What Does Job 16:16 Mean in the King James?

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

Job 16:16 · KJV

The analysis reads the King James wording.

King James Version The King James Version, first published in 1611. Selah Verse shows the standard text.

THE KEY

The eyelids lie under deepest darkness in a word that carries death within it, bringing grief to the very edge of sight.

THE MEANING

Weeping marks the face, and deepest darkness rests over the eyelids. Grief is present in the body and at the boundary of sight.

WHAT THIS UNDOES

It undoes the belief that grief is only inward: here, it appears on the face and over the eyes.

THE ROOT

צַלְמָוֶת

tsalmaveth

GROWS FROM

מות

mut

to die; death

The KJV phrase “shadow of death” renders ⁨צַלְמָוֶת⁩ (tsalmaveth, deepest darkness), whose final element is ⁨מָוֶת⁩ (mavet, death). The full word names deepest darkness while keeping mortality present within the image over the eyelids.

ALSO GROWS

mut: to die

מוּת

This verb is the root’s action, carrying the word’s association with mortality.

mavet: death

מָוֶת

This noun is the death element within tsalmaveth, joining mortality to the image of deepest darkness.

פָּנַי

panay

GROWS FROM

פנה

panah

to turn; to face toward

“my face” in this verse is panay. The Hebrew word for face, ⁨פָּנִים⁩ (panim, face or presence), is linked to ⁨פָּנָה⁩ (panah, turn or face toward). The face is where grief turns outward into visible presence.

ALSO GROWS

panim: face; presence

פָּנִים

The face makes a person’s presence visible, so the verse places grief where it can be seen.

panah: to turn; to face toward

פָּנָה

This root connection gives the face a sense of orientation: sorrow turns outward across the countenance.

THE PATTERN

Grief takes visible form in tears and the eyes.

Mine eye is consumed because of grief; it waxeth old because of all mine enemies.

Psalm 6:7 · KJVGrief is visible in the eye, echoing Job’s darkness over the eyelids.

And when he was come near, he beheld the city, and wept over it,

Luke 19:41 · KJVSorrow becomes visible through tears.

THE THREAD

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

Psalm 23:4 · KJV

Job and the psalm share ⁨צַלְמָוֶת⁩ (tsalmaveth, deepest darkness). Job places it over the eyelids, while the psalm makes it a valley one walks through; the same word gives darkness both bodily presence and a landscape.

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