The Powers of the Istari

[Rhun charioteer]

Well regarding the numenorians-I think that was more the valar weren't allowed to harm or outright kill the Eruhini or punish them. The Valar could have destroyed them without appealing to Eru but that wasn't how the valar operated.

Ar-Pharazon and his people had for all intents and purposes tried to storm the pearly gates or to use a pagan analogy Mt. Olympus.

Something had to be done about it-the valar could likely have crushed the numenorians without any real effort but that would have gone against the restrictions placed on them, the elves could have fought them off-the elves were promised peace in Aman, really the only option at that point was to hand it over to Eru.

[Huinesoron]

There are dozens of ways the Valar could have dealt with the Numenoreans without harming anyone. The Bay of Eldamar was previously protected by a raging storm and, in some versions of the legendarium, a string of isles which put anyone trying to pass them into an endless sleep. We're also talking about the people who raised a massive mountain range in order to keep Melkor from sending anything nasty their way (and then raised it higher at a later date!).

The answer to this is that putting any of that in place would have made it impossible for the Eldar to leave Middle-earth, but... what, removing Valinor entirely from the spheres of the world wouldn't? Sure, maybe it would require a bit more attention to detail than Manwe was used to (I assume he would be the one controlling the storm), but they're the Valar, they could absolutely do that.

But that would have left the Numenoreans as a continuing annoyance. The Valar clearly didn't want that - but they also didn't want to take any measures themselves. And it's not like the Numenoreans were harmless: they reached Eressea, Alqualonde, and Tirion under arms, and could easily have sacked any of those. The only city the Valar actually protected by their actions was Valmar - you know, the one they themselves lived in.

hS

[Inziladun]

Originally Posted by Huinesoron

But that would have left the Numenoreans as a continuing annoyance. The Valar clearly didn't want that - but they also didn't want to take any measures themselves. And it's not like the Numenoreans were harmless: they reached Eressea, Alqualonde, and Tirion under arms, and could easily have sacked any of those. The only city the Valar actually protected by their actions was Valmar - you know, the one they themselves lived in.

It wasn't that the Valar were reluctant to deal with Numenor themselves; they lacked the authority to take such drastic action as the situation merited.
As the Governors of Arda, they deferred to the One to correct his Children directly.