איוב, פרק ל״ד, פסוק ל׳

God's active involvement in the world extends directly into the political realm, where He intervenes to prevent corrupt leaders from harming society. When a wicked person surrenders to his evil desires and acts on them [מצודת ציון], God steps in to remove him from power or prevents him from taking the throne altogether [מצודת דוד, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. The primary approach among commentators is that God takes these actions specifically to protect the common people. Out of deep compassion for the oppressed, God crushes powerful tyrants to save the masses from the traps, obstacles, and sins that these rulers lay before them [רמב״ן, מצודת דוד, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. In some cases, God replaces the wicked ruler with a worthy leader who humbly recognizes his own flaws and asks God for guidance [תקות אנוש].

This understanding of divine justice serves as a direct response to Job's complaints against God. Elihu points to these political interventions to rebuke Job, arguing that since God actively protects the vulnerable from cruel oppressors, it is completely inappropriate for Job to hurl harsh words at God or accuse Him of injustice [רש״י]. Furthermore, Job is subtly reminded that instead of complaining about his personal suffering, he should adopt the humility of a repentant leader and simply ask God to teach him the proper path [תקות אנוש].

A completely different perspective applies this concept to the historical oppression of the Israelites in Egypt, answering why the entire Egyptian population was punished for the decrees of their king. In this view, the masses themselves were the actual trap. The Egyptian people placed immense pressure on their ruler, even temporarily removing him from power until they forced him to swear that he would enslave the Israelites. Therefore, the core guilt lay with the people rather than just the monarch [אלשיך].