Job 7:19
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Job 7:19
19 How long wilt thou not depart from me, nor let me alone till I swallow down my spittle?
Chapter Context
Job 7 is a wisdom dialogue chapter in the Old Testament that explores themes of faith, holiness, obedience. Written during the patriarchal period (literary composition later), this chapter should be understood within its historical context: Ancient wisdom traditions often wrestled with the problem of suffering and divine justice.
The chapter can be divided into several sections:
- Verses 1-5: Introduction and setting the context
- Verses 6-12: Development of key themes
- Verses 13-20: Central message and teachings
- Verses 21-21: Conclusion and application
This chapter is significant because it provides essential context for understanding God's covenant relationship with His people. When studying this passage, it's important to consider both its immediate context within Job and its broader place in the scriptural canon.
Verse Study
Job 7:19
19 How long wilt thou not depart from me, nor let me alone till I swallow down my spittle?
Analysis
Job demands respite: 'How long wilt thou not depart from me' (shur, שׁוּר) 'nor let me alone till I swallow down my spittle?' The idiom of swallowing spittle refers to the briefest moment—Job can't even complete a simple reflexive action before God's scrutiny overwhelms him again. The verb 'depart' (sha'ah, שָׁעָה) means to look away, regard, or turn attention toward—Job pleads for God to look away even momentarily.
The imagery reverses the normal prayer for God's presence (Psalm 27:9, 'Hide not thy face from me'). Job wants God's absence, not His presence—suffering has made divine fellowship unbearable. This illustrates the terror of experiencing God's holiness without mediatorial grace. The Reformed understanding emphasizes that sinful humanity cannot bear unmediated divine presence; we require Christ's mediation (Hebrews 12:18-24).
Job's plea anticipates the gospel solution: Christ bears God's full scrutiny and judgment in our place, so we can experience divine attention as blessing rather than curse. On the cross, Christ cried, 'My God, why hast thou forsaken me?'—experiencing the divine abandonment Job craves, so believers never experience it.
Historical Context
Ancient Near Eastern prayers sometimes sought divine distance when the deity's presence brought judgment (compare Jonah fleeing God's presence). Job's request reflects human inability to sustain direct encounter with the holy without covenant mediation—a theme developed throughout Scripture (Exodus 33:20, Isaiah 6:5).
Reflection
- Why is unmediated divine presence terrifying rather than comforting for sinners?
- How does Christ's mediatorial work transform God's scrutiny from judgment to fatherly love?
- What does Job's experience teach about the necessity of Christ as our advocate and mediator?