TRV
Translation
American Standard Version
My face is red with weeping, And on my eyelids is the shadow of death;
Geneva Bible (1599)
My face is withered with weeping, and the shadow of death is vpon mine eyes,
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In the KJVVerse 13,255 of 31,102
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Commentary on Job 16 verses 6–16
6 ¶ Though I speak, my grief is not asswaged: and though I forbear, what am I eased?
7 But now he hath made me weary: thou hast made desolate all my company.
8 And thou hast filled me with wrinkles, which is a witness against me: and my leanness rising up in me beareth witness to my face.
9 He teareth me in his wrath, who hateth me: he gnasheth upon me with his teeth; mine enemy sharpeneth his eyes upon me.
10 They have gaped upon me with their mouth; they have smitten me upon the cheek reproachfully; they have gathered themselves together against me.
11 God hath delivered me to the ungodly, and turned me over into the hands of the wicked.
12 I was at ease, but he hath broken me asunder: he hath also taken me by my neck, and shaken me to pieces, and set me up for his mark.
13 His archers compass me round about, he cleaveth my reins asunder, and doth not spare; he poureth out my gall upon the ground.
14 He breaketh me with breach upon breach, he runneth upon me like a giant.
15 I have sewed sackcloth upon my skin, and defiled my horn in the dust.
16 My face is foul with weeping, and on my eyelids is the shadow of death;
Job's complaint is here as bitter as any where in all his discourses, and he is at a stand whether to smother it or to give it vent. Sometimes the one and sometimes the other is a relief to the afflicted, according as the temper or the circumstances are; but Job found help by neither, Job 16:6. 1. Sometimes giving vent to grief gives ease; but, "Though I speak" (says Job), "my grief is not assuaged, my spirit is never the lighter for the pouring out of my complaint; nay, what I speak is so misconstrued as to be turned to the aggravation of my grief." 2. At other times keeping silence makes the trouble the easier and the sooner forgotten; but (says Job) though I forbear I am never the nearer; what am I eased? If he complained he was censured as passionate; if not, as sullen. If he maintained his integrity, that was his crime; if he made no answer to their accusations, his silence was taken for a confession of his guilt.
Here is a doleful representation of Job's grievances. O what reason have we to bless God that we are not making such complaints! He complains,
I. That his family was scattered (Job 16:7): "He hath made me weary, weary of speaking, weary of forbearing, weary of my friends, weary of life itself; my journey through the world proves so very uncomfortable that I am quite tired with it." This made it as tiresome as any thing, that all his company was made desolate, his children and servants being killed and the poor remains of his great household dispersed. The company of good people that used to meet at his house for religious worship, was now scattered, and he spent his sabbaths in silence and solitude. He had company indeed, but such as he would rather have been without, for they seemed to triumph in his desolation. If lovers and friends are put far from us, we must see and own God's hand in it, making our company desolate.
II. That his body was worn away with diseases and pains, so that he had become a perfect skeleton, nothing but skin and bones, Job 16:8. His face was furrowed, not with age, but sickness: Thou hast filled me with wrinkles. His flesh was wasted with the running of his sore boils, so that his leanness rose up in him, that is, his bones, that before were not seen, stuck out, Job 33:21. These are called witnesses against him, witnesses of God's displeasure against him, and such witnesses as his friends produced against him to prove him a wicked man. Or, "They are witnesses for me, that my complaint is not causeless," or "witnesses to me, that I am a dying man, and must be gone shortly."
III. That his enemy was a terror to him, threatened him, frightened him, looked sternly upon him, and gave all the indications of rage against him (Job 16:9): He tears me in his wrath. But who is this enemy? 1. Eliphaz, who showed himself very much exasperated against him, and perhaps had expressed himself with such marks of indignation as are here mentioned: at least, what he said tore Job's good name and thundered nothing but terror to him; his eyes were sharpened to spy out matter of reproach against Job, and very barbarously both he and the rest of them used him. Or, 2. Satan. He was his enemy that hated him, and perhaps, by the divine permission, terrified him with apparitions, as (some think) he terrified our Saviour, which put him into his agonies in the garden; and thus he aimed to make him curse God. It is not improbable that this is the enemy he means. Or, (3.) God himself. If we understand it of him, the expressions are indeed as rash as any he used. God hates none of his creatures; but Job's melancholy did thus represent to him the terrors of the Almighty: and nothing can be more grievous to a good man than to apprehend God to be his enemy. If the wrath of a king be as messengers of death, what is the wrath of the King of kings!
IV. That all about him were abusive to him, Job 16:10. They came upon him with open mouth to devour him, as if they would swallow him alive, so terrible were their threats and so scornful was their conduct to him. They offered him all the indignities they could invent, and even smote him on the cheek; and herein many were confederate. They gathered themselves together against him, even the abjects, Psa 35:15. Herein Job was a type of Christ, as many of the ancients make him: these very expressions are used in the predictions of his sufferings, Psa 22:13, They gaped upon me with their mouths; and (Mic 5:1), They shall smite the Judge of Israel with a rod upon the cheek, which was literally fulfilled, Mat 26:67. How were those increased that troubled him!
V. That God, instead of delivering him out of their hands, as he hoped, delivered him into their hands (Job 16:11): He hath turned me over into the hands of the wicked. They could have had no power against him if it had not been given them from above. He therefore looks beyond them to God who gave them their commission, as David did when Shimei cursed him; but he thinks it strange, and almost thinks it hard, that those should have power against him who were God's enemies as much as his. God sometimes makes use of wicked men as his sword to one another (Psa 17:13) and his rod to his own children, Isa 10:5. Herein also Job was a type of Christ, who was delivered into wicked hands, to be crucified and slain, by the determinate counsel and fore-knowledge of God, Act 2:23.
VI. That God not only delivered him into the hands of the wicked, but took him into his own hands too, into which it is a fearful thing to fall (Job 16:12): "I was at ease in the comfortable enjoyment of the gifts of God's bounty, not fretting and uneasy, as some are in the midst of their prosperity, who thereby provoke God to strip them; yet he has broken me asunder, put me upon the rack of pain, and torn me limb from limb." God, in afflicting him, had seemed, 1. As if he were furious. Though fury is not in God, he thought it was, when he took him by the neck (as a strong man in a passion would take a child) and shook him to pieces, triumphing in the irresistible power he had to do what he would with him. 2. As if he were partial. "He has distinguished me from the rest of mankind by this hard usage of me: He has set me up for his mark, the butt at which he is pleased to let fly all his arrows: at me they are directed, and they come not by chance; against me they are levelled, as if I were the greatest sinner of all the men of the east or were singled out to be made an example." When God set him up for a mark his archers presently compassed him round. God has archers at command, who will be sure to hit the mark that he sets up. Whoever are our enemies, we must look upon them as God's archers, and see him directing the arrow. It is the Lord; let him do what seemeth him good. 3. As if he were cruel, and his wrath as relentless as his power was resistless. As if he contrived to touch him in the tenderest part, cleaving his reins asunder with acute pains; perhaps they were nephritic pains, those of the stone, which lie in the region of the kidneys. As if he had no mercy in reserve for him, he does not spare nor abate any thing of the extremity. And as if he aimed at nothing but his death, and his death in the midst of the most grievous tortures: He pours out my gall upon the ground, as when men have taken a wild beast, and killed it, they open it, and pour out the gall with a loathing of it. He thought his blood was poured out, as if it were not only not precious, but nauseous. 4. As if he were unreasonable and insatiable in his executions (Job 16:14): "He breaketh me with breach upon breach, follows me with one wound after another." So his troubles came at first; while one messenger of evil tidings was speaking another came: and so it was still; new boils were rising every day, so that he had no prospect of the end of his troubles. Thus he thought that God ran upon him like a giant, whom he could not possibly stand before or confront; as the giants of old ran down all their poor neighbours, and were too hard for them. Note, Even good men, when they are in great and extraordinary troubles, have much ado not to entertain hard thoughts of God.
VII. That he had divested himself of all his honour, and all his comfort, in compliance with the afflicting providences that surrounded him. Some can lessen their own troubles by concealing them, holding their heads as high and putting on as good a face as ever; but Job could not do so: he received the impressions of them, and, as one truly penitent and truly patient, he humbled himself under the mighty hand of God, Job 16:15, Job 16:16. 1. He now laid aside all his ornaments and soft clothing, consulted not either his ease or finery in his dress, but sewed sackcloth upon his skin; that clothing he thought good enough for such a defiled distempered body as he had. Silks upon sores, such sores, he thought, would be unsuitable; sackcloth would be more becoming. Those are fond indeed of gay clothing that will not be weaned from it by sickness and old age, and, as Job was (Job 16:8), by wrinkles and leanness. He not only put on sackcloth, but sewed it on, as one that resolved to continue his humiliation as long as the affliction continued. 2. He insisted not upon any points of honour, but humbled himself under humbling providences: He defiled his horn in the dust, and refused the respect that used to be paid to his dignity, power, and eminency. Note, When God brings down our condition, that should bring down our spirits. Better lay the horn in the dust than lift it up in contradiction to the designs of Providence and have it broken at last. Eliphaz had represented Job as high and haughty, and unhumbled under his affliction. "No," says Job, "I know better things; the dust is now the fittest place for me." 3. He banished mirth as utterly unseasonable, and set himself to sow in tears (Job 16:16): "My face is foul with weeping so constantly for my sins, for God's displeasure against me, and for my friends unkindness: this has brought a shadow of death upon my eyelids." He had not only wept away all his beauty, but almost wept his eyes out. In this also he was a type of Christ, who was a man of sorrows, and much in tears, and pronounced those blessed that mourn, for they shall be comforted.
Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 6–16. Public domain.
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Julian of EclanumAD 455
EXPOSITION ON THE BOOK OF JOB 16:18-19
“I have suffered this without committing iniquity.” You have a good reason to be upset, because there was no cause for such a torment. “I have suffered this.” Job is knowingly in pain against his merits. Therefore, he does not want the fact that he has been given to torments to remain hidden, but he desires what he suffers to be under the light. Job has no desire for the memory of his passion to be buried in oblivion but wants what he suffers to reach everybody’s ears, because he is certain of the innocence of his life.… Therefore it is especially reserved for the righteous that their passions and their deaths not be hidden in the course of their struggles.
Gregory the DialogistAD 604
23. For ‘the face’ of Holy Church are those, who being set in posts or governorships appear the foremost, that in their goodly appearance should be the honour of the faithful people, even if there were aught deformed in the body hidden from sight. Which same persons that are set over the people bewail the sins of those that go weakly, and so chasten themselves for the downfall of others as if for their own. And often when they see some returning to pardon after sin, and others persisting in wickedness, they marvel at the secret counsels of Almighty God, but cannot fathom them. For they are dumb at the things which they do not understand. And hence it is fitly added;
And mine eyelids have become darkened.
[xxi]
24. For they are rightly entitled ‘eyelids,’ who are on their watch for the fore-ensuring the paths of the feet; but when not even the rulers on the watch can understand the secret judgments of God, ‘the eyelids’ of Holy Church are ‘darkened;’ but, as I remember that I have already often said, blessed Job, while bearing a type of Holy Church, uses at one time the voice of the body, and at another time the voice of the Head; and while he is speaking of her members, he is raised on a sudden to speak the words of her Head.
Source: Quotations drawn from early Church Fathers and historical Christian theologians (AD 100–1500). Some quotes address the surrounding passage context rather than this verse alone.
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SUMMARY
Job 16:16 profoundly articulates Job's extreme physical and emotional anguish, depicting his face disfigured by incessant weeping and his eyelids bearing the ominous mark of impending death. This verse serves as a visceral testament to his deep despair, his perception of abandonment by both divine and human sources, and the overwhelming burden of his prolonged suffering amidst the unhelpful and accusatory counsel of his friends.
CONTEXT
Literary Context: Job 16:16 is situated within Job's third major discourse (chapters 16-17), specifically his impassioned and increasingly desperate response to Eliphaz's second speech (Job 15). This section marks a significant escalation in Job's lament, as he moves beyond mere complaint to a fervent defense of his integrity against his friends' persistent insistence that his suffering must be a consequence of hidden sin. Preceding this verse, Job bitterly decries his "miserable comforters" (Job 16:2) who have only intensified his agony, and he expresses a profound sense of being attacked and torn apart by God Himself (Job 16:12-14). Therefore, Job 16:16 functions as a stark physical manifestation of the internal torment and external assault Job perceives, immediately preceding his desperate and pivotal appeal for a heavenly witness and advocate (Job 16:19).
Historical & Cultural Context: The narrative of the Book of Job is set in the patriarchal period, likely in the land of Uz, a region generally identified as east of Palestine. The prevailing ancient Near Eastern cultural understanding of divine justice, particularly in Israelite thought, often adhered to a retribution theology: righteous living was believed to lead to prosperity and well-being, while wickedness inevitably resulted in suffering and misfortune. Job's inexplicable and severe suffering directly challenged this deeply ingrained worldview. His physical afflictions, which included painful boils, emaciation, and disfigurement, were not only excruciating but also profoundly humiliating, as they were commonly interpreted as unequivocal signs of divine displeasure and judgment. The phrase "shadow of death" (Hebrew: ṣalmāwet) was a potent ancient Near Eastern motif, signifying the deepest darkness, the perilous realm of the dead, or extreme existential peril, thereby underscoring the profound dread and perceived proximity to the underworld that Job felt.
Key Themes: Job 16:16 powerfully contributes to several overarching themes within the book. It vividly highlights the theme of unmerited suffering, as Job's physical deterioration is a direct and visible consequence of trials he steadfastly maintains he does not deserve, thereby challenging the simplistic cause-and-effect understanding of suffering. The verse intensely portrays profound physical and emotional anguish, emphasizing the holistic and debilitating impact of suffering on a person's entire being—body, mind, and spirit. It underscores the theme of human lament, demonstrating Job's raw, unfiltered, and honest expression of pain, frustration, and even anger before God, even when God's presence feels distant or adversarial, as seen throughout Job 3 and Job 10. Furthermore, the "shadow of death" motif reinforces the pervasive theme of mortality and the longing for an end to suffering, a desire Job expresses repeatedly, even yearning for the grave as a place of rest and escape from his torment (Job 3:17-19). This verse also subtly touches on the theme of isolation, as Job's dire physical state is exacerbated by his friends' failure to offer genuine comfort or understanding.
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Job 16:16 employs several potent literary devices to convey Job's profound suffering and despair. Hyperbole is evident in the description of his face being "foul with weeping," exaggerating the physical effects of his grief to emphasize its overwhelming and continuous intensity. The phrase "shadow of death" is a powerful instance of metaphor, where death's presence is so palpable that its "shadow" literally rests upon Job's eyelids, suggesting an encroaching, almost tangible darkness. This also functions as vivid imagery, creating a disturbing visual of Job's physical deterioration and psychological despair. Furthermore, the verse utilizes parallelism (specifically, synonymous parallelism in its thematic reinforcement: "My face is foul with weeping" // "and on my eyelids is the shadow of death") to reinforce the deep connection between his intense sorrow and his perceived proximity to death, creating a cumulative effect of utter desolation and a sense of being consumed by his suffering.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Job 16:16 profoundly illustrates the physical and emotional devastation that unmerited suffering can inflict, challenging simplistic theological frameworks that equate suffering with sin. It highlights the deeply human experience of lament, where raw, unvarnished pain is brought before God, even when His presence feels absent or adversarial. This verse underscores the deep theological tension within the book of Job: how can a just and sovereign God allow such intense suffering for a righteous man? It forces a confrontation with the mystery of divine providence and the limits of human understanding, ultimately pointing towards a trust in God's character even when His ways are inscrutable. The "shadow of death" motif connects Job's experience to the universal human encounter with mortality and the fear of the unknown beyond the grave, a theme that resonates throughout biblical wisdom literature, reminding us of the fragility of human life and the pervasive reality of death.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Job 16:16 serves as a poignant reminder that profound suffering often manifests both physically and emotionally, leaving visible and internal scars. It calls us to cultivate deep empathy for those in distress, recognizing that their outward appearance may reflect an inner world of overwhelming pain and that true comfort often requires more than just words or simplistic answers. Job's raw honesty validates the human need to lament, to express our deepest sorrows, frustrations, and even anger to God without pretense or spiritualized platitudes. It teaches us that authentic faith is not the absence of pain or doubt, but the courage to bring our brokenness before a God who, though seemingly distant, remains sovereign and hears our cries. For caregivers, friends, and fellow believers, this verse is a stark warning against offering trite answers or judgmental counsel; instead, it encourages compassionate presence, active listening, and a willingness to simply sit with someone in their "shadow of death," offering genuine comfort rather than condemnation. Ultimately, it invites us to trust in God's ultimate wisdom and restorative power, even when the path through suffering is long and dark, knowing that even in the deepest despair, there is room for hope and eventual vindication.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
What does "foul with weeping" literally mean for Job's face?
Answer: The Hebrew word for "foul" (ḥāmar) suggests that Job's face was not just wet with tears but physically altered and disfigured by continuous, unrestrained weeping. It implies a face that was swollen, inflamed, discolored, or caked with dried tears and grime from prolonged grief and neglect. It paints a vivid picture of a face ravaged by intense sorrow, conveying a sense of physical deterioration and profound distress that made his appearance repulsive or marred.
Is "the shadow of death" a literal or metaphorical expression here?
Answer: "The shadow of death" (ṣalmāwet) is a powerful Hebrew idiom that functions as both literal and metaphorical. Literally, it refers to the deep darkness and gloom associated with the grave or the underworld, implying Job feels he is on the very brink of death, experiencing the atmosphere of the netherworld. Metaphorically, it conveys an overwhelming sense of despair, extreme peril, and the pervasive presence of mortality. For Job, it's a raw expression of his perceived imminent demise due to his afflictions, a constant awareness that death looms over him, affecting his physical appearance and mental state. This concept is famously echoed in Psalm 23:4, where it describes a journey through extreme danger.
How does this verse relate to the overall message of the Book of Job?
Answer: Job 16:16 is central to the Book of Job's exploration of unmerited suffering. It vividly portrays the physical and emotional toll of Job's ordeal, challenging the simplistic retribution theology held by his friends. This verse underscores Job's innocence and the depth of his lament, demonstrating that profound suffering can occur without direct correlation to sin. It highlights the mystery of God's ways and the limits of human understanding in the face of divine providence, ultimately preparing the reader for Job's eventual vindication and restoration, not because he fully understood his suffering, but because he maintained his integrity and trust in God (Job 42:10-17).
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Job 16:16, with its raw depiction of physical disfigurement and the "shadow of death" on Job's face, finds its ultimate and redemptive fulfillment in the suffering of Jesus Christ. While Job's suffering was unmerited, Christ's was uniquely vicarious and salvific, undertaken for the redemption of humanity. The prophet Isaiah powerfully foreshadowed Christ's suffering, describing Him as one "whose appearance was so marred, beyond human semblance, and his form beyond that of the children of mankind" (Isaiah 52:14). Just as Job's face was "foul with weeping," Jesus, in the Garden of Gethsemane, "began to be sorrowful and troubled," experiencing such intense agony that His sweat became like "great drops of blood falling down to the ground" (Luke 22:44). He truly bore the "shadow of death" not just on His eyelids, but in His very being, as He willingly faced crucifixion, entering the deepest darkness of sin and separation from God on the cross (Matthew 27:46). Unlike Job, Christ's suffering was a perfect, atoning sacrifice for the sins of the world, offering a complete victory over the very power of death. Through His death and glorious resurrection, Jesus transformed the "shadow of death" from a symbol of despair into a pathway to eternal life and triumph for all who believe, delivering those "who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery" (Hebrews 2:14-15).