How long will you not look away from me, nor leave me alone till I swallow my spit?
English Standard Version (ESV)
Job isn't just asking for God to "depart" in the sense of leaving him alone, but more urgently, to "look away." He pleads for a moment's respite, symbolized by the simple act of swallowing his spit, highlighting how even the shortest breath or pause is denied him under God's intense scrutiny.
How long will you not look away from me, nor leave me alone till I swallow my spit?
English Standard Version (ESV)
Job is in the midst of an intense, one-sided dialogue with God, feeling relentlessly pursued and scrutinized. He's already expressed a deep weariness with life and a desire for death, feeling trapped by God's constant attention and afflictions. This verse continues his plea for even a moment's relief, asking how long God will keep His gaze fixed on him without allowing any breathing room.
Job feels scrutinized, as if God's attention is a spotlight he can't escape. What does this intense focus mean for him?
Job uses the phrase "wilt thou not look away from me?" to express his feeling of constant divine observation. This isn't just a passive glance; it's an intense, unblinking stare that Job finds oppressive. Think of a boxer in the ring, their opponent's eyes locked on them, anticipating every move. Job feels God's gaze is like that – a relentless scrutiny that never offers a moment's relief.
This intense focus highlights Job's suffering. He's not asking God to depart entirely, which would be ultimate abandonment. Instead, he longs for a brief moment where God's attention might shift, offering him a tiny window of peace. It speaks to the profound personal nature of his struggle; he feels singled out by God's unwavering attention.
What does 'swallowing my spittle' have to do with intense suffering? It's a powerful, ancient way of describing the need for even a moment's peace.
The phrase "till I swallow down my spittle" is a vivid proverb. It signifies an incredibly short period of time – the briefest possible moment of respite. Imagine the simplest, most automatic bodily function; that's the kind of pause Job is begging for.
This proverb highlights the complete lack of relief Job is experiencing. His afflictions are so relentless that he doesn't even have time for this tiny, natural pause. It's like saying, 'I don't even have time to catch my breath!' The commentaries show this was a common saying, illustrating that Job's suffering was continuous and overwhelming, offering no interval for even the most basic human need.
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This passage echoes Job's complaint about God's constant, scrutinizing attention, highlighting the psalmist's awareness that God knows his every move and thought, even when they feel intrusive.
Job 9:18Job uses the same vivid, proverbial imagery here, lamenting that God does not even allow him a moment's breath or respite, showing this was a recurring and deeply felt frustration for him.
Lamentations 3:8-9This passage in Lamentations expresses a similar sense of being blocked and unable to get God's attention or a moment of relief, framing it as a consequence of sin, though Job's situation is more about undeserved suffering.
Luke 18:7Jesus tells the parable of the persistent widow who cries out day and night to a judge. This parallels Job's desperate plea for God to 'look away' or grant some relief, showing the human inclination to persistently seek justice or mercy, even when feeling ignored.
jfbJob 7:19: "How long wilt thou not depart from me, nor let me alone till I swallow down my spittle?"
- How long (like a jealous keeper) wilt thou never take thine eyes off (so the Hebrew for "depart from") me? Nor let me alone for a brief respite (literally, "so long as I take to swallow my spittle"), an Arabic proverb, like our, "till I draw my breath."
pulpitJob 7:19: "How long wilt thou not depart from me, nor let me alone till I swallow down my spittle?"
Verse 19. - How long wilt thou not depart from me? rather, Wilt thou not look away from me? (see the Revised Version). Job does not go so far as to ask that God should "depart from" him. He knows, doubtless, that that would be the extreme of calamity. But he would have God sometimes turn away his eyes from him, and not always regard him so intently. There is something of the same tone of complain…
Job isn't just asking for God to "depart" in the sense of leaving him alone, but more urgently, to "look away." He pleads for a moment's respite, symbolized by the simple act of swallowing his spit, highlighting how even the shortest breath or pause is denied him under God's intense scrutiny.
Job is in the midst of an intense, one-sided dialogue with God, feeling relentlessly pursued and scrutinized. He's already expressed a deep weariness with life and a desire for death, feeling trapped by God's constant attention and afflictions. This verse continues his plea for even a moment's relief, asking how long God will keep His gaze fixed on him without allowing any breathing room.
Job is in the midst of an intense, one-sided dialogue with God, feeling relentlessly pursued and scrutinized. He's already expressed a deep weariness with life and a desire for death, feeling trapped by God's constant attention and afflictions. This verse continues his plea for even a moment's relief, asking how long God will keep His gaze fixed on him without allowing any breathing room.
"How long will you not look away from me, nor leave me alone till I swallow my spit?" — Job isn't just asking for God to "depart" in the sense of leaving him alone, but more urgently, to "look away." He pleads for a moment's respite, symbolized by the simple act of swallowing his spit,…
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Last reviewed October 2026