What is the meaning of Job 16:16?

My face is red with weeping

- Job’s anguish is so intense that it alters his appearance; the flush of constant tears swells his face. This is not mere poetic flair but a literal portrait of suffering, echoed in Psalm 6:6-7 and 1 Samuel 1:15.

- Tears flow from real losses—children, possessions, health—yet such weeping is not faithlessness; both David (Psalm 38:9) and Jesus (John 11:35) wept openly.

- Job’s honesty teaches believers to pour out their grief to God (Psalm 62:8), trusting that He records every tear (Psalm 56:8) and that lament can stand alongside unwavering faith (Job 16:19).

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and deep shadows ring my eyes

- The dark circles show exhaustion after sleepless nights (Job 7:3-4). Similar imagery appears in Psalm 31:9 and Lamentations 5:17, underscoring how sorrow drains strength.

- These “shadows” hint at the spiritual night closing in, much like Psalm 88:18, yet Job keeps speaking to God, proving darkness does not cancel devotion.

- His gaunt face foreshadows the Man of Sorrows (Isaiah 53:3); Christ’s anguish in Gethsemane (Luke 22:44) confirms that God fully enters human pain.

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summary

Job 16:16 shows grief written on the body: a reddened face, sleepless eyes framed by deep circles. Scripture treats this portrayal as factual, inviting believers to acknowledge real suffering while holding fast to God. Job’s tears assure us that honest lament can coexist with steadfast trust, and they point to the Savior who both knows our sorrows and will one day wipe away every tear (Revelation 21:4).