Job 16:16

KJV

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

KJV (with Strong's)

My face {H6440} is foul {H2560} with weeping {H1065}, and on my eyelids {H6079} is the shadow of death {H6757};

Complete Jewish Bible

my face is red from crying, and on my eyelids is a death-dark shadow.

Berean Standard Bible

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

American Standard Version

My face is red with weeping, And on my eyelids is the shadow of death;

Commentary

### SUMMARY
Job 16:16 powerfully encapsulates the profound physical and emotional anguish of Job, vividly portraying his face disfigured by incessant weeping and his eyelids bearing the ominous sign of impending death. This verse reflects his deep despair, his sense of abandonment by God and man, and the overwhelming weight 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 discourse (chapters 16-17), specifically his impassioned response to Eliphaz's second speech (Job 15). This section marks a deepening of Job's despair and a more fervent defense of his integrity against his friends' insistence that his suffering must be due to hidden sin. Preceding this verse, Job laments that his "miserable comforters" ([Job 16:2](/job/16-2 "Job 16:2 - Miserable Comforters")) have only exacerbated his pain. He feels God Himself has become his adversary, tearing him apart ([Job 16:12-14](/job/16-12 "Job 16:12-14 - God's Attack on Job")). This verse, therefore, serves as a vivid physical manifestation of the internal torment and external assault Job perceives, immediately preceding his desperate appeal for a heavenly witness and advocate ([Job 16:19](/job/16-19 "Job 16:19 - Job's Heavenly Witness")).
* **Historical & Cultural Context:** The Book of Job is set in the patriarchal period, likely in the land of Uz, a region east of Palestine. The prevailing cultural understanding of divine justice at the time was often based on retribution theology: righteousness led to prosperity, and wickedness to suffering. Job's inexplicable suffering directly challenged this worldview. His physical afflictions, including severe boils and emaciation, were not only excruciating but also culturally humiliating, often interpreted as a clear sign of divine displeasure. The concept of the "shadow of death" (Hebrew: _ṣalmāwet_) was a common ancient Near Eastern motif, signifying the deepest darkness, the realm of the dead, or extreme peril, underscoring the existential dread and proximity to the underworld that Job felt.
* **Key Themes:** Job 16:16 powerfully contributes to several key themes within the book. It highlights the theme of **unmerited suffering**, as Job's physical deterioration is a direct result of trials he believes he does not deserve. The verse vividly portrays **profound physical and emotional anguish**, emphasizing the holistic impact of suffering on a person's body and spirit. It underscores the theme of **human lament**, demonstrating Job's raw and honest expression of pain before God, even when God's presence feels adversarial. 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 ([Job 3:17-19](/job/3-17 "Job 3:17-19 - The Rest of the Grave")). This verse also subtly touches on the theme of **isolation**, as Job's physical state is exacerbated by his friends' failure to offer true comfort.

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
#### Key Word Analysis
* **Foul (Hebrew, _ḥāmar'_):** This verb carries a range of meanings including to be agitated, to ferment, to be discolored, or to become inflamed. In Job 16:16, it describes Job's face as not merely tear-stained but physically altered and disfigured by continuous, intense weeping. It suggests a face that is swollen, reddened, perhaps caked with dried tears and grime, conveying a visceral sense of physical deterioration and extreme distress. It implies a repulsive or marred appearance resulting from overwhelming sorrow.
* **Shadow of death (Hebrew, _ṣalmāwet'_):** This powerful compound noun literally translates to "shadow of death." It denotes the deepest darkness, the gloom of the grave, or extreme peril. It is a poetic yet profoundly literal expression of being on the very brink of death, experiencing the atmosphere of the underworld, or facing an existential threat that feels like death itself. For Job, it emphasizes his profound despair and his perception of imminent demise, a constant awareness of mortality pervading his being, affecting his physical appearance and mental state.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"My face is foul with weeping":** This clause paints a graphic and visceral picture of Job's physical state. His face, the primary organ of expression and identity, is not merely tear-stained but physically disfigured and marred by the continuous, unrestrained flow of tears. The word "foul" (ḥāmar) suggests a physical alteration—perhaps swollen, discolored, inflamed, or caked with dried tears and grime—indicating a prolonged and intense grief that has left a visible, almost repulsive mark on him. It signifies a complete surrender to sorrow, where even his outward appearance reflects his inner agony and neglect.
* **"and on my eyelids [is] the shadow of death;":** This second clause intensifies the imagery of despair and imminent demise. The "shadow of death" (ṣalmāwet) resting on his eyelids suggests that his eyes, often considered windows to the soul, are clouded by the pervasive gloom of the grave. It implies extreme emaciation, sunken eyes, and a pallor that indicates he is on the verge of dying. This is not merely a poetic flourish but a raw, desperate confession of his perceived imminent demise, a constant, oppressive awareness of mortality pressing upon him, making death a tangible presence.

#### Literary Devices
Job 16:16 employs several potent literary devices to convey Job's profound suffering. **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** (face foul with weeping // eyelids with 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 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.

* [Psalm 6:6](/psalm/6-6 "Psalm 6:6 - Weeping and Wasting Away")
* [Psalm 23:4](/psalm/23-4 "Psalm 23:4 - The Valley of the Shadow of Death")
* [Lamentations 1:12](/lamentations/1-12 "Lamentations 1:12 - Is Any Sorrow Like My Sorrow?")

### 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. 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 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 and friends, it's 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
* **How does Job's raw expression of physical and emotional pain challenge our own comfort levels with lament and suffering in ourselves and others?**
* **In what ways might we, like Job's friends, inadvertently add to someone's suffering through unhelpful advice, judgment, or a lack of true empathy?**
* **How can we better cultivate compassion for those whose suffering is so profound that it physically disfigures them, as Job describes?**
* **What does Job 16:16 teach us about the importance of authentic expression of pain and doubt in our relationship with God?**

### 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](/psalm/23-4 "Psalm 23:4 - The Valley of the Shadow of Death"), 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 understood his suffering, but because he maintained his integrity and trust in God ([Job 42:10-17](/job/42-10 "Job 42:10-17 - Job's Restoration")).

### 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. The prophet Isaiah 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](/isaiah/52-14 "Isaiah 52:14 - The Suffering Servant's Appearance")). 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](/luke/22-44 "Luke 22:44 - Jesus' Agony in Gethsemane")). 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](/matthew/27-46 "Matthew 27:46 - Jesus' Cry of Dereliction")). Unlike Job, Christ's suffering was for the sins of the world, offering a perfect sacrifice that conquered 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 victory for all who believe, delivering those "who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery" ([Hebrews 2:14-15](/hebrews/2-14 "Hebrews 2:14-15 - Christ's Conquest of Death")).

Note: Commentary is generated by AI with a directive for Biblical fidelity. Always rely on the Holy Spirit for discernment. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

Cross-References

Mark 14:34

And saith unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful unto death: tarry ye here, and watch.

Psalms 69:3

I am weary of my crying: my throat is dried: mine eyes fail while I wait for my God.

Psalms 32:3

When I kept silence, my bones waxed old through my roaring all the day long.

Psalms 31:9

¶ Have mercy upon me, O LORD, for I am in trouble: mine eye is consumed with grief, [yea], my soul and my belly.

Isaiah 52:14

As many were astonied at thee; his visage was so marred more than any man, and his form more than the sons of men:

Psalms 102:3

For my days are consumed like smoke, and my bones are burned as an hearth.

Psalms 102:5

By reason of the voice of my groaning my bones cleave to my skin.