Job 16:20 Meaning: Mocked by Friends, Tears to God
My friends scoff at me. My eyes pour out tears to God,
My friends scorn me: but mine eye poureth out tears unto God.
My friends scoff at me: But mine eye poureth out tears unto God,
My interpreter is my friend, Unto God hath mine eye dropped:
My friends are my mockers; mine eye poureth out tears unto God.
Meaning in one sentence
Job mocked by friends pours out tears to God, showing faith in a heavenly witness despite earthly rejection.
Context
Job is in the middle of a long, painful conversation with three friends who came to comfort him. But instead of comfort, they have accused him of hidden sin. By chapter 16, Job is exhausted and heartbroken. He has just described how God has attacked him relentlessly (vv. 7, 14). Yet even in this dark moment, Job does something surprising. He turns his eyes upward. His friends have become mockers, but he has somewhere else to go. The verses that follow show his confidence that someone in heaven sees his innocence and will vouch for him. This verse captures the emotional pivot: rejection from below, tears directed above.
Key Words
The Hebrew behind "scoff" (me.li.Tza/i) comes from a root that means to boast or talk arrogantly, even to make mouth gestures at someone. These aren't gentle critics, they are mockers. The word carries the sting of public humiliation. But Job does not answer them in kind. Instead, his eye "pours out" tears. That verb (dal.Fah) means to drip or leak steadily, like a roof after rain. It is not a sudden sob; it is a persistent, unwilling weeping that will not stop. And the tears go to God, the word Elohah points to the Almighty, the only One strong enough to bear such grief. The grammar makes it intimate: "my eye drips to God." One eye, one direction, one hope.
How Christians Read This Verse
Methodist commentator Adam Clarke notes that Job looked to God to vindicate his cause, not to fight back at his friends. Barnes, a Protestant scholar, agrees: even when Job's emotions ran wild, he always returned to a firm confidence in God. The Cambridge Bible (Anglican) points out that Job desires God to be his witness, someone to see right done both with God and with men. Matthew Henry, writing from a Reformed tradition, highlights the comfort of conscience: Job could appeal to God even when his friends scorned him. Across these traditions, a common thread appears: tears poured out to God are not weakness; they are an act of trust in a heavenly defender.
A common misunderstanding
Living This Out
This week, someone may misunderstand you. A friend might roll their eyes at your faith. A coworker might dismiss your struggle as drama. Before you defend yourself or grow bitter, try what Job did. Let the sting go straight to God. You do not need elegant words. Tears will do. He can hold them. By turning toward Him instead of lashing out, you are doing what Job did, trusting that the One who sees everything will make things right in the end.
Main takeaway: When friends mock and no one else understands, pouring out your tears to God is a profound act of faith.
For Families
For ages 5, 8
Job's friends were being mean to him. They laughed at him. But Job knew he could talk to God and cry to Him. God always listens when we are sad.
For ages 9, 12
When people make fun of you or turn against you, it hurts. Job felt that too. But instead of getting back at them, he let his tears become a prayer to God. He knew God was watching and would help him. Next time you feel alone, you can do what Job did, tell God exactly how you feel, even if it's just with tears.
Questions People Ask
Why does Job call his friends "scoffers" in Job 16:20?
The Hebrew word for 'scoff' (luts) means to mock or talk arrogantly. Job's friends were not just disagreeing with him; they were ridiculing his claims of innocence. Even though they came as comforters, their words had turned cruel.
Is Job giving up on God when he pours out tears?
No. The direction matters: his tears go 'to God.' Job is not weeping in despair but in appeal. He is doing what David later does in the Psalms, pouring out his complaint before the Lord. It is a cry for help, not a surrender to hopelessness.
Who is the 'witness' Job talks about after this verse?
In verses 19, 21, Job says his witness is in heaven. Many Christians see this as a foreshadowing of Christ, our advocate with the Father. At the very least, Job is expressing faith that God Himself will testify to his innocence, even when no human will.
Does Job 16:20 teach that it is okay to cry when suffering?
Absolutely. Job models honesty before God. He does not suppress his tears or pretend to be strong. He lets them flow, but he directs them upward. This verse gives permission to bring your raw emotions to God, trusting that He can handle them.
For pastors & researchers
Hebrew interlinear, 8 commentaries & word study