Job 7:19 - Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

How long wilt thou not depart from me?— Literally, How long wilt thou not take thine eyes off me? This is a metaphor borrowed from combatants, who never take their eyes off from their antagonists. The figure is preserved in the next sentence, which represents a combatant seized by his adversary in such a manner as to prevent his swallowing his spittle, or fetching his breath. Till I swallow my spittle, is an Arabic proverb at present in use, signifying a very short time. See Schultens and Houbigant.