Job 36:6

King James Version:

(The Lord speaking is red text)

He preserveth not the life of the wicked: but giveth right to the poor.

Complete Jewish Bible:

He does not preserve the lives of the wicked, but he gives justice to the poor.

Berean Standard Bible:

He does not keep the wicked alive, but He grants justice to the afflicted.

American Standard Version:

He preserveth not the life of the wicked, But giveth to the afflicted their right.

KJV with Strong’s Numbers:

He preserveth not the life^{H2421} of the wicked^{H7563}: but giveth^{H5414} right^{H4941} to the poor^{H6041}.

Cross-References (KJV):

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Commentary for Job 36:6

Job 36:6 is a verse from the Book of Job, which is part of the Wisdom Literature in the Hebrew Bible or the Old Testament. The Book of Job deals with the question of why the righteous suffer and whether suffering is a consequence of sin. It is set in a narrative framework where Job, a prosperous and devout man, is afflicted with suffering as a test of his faith, orchestrated by Satan with God's permission.

The verse itself is part of a speech by Elihu, one of Job's friends, who enters the dialogue to offer his perspective on Job's plight. Elihu is a younger man who has been listening to the conversations between Job and his other friends, Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar. He is critical of both Job's self-justification and his friends' inability to refute Job or to justify God's ways adequately.

In Job 36:6, Elihu asserts that God does not preserve the life of the wicked, implying that their actions will ultimately lead to their downfall. Conversely, he states that God gives right to the poor, suggesting that God is just and concerned with the plight of the oppressed and marginalized. This verse reflects a common theme in the Wisdom Literature and the broader Hebrew Bible, which is the belief in divine justice and righteousness. It underscores the idea that, despite appearances, God is in control and will ensure that justice prevails, rewarding the righteous and punishing the wicked.

The historical context of the Book of Job is somewhat uncertain, with estimates of its composition ranging from the second millennium BCE to as late as the Persian period (539-332 BCE). The themes of the book, however, resonate with ancient Near Eastern questions about theodicy and the nature of divine justice, which were pertinent to the Israelites as they sought to understand their relationship with God in the face of suffering and injustice.

*This commentary is produced by Microsoft/WizardLM-2-8x22B AI model

Strong's Numbers and Definitions:

Note: H = Hebrew (OT), G = Greek (NT)

1. Strong's Number: H2421
   There are 235 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: חָיָה
   Transliteration: châyâh
   Pronunciation: khaw-yaw'
   Description: a primitive root (compare חָוָה, חָיָה); to live, whether literally or figuratively; causatively, to revive; keep (leave, make) alive, [idiom] certainly, give (promise) life, (let, suffer to) live, nourish up, preserve (alive), quicken, recover, repair, restore (to life), revive, ([idiom] God) save (alive, life, lives), [idiom] surely, be whole.
   
2. Strong's Number: H7563
   There are 249 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: רָשָׁע
   Transliteration: râshâʻ
   Pronunciation: raw-shaw'
   Description: from רָשַׁע; morally wrong; concretely, an (actively) bad person; [phrase] condemned, guilty, ungodly, wicked (man), that did wrong.
   
3. Strong's Number: H5414
   There are 1816 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: נָתַן
   Transliteration: nâthan
   Pronunciation: naw-than'
   Description: a primitive root; to give, used with greatest latitude of application (put, make, etc.); add, apply, appoint, ascribe, assign, [idiom] avenge, [idiom] be (healed), bestow, bring (forth, hither), cast, cause, charge, come, commit, consider, count, [phrase] cry, deliver (up), direct, distribute, do, [idiom] doubtless, [idiom] without fail, fasten, frame, [idiom] get, give (forth, over, up), grant, hang (up), [idiom] have, [idiom] indeed, lay (unto charge, up), (give) leave, lend, let (out), [phrase] lie, lift up, make, [phrase] O that, occupy, offer, ordain, pay, perform, place, pour, print, [idiom] pull, put (forth), recompense, render, requite, restore, send (out), set (forth), shew, shoot forth (up), [phrase] sing, [phrase] slander, strike, (sub-) mit, suffer, [idiom] surely, [idiom] take, thrust, trade, turn, utter, [phrase] weep, [phrase] willingly, [phrase] withdraw, [phrase] would (to) God, yield.
   
4. Strong's Number: H4941
   There are 406 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: מִשְׁפָּט
   Transliteration: mishpâṭ
   Pronunciation: mish-pawt'
   Description: from שָׁפַט; properly, a verdict (favorable or unfavorable) pronounced judicially, especially a sentence or formal decree (human or (participant's) divine law, individual or collective), including the act, the place, the suit, the crime, and the penalty; abstractly, justice, including a participant's right or privilege (statutory or customary), or even a style; [phrase] adversary, ceremony, charge, [idiom] crime, custom, desert, determination, discretion, disposing, due, fashion, form, to be judged, judgment, just(-ice, -ly), (manner of) law(-ful), manner, measure, (due) order, ordinance, right, sentence, usest, [idiom] worthy, [phrase] wrong.
   
5. Strong's Number: H6041
   There are 78 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: עָנִי
   Transliteration: ʻânîy
   Pronunciation: aw-nee'
   Description: from עָנָה; (practically the same as עָנָו, although the margin constantly disputes this, making עָנָו subjective and objective); depressed, in mind or circumstances; afflicted, humble, lowly, needy, poor.