Job 16 16

Job 16:16 kjv

My face is foul with weeping, and on my eyelids is the shadow of death;

Job 16:16 nkjv

My face is flushed from weeping, And on my eyelids is the shadow of death;

Job 16:16 niv

My face is red with weeping, dark shadows ring my eyes;

Job 16:16 esv

My face is red with weeping, and on my eyelids is deep darkness,

Job 16:16 nlt

My eyes are red with weeping;
dark shadows circle my eyes.

Job 16 verses

Job 16 16 Meaning

Job 16:16 depicts Job's profound and physical anguish due to incessant weeping and overwhelming despair. His face is swollen and discolored from tears, and his eyes, specifically his eyelids, are shrouded in a dense, oppressive darkness, metaphorically aligning his experience with the realm of death itself. It communicates a state of utter exhaustion, sorrow, and spiritual desolation.

Job 16 16 Context

Job 16:16 is part of Job's second response to his friends' accusations (chapters 15-17). In this discourse, Job moves from rebutting his friends, whom he calls "miserable comforters" (16:2), to directly addressing God (or his perceived actions of God) concerning his unmerited suffering. He expresses his intense physical and emotional agony, lamenting that God has "worn him out" (16:7), "torn him in wrath" (16:9), and "broken him with blow upon blow" (16:14). Verse 16 vividly paints the picture of a man utterly consumed by grief, a direct result of the calamities he believes God has inflicted upon him. The original audience would recognize the stark contrast between Job's physical devastation and the typical wisdom tradition that linked prosperity to righteousness. This verse, like much of Job's book, subtly pushes against a simplistic, retributional theology that suggests intense suffering always implies great sin. Job's condition described here underscores his core complaint: innocent suffering, which was a challenging concept to the prevalent understanding of divine justice in the ancient Near East.

Job 16 16 Word analysis

• My face (פָּנַי - pānay): This refers to the physical face, the very outward presentation of Job's being. Its use highlights that his suffering is not just internal but visibly, powerfully manifests itself.

• is flushed (חֳמַרְמָּרָה - ḥōmarmārāh): This rare Hebrew word implies intense redness, inflammation, or even a burning sensation, derived from a root meaning "to boil" or "ferment." It suggests not just pallor or slight discoloration, but a strong, perhaps painful, engorgement of blood in the face, a direct consequence of sustained and violent weeping, indicating extreme physiological distress. It is an image of profound suffering affecting the very skin.

• from weeping (מִנִּי בֶכִי - minnî ḇeḵî): Literally "from weeping." This phrase unequivocally states the cause of Job's facial disfigurement: his ceaseless tears and profound lamentation. It emphasizes the duration and intensity of his sorrow.

• and on my eyelids (וְעַל עַפְעַפַּי - wəʿal ʿap̄ʿappay): "Eyelids" are specifically mentioned, not just the eyes. This detail focuses on the immediate, swollen, and reddened areas around the eyes themselves, highlighting the visual consequence of crying so much that his eyelids bear the mark of suffering. It also suggests difficulty seeing or opening his eyes fully due to swelling or the heaviness of his sorrow.

• is deep darkness (צַלְמָוֶת - ṣalmāweṯ): This is a powerful, oft-used Hebrew term, meaning "shadow of death," "deep gloom," or "dense darkness." It's more than just a lack of light; it denotes a darkness associated with the grave, extreme danger, or profound despair. For Job, it means his vision is obscured not only by swelling but by a spiritual or existential "darkness of death" that has settled upon him, symbolizing overwhelming sorrow, loss of hope, and a feeling of being near the point of expiring.

• Words-group Analysis:

  • "My face is flushed from weeping": This phrase paints a visceral picture of Job's agony, indicating an almost physiological breakdown from the sheer volume and duration of his tears. It conveys utter exhaustion and pain.
  • "on my eyelids is deep darkness": This grouping connects the physical effect of weeping on his eyes (the eyelids) with a profound existential gloom. It's not merely tired eyes, but eyes weighed down by a darkness akin to death itself, signifying his spiritual despondency and the overwhelming nature of his plight. This "deep darkness" symbolizes not just his clouded vision but also his utter hopelessness and descent into despair, feeling trapped in the shadows of mortality.

Job 16 16 Bonus section

• The term צַלְמָוֶת (ṣalmāweṯ) can also carry the connotation of spiritual oppression or a sense of being pursued by death, intensifying the feeling of dread. It implies more than merely poor eyesight due to crying, but a psychological and spiritual condition reflecting his dire situation.
• Job's emphasis on his physical suffering is a key part of his argument against his friends, as their theology often implied that such profound suffering must stem from moral failing. Job's lamentations frequently pivot back to his unmerited physical pain and distress as evidence that their explanations are insufficient.
• The raw imagery in this verse contributes to the book of Job's literary power, immersing the reader in Job's immediate experience of agonizing pain and desolation, challenging idealized notions of suffering.

Job 16 16 Commentary

Job 16:16 encapsulates the overwhelming physical and spiritual toll of Job's suffering. It's a poignant depiction of grief so profound it manifests outwardly: a face swollen and inflamed from constant weeping, and eyelids bearing the weight of a "shadow of death." This isn't just descriptive; it serves as Job's testament to his relentless anguish, countering his friends' insistence that he must be a secret sinner. He uses his ravaged body as evidence of his suffering, a suffering that feels like it has driven him to the very brink of existence, shrouded in the oppressive darkness of despair and mortality. The verse highlights the depth of human agony when life becomes a continuous lament, and hope seems eclipsed by death's encroaching shadow.