Covetousness, often synonymous with greed or avarice, is a strong desire for possessions or wealth, particularly that which belongs to others. It is a condition of the heart that is frequently addressed in the Bible as a sin that leads to various forms of moral and spiritual decay.

Old Testament Context

The concept of covetousness is introduced early in the Scriptures. The Tenth Commandment explicitly warns against it: "You shall not covet your neighbor’s house. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his manservant or maidservant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor" (Exodus 20:17). This commandment highlights the internal nature of covetousness, distinguishing it from outward actions and focusing on the desires of the heart.

In the narrative of Achan in Joshua 7, covetousness leads to dire consequences. Achan's desire for forbidden spoils results in Israel's defeat at Ai and his eventual punishment. This account illustrates how covetousness can bring about not only personal downfall but also communal suffering.

Wisdom Literature

The Book of Proverbs frequently addresses the dangers of covetousness. Proverbs 28:22 warns, "A stingy man hastens after wealth and does not know that poverty will come upon him" . Here, the pursuit of wealth at the expense of righteousness is shown to lead to ruin rather than prosperity.

Prophetic Writings

The prophets also speak against covetousness, often linking it to social injustice and idolatry. In Micah 2:2, the prophet condemns those who "covet fields and seize them, and houses, and take them away" , highlighting how covetousness can lead to the oppression of others. Isaiah and Jeremiah similarly denounce the greed of leaders and the people, which leads to societal corruption and divine judgment.

New Testament Teachings

In the New Testament, Jesus addresses covetousness directly. In Luke 12:15, He warns, "Watch out! Guard yourselves against every form of greed, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions" . This teaching emphasizes the futility of materialism and the importance of spiritual wealth.

The Apostle Paul also speaks extensively on the topic. In Ephesians 5:5, he equates covetousness with idolatry: "For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure, or greedy person—that is, an idolater—has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God" . Paul’s letters often list covetousness among other sins that believers are to avoid, urging Christians to live contentedly and generously.

Theological Implications

Covetousness is fundamentally a matter of the heart, reflecting a lack of trust in God's provision and a desire to find security and satisfaction in material possessions. It is often contrasted with contentment, which is commended as a virtue. Hebrews 13:5 advises, "Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, for God has said: 'Never will I leave you, never will I forsake you'" .

Practical Considerations

Believers are encouraged to cultivate a spirit of generosity and contentment, recognizing that all possessions are ultimately God's and are to be used for His glory. The antidote to covetousness is a heart transformed by the Gospel, leading to a life marked by gratitude, stewardship, and love for others.A strong desire after the possession of worldly things (Colossians 3:5; Ephesians 5:5; Hebrews 13:5; 1 Timothy 6:9, 10; Matthew 6:20). It assumes sometimes the more aggravated form of avarice, which is the Mark of cold-hearted worldliness. 1. (n.) Strong desire.

2. (n.) A strong or inordinate desire of obtaining and possessing some supposed good; excessive desire for riches or money; -- in a bad sense.

COVETOUSNESS

kuv'-et-us-nes: Has a variety of shades of meaning determined largely by the nature of the particular word used, or the context, or both. Following are some of the uses:

(1) To gain dishonestly (batsa`), e.g. the King James Version Exodus 18:21 Ezekiel 33:31.

(2) The wish to have more than one possesses, inordinately, of course (pleonexia), e.g. Luke 12:15 1 Thessalonians 2:5.

(3) An inordinate love of money philarguros, the King James Version Luke 16:14 2 Timothy 3:2; philarguria, 1 Timothy 6:10; negative in Hebrews 13:5, the King James Version.

Covetousness is a very grave sin; indeed, so heinous is it that the Scriptures class it among the very gravest and grossest crimes (Ephesians 5:3). In Colossians 3:5 it is "idolatry," while in 1 Corinthians 6:10 it is set forth as excluding a man from heaven. Its heinousness, doubtless, is accounted for by its being in a very real sense the root of so many other forms of sin, e.g. departure from the faith (1 Timothy 6:9, 10); lying (2 Kings 5:22-25); theft (Joshua 7:21); domestic trouble (Proverbs 15:27); murder (Ezekiel 22:12); indeed, it leads to "many foolish and hurtful lusts" (1 Timothy 6:9). Covetousness has always been a very serious menace to mankind, whether in the Old Testament or New Testament period. It was one of the first sins that broke out after Israel had entered into the promised land (Achan, Jos 7); and also in the early Christian church immediately after its founding (Ananias and Sapphira, Acts 5); hence, so many warnings against it. A careful reading of the Old Testament will reveal the fact that a very great part of the Jewish law-such as its enactments and regulations regarding duties toward the poor, toward servants; concerning gleaning, usury, pledges, gold and silver taken during war-was introduced and intended to counteract the spirit of covetousness.

Eerdmans maintains (Expos, July, 1909) that the commandment, "Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's house" (Exodus 20:17), meant to the Israelite that he should not take anything of his neighbor's possessions that were momentarily unprotected by their owner. Compare Exodus 34:23. Thus, it refers to a category of acts that is not covered by the commandment, "Thou shalt not steal." It is an oriental habit of mind from of old that when anyone sees abandoned goods which he thinks desirable, there is not the least objection to taking them, and Exodus 20:17 b is probably an explanation of what is to be understood by "house" in Exodus 20:17 a.

Examples of covetousness: Achan (Joshua 7); Saul (1 Samuel 15:9, 19); Judas (Matthew 26:14, 15); Ananias and Sapphira (Acts 5:1-11); Balaam (2 Peter 2:15 with Jude 1:11).

William Evans

4124. pleonexia -- advantage, covetousness
... advantage, covetousness. Part of Speech: Noun, Feminine Transliteration: pleonexia
Phonetic Spelling: (pleh-on-ex-ee'-ah) Short Definition: covetousness ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/4124.htm - 7k

866. aphilarguros -- without love of money
... without covetousness, not greedy. From a (as a negative particle) and philarguros;
unavaricious -- without covetousness, not greedy of filthy lucre. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/866.htm - 7k

5365. philarguria -- love of money, avarice
... Transliteration: philarguria Phonetic Spelling: (fil-ar-goo-ree'-ah) Short Definition:
love of money, avarice Definition: love of money, avarice, covetousness. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/5365.htm - 6k

1215. betsa -- gain made by violence, unjust gain, profit
... covetousness, dishonest gain, lucre, profit. From batsa'; plunder; by extension,
gain (usually unjust) -- covetousness, (dishonest) gain, lucre, profit. ...
/hebrew/1215.htm - 6k

1214. batsa -- to cut off, break off, gain by violence
... be covetous, cut off, finish, fulfill, gain greedily, be given to covetousness,
greedy,. A primitive root to break off, ie (usually ...
/hebrew/1214.htm - 6k

Whether Covetousness is a Sin?
... OF THE VICES OPPOSED TO LIBERALITY, AND IN THE FIRST PLACE, OF COVETOUSNESS
(EIGHT ARTICLES) Whether covetousness is a sin? Objection ...
/.../aquinas/summa theologica/whether covetousness is a sin.htm

Whether Covetousness is Opposed to Liberality?
... OF THE VICES OPPOSED TO LIBERALITY, AND IN THE FIRST PLACE, OF COVETOUSNESS
(EIGHT ARTICLES) Whether covetousness is opposed to liberality? ...
/.../aquinas/summa theologica/whether covetousness is opposed to.htm

Whether Covetousness is a Special Sin?
... OF THE VICES OPPOSED TO LIBERALITY, AND IN THE FIRST PLACE, OF COVETOUSNESS
(EIGHT ARTICLES) Whether covetousness is a special sin? ...
/.../aquinas/summa theologica/whether covetousness is a special.htm

Whether Covetousness is the Greatest of Sins?
... OF THE VICES OPPOSED TO LIBERALITY, AND IN THE FIRST PLACE, OF COVETOUSNESS
(EIGHT ARTICLES) Whether covetousness is the greatest of sins? ...
/.../aquinas/summa theologica/whether covetousness is the greatest.htm

Whether Covetousness is a Spiritual Sin?
... OF THE VICES OPPOSED TO LIBERALITY, AND IN THE FIRST PLACE, OF COVETOUSNESS
(EIGHT ARTICLES) Whether covetousness is a spiritual sin? ...
/.../aquinas/summa theologica/whether covetousness is a spiritual.htm

Whether Covetousness is a Capital vice?
... OF THE VICES OPPOSED TO LIBERALITY, AND IN THE FIRST PLACE, OF COVETOUSNESS
(EIGHT ARTICLES) Whether covetousness is a capital vice? ...
/.../aquinas/summa theologica/whether covetousness is a capital.htm

Whether Prodigality is Opposite to Covetousness?
... OF PRODIGALITY (THREE ARTICLES) Whether prodigality is opposite to covetousness?
Objection 1: It seems that prodigality is not opposite to covetousness. ...
/.../aquinas/summa theologica/whether prodigality is opposite to.htm

Whether Covetousness is Always a Mortal Sin?
... OF THE VICES OPPOSED TO LIBERALITY, AND IN THE FIRST PLACE, OF COVETOUSNESS
(EIGHT ARTICLES) Whether covetousness is always a mortal sin? ...
/.../aquinas/summa theologica/whether covetousness is always a.htm

Whether Covetousness is the Root of all Sins?
... OF THE CAUSE OF SIN, IN RESPECT OF ONE SIN BEING THE CAUSE OF ANOTHER (FOUR
ARTICLES) Whether covetousness is the root of all sins? ...
/.../aquinas/summa theologica/whether covetousness is the root.htm

Whether These vices Arise from Covetousness?
... OF VICES OPPOSED TO PRUDENCE BY WAY OF RESEMBLANCE (EIGHT ARTICLES) Whether
these vices arise from covetousness? Objection 1: It ...
/.../aquinas/summa theologica/whether these vices arise from.htm

Covetousness (22 Occurrences)
...COVETOUSNESS. kuv'-et-us-nes: Has a variety of shades of meaning determined largely
by the nature of the particular word used, or the context, or both. ...
/c/covetousness.htm - 18k

Greed (19 Occurrences)
... Keep yourselves from covetousness, for a man's life doesn't consist of the
abundance of the things which he possesses." (See NAS NIV). ...
/g/greed.htm - 12k

Covetous (11 Occurrences)
... Mark 7:22 Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye,
blasphemy, pride, foolishness: (Root in KJV WEY DBY WBS YLT). ...
/c/covetous.htm - 9k

Whoredom (58 Occurrences)
... Romans 1:29 having been filled with all unrighteousness, whoredom, wickedness,
covetousness, malice; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil dispositions ...
/w/whoredom.htm - 24k

Immorality (38 Occurrences)
... Romans 1:29 being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness,
covetousness, malice; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil habits ...
/i/immorality.htm - 18k

Sexual (59 Occurrences)
... Romans 1:29 being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness,
covetousness, malice; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil habits ...
/s/sexual.htm - 23k

Fornication (52 Occurrences)
... Romans 1:29 Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness,
covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity ...
/f/fornication.htm - 24k

Dealeth (22 Occurrences)
... Jeremiah 6:13 For from the least of them even unto the greatest of them every one
is given to covetousness; and from the prophet even unto the priest every one ...
/d/dealeth.htm - 12k

Deceit (160 Occurrences)
... Scripture represented as a companion of many other forms of wickedness, as cursing
(Psalm 10:7), hatred (Proverbs 26:24), theft, covetousness, adultery, murder ...
/d/deceit.htm - 35k

Bounty (14 Occurrences)
... for the Christians of Judea is termed a "bounty," a blessing, liberally given:
"and not of extortion" (the King James Version "of covetousness," 2 Corinthians ...
/b/bounty.htm - 12k

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