and delight themselves in abundant prosperity. | Promise of secure dwelling and blessings. |
Job 36 verses
Job 36 7 Meaning
Job 36:7 asserts God's unwavering and active attention towards the righteous. It conveys that He consistently observes and cares for them. Furthermore, it promises that God not only watches over the upright but also establishes them in positions of lasting honor and stability, elevating them to a status comparable to that of royalty, enduring eternally. This signifies divine vindication and a reversal of perceived misfortunes.
Job 36 7 Context
Job 36:7 is part of Elihu's discourse to Job and his friends, specifically from Job chapters 32 to 37. Elihu, the youngest of the friends, asserts a more nuanced and profound understanding of God's ways than his elders. His arguments serve as a bridge between the friends' rigid dogma of suffering equaling sin and Job's profound despair and questions regarding God's justice. In chapter 36, Elihu emphasizes God's majesty, wisdom, and righteous governance. He argues that God is not indifferent or unjust but uses various means, including affliction, to instruct, purify, and eventually deliver the righteous. Verse 7 specifically counters Job's sense of abandonment by affirming God's continuous and active involvement in the lives of the righteous, promising their ultimate vindication and establishment in honor. Elihu seeks to remind Job of God's sovereign power and moral integrity, reassuring him that suffering is not always punishment, and that God never truly forsakes the upright.
Job 36 7 Word analysis
He withdraweth not:
- Hebrew: יִגְרַע (yigraʿ). Meaning: to diminish, withhold, hold back, lessen.
- Significance: This emphasizes the continuous, ceaseless nature of God's attention. He does not reduce, slacken, or ever cease His watchful care. It directly confronts Job's feelings of abandonment and divine distance. God is not passive but actively engaged.
His eyes:
- Hebrew: עֵינָיו (`eināv). Meaning: eyes, sight, look.
- Significance: "Eyes" represent direct, active oversight, discernment, and care. It implies knowing, perceiving, and maintaining a steadfast gaze, symbolizing constant vigilance and detailed attention. God is acutely aware of the righteous and their condition.
from the righteous:
- Hebrew: מִצַּדִּיק (mittsaddiq), here plural צַדִּיקִים (tzaddiqim) implied from the verb "setteth them". Meaning: righteous, just, upright, vindicated.
- Significance: This specific designation identifies those whom God watches. It implies not just morally upright individuals in a general sense, but those who are in a right standing with God through faith and obedient living. This is particularly poignant in Job's context, as he consistently claimed his own righteousness despite his suffering, challenging his friends' view. Elihu affirms that such persons, even in trials, remain under God's watchful eye.
but with kings on the throne He setteth them:
- but with kings: Hebrew: וְאֶת־מְלָכִים (v'et-melakhim).
- Kings (מְלָכִים - melakhim): Refers to rulers, sovereigns. Symbolizes positions of highest authority, dignity, and influence.
- Significance: This is a powerful image contrasting Job's lowly, despised state. It speaks of divine elevation. The righteous are not just watched but are placed alongside or even as kings. This represents status, security, and honor beyond typical human achievement, conferred by God Himself.
- on the throne: Hebrew: לַכִּסֵּא (lakhissē). Meaning: a seat of power, a symbol of sovereignty and stability.
- Significance: Reinforces the idea of secure authority and a permanent, established position. It’s a metaphor for true dignity and lasting rule or influence, ordained by God.
- He setteth them: Hebrew: וַיֹּשִׁיבֵם (vayoshibâm). Meaning: He causes them to dwell, to seat them, to establish them.
- Significance: Indicates God's active involvement in placing the righteous in positions of honor and stability. This is not an accidental or temporary state but a deliberate act of divine providence to grant them an enduring place.
- but with kings: Hebrew: וְאֶת־מְלָכִים (v'et-melakhim).
forever:
- Hebrew: לָנֶצַח (lânetzaḥ). Meaning: forever, perpetually, enduringly, eternally.
- Significance: Highlights the permanence of the status God bestows. Unlike earthly kings and their fluctuating power, the exaltation granted by God is lasting and eternal. This brings comfort to those suffering temporary affliction, promising ultimate, enduring vindication.
and they are exalted:
- Hebrew: וַיָּרוּמוּ (vayyârumu). Meaning: they are lifted up, become high, raised up.
- Significance: The direct result of God's action. This signifies a rise in status, honor, victory, and renown. It is the final affirmation that despite temporary degradation, the righteous will ultimately be lifted up and vindicated by God. It directly contrasts Job's current low status.
Job 36 7 Bonus section
Elihu's discourse in Job 36 introduces a crucial shift in the book of Job, moving beyond mere retribution theology. He subtly introduces the concept that God is not only sovereign in power but also wise in judgment, using various means for humanity's good, even through what appears to be suffering. This verse is key to understanding Elihu’s belief in a benevolent God who uses circumstances not just for punishment, but also for correction, testing, and ultimate refinement of the righteous. It sets the stage for God's direct intervention in Job 38-41, as it foreshadows Job's ultimate vindication and restoration of his status and blessings (Job 42). The phrase "setteth them forever" provides an eschatological comfort, implying a secure future that transcends earthly temporal trials, finding its ultimate fulfillment in the believer's eternal reign with Christ.
Job 36 7 Commentary
Elihu's statement in Job 36:7 stands as a powerful testament to God's character, directly addressing Job's despair and the friends' flawed theology. It counters the pervasive human tendency to equate suffering with divine displeasure or abandonment. Elihu declares that God’s oversight of the righteous is continuous and unwavering—He never looks away. This implies not just a passive observation, but an active, watchful care that permeates every aspect of their lives, even in affliction.
Furthermore, the verse promises a profound reversal of fortune. Far from being forgotten or cast down, the righteous are destined for lasting exaltation. By comparing their placement to "kings on the throne," Elihu emphasizes God's intent to elevate the upright to positions of honor, authority, and secure standing. This imagery speaks to divine vindication and the restoration of dignity, regardless of present circumstances. The inclusion of "forever" signifies the eternal and unbreakable nature of this divine blessing, ensuring that their ultimate status and honor are secure in God's eternal plan. It reassures that though trials may test them, God's just hand will ultimately establish and honor those who remain steadfast in righteousness. This message resonates with the core Christian understanding of a God who brings good out of all things for those who love Him, and whose ultimate purpose is to bring His children into His eternal kingdom of glory and co-reign.