Dictionaries :: Covetousness

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Covetousness:

a strong desire after the possession of worldly things (Col 3:5; Eph 5:5; Hbr 13:5; 1Ti 6:9,10; Mat 6:20). It assumes sometimes the more aggravated form of avarice, which is the mark of cold-hearted worldliness.

International Standard Bible Encyclopaedia

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 Ex 18:21; Eze 33:31.

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

(3) An inordinate love of money philarguros, the King James Version Lu 16:14; 2Ti 3:2; philarguria, 1Ti 6:10; negative in Heb 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 (Eph 5:3). In Col 3:5 it is "idolatry," while in 1Co 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 (1Ti 6:9,10); lying (2Ki 5:22-25); theft (Jos 7:21); domestic trouble (Pr 15:27); murder (Eze 22:12); indeed, it leads to "many foolish and hurtful lusts" (1Ti 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, Ac 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" (Ex 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 Ex 34:23 ff. 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 Ex 20:17 b is probably an explanation of what is to be understood by "house" in Ex 20:17 a.

Examples of covetousness: Achan (Jos 7); Saul (1Sa 15:9,19); Judas (Mt 26:14,15); Ananias and Sapphira (Ac 5:1-11); Balaam (2Pe 2:15 with Jude 1:11).

Written by William Evans

← Covet

Nave's Topical Bible

Covetousness: General Scriptures Concerning

Exd 18:21; 20:17; Deu 5:21; Neh 5:7; Job 20:15; 31:24, 25, 28; Psa 10:3; 119:36; Pro 1:19; 11:24, 26; 15:27; 21:25, 26; 22:16; 23:4, 5; 30:8, 9; Ecc 1:2-8; 4:8; 5:10, 11; Isa 1:23; 5:8; 56:11; 57:17; Jer 6:13; 8:10; 17:11; 22:17; 51:13; Eze 22:12, 13; 33:31; Hsa 4:18; 10:1; Mic 2:2; 3:11; 7:3; Hab 1:15, 16; 2:5-9; Hag 1:6; Mal 1:10; Mat 6:19-21, 24, 25, 31-33; 13:22; 16:26; 19:23, 24; 22:1-14; Mar 4:19; 7:21-23; Luk 7:14; 12:15-21, 33, 34; 14:16-24; 18:24, 25; Jhn 6:26, 27; Rom 1:29; 13:9; 1Cr 5:11; 6:10; Eph 5:3, 5; Col 3:2, 5, 6; Phl 3:18, 19; 1Th 2:5; 1Ti 3:3; 6:5-11, 17; 2Ti 3:2; Tts 1:7, 11; Hbr 13:5; Jam 4:2, 13-17; 1Pe 5:2; 2Pe 2:3, 14-16; 1Jo 2:15-17; Jud 1:11

Covetousness: References Concerning

See AVARICE; RICH; RICHES; WORLDLINESS.

Covetousness: Instances Of

Eve, in desiring the forbidden fruit,

Gen 3:6.

Lot, in choosing the plain of the Jordan,

Gen 13:10-13.

Laban, in giving Rebekah to be Isaac's wife,

Gen 24:29-51;

in deceiving Jacob when he served him seven years for Rachel,

Gen 29:15-30;

in deceiving Jacob in wages,

Gen 31:7, 15, 41, 42.

Jacob, in defrauding Esau of his father's blessing,

Gen 27:6-29;

in defrauding Laban of his flocks and herds,

Gen 30:35-43;

in buying Esau's birthright,

Gen 25:31.

Balaam, in loving the wages of unrighteousness,

2Pe 2:15; with Num 22.

Achan, in hiding the treasure,

Jos 7:21.

Eli's sons, in taking the flesh of the sacrifice,

1Sa 2:13-17.

Samuel's sons, in taking bribes,

1Sa 8:3.

Saul, in sparing, Agag and the booty,

1Sa 15:8, 9.

David, of Bath-sheba,

2Sa 11:2-5.

Ahab, in desiring Naboth's vineyard,

1Ki 21:2-16.

Gehazi, in taking a gift from Naaman,

2Ki 5:20-27.

Some Jews, in exacting usury from their brethren,

Neh 5:1-11;

in keeping back the portion of the Levites,

Neh 13:10;

in building fine houses while the house of the Lord lay waste,

Hag 1:4-9;

in following Jesus merely for the loaves and fish,

Jhn 6:26.

Money-changers in the temple,

Mat 21:12, 13; Luk 19:45, 46; Jhn 2:14-16.

The rich young ruler,

Mat 19:16-22.

The rich fool,

Luk 12:15-21.

Judas, in betraying Jesus for twenty pieces of silver,

Mat 26:15, 16; Mar 14:10, 11; Luk 22:3-6; Jhn 12:6.

The unjust steward,

Luk 16:1-8.

The Pharisees,

Luk 16:14.

Simon Magus, in trying to buy the gift of the Holy Spirit,

Act 8:18-23.

The sorcerers, in filing complaint against Paul and Silas,

Act 16:19.

Demetrius, in raising a riot against Paul and Silas,

Act 19:24, 27.

Festus, in hoping for a bribe from Paul,

Act 24:26.

Demas in forsaking Paul for love of the world,

2Ti 4:10.

See AVARICE; BRIBERY; RICH; RICHES.

Thematic Subject Guide

Covetousness:

Exd 18:21; Exd 20:17Deu 5:21Neh 5:7Job 20:15; Job 31:24-25; Job 31:28Psa 10:3; Psa 119:36Pro 1:19; Pro 11:24; Pro 11:26; Pro 15:27; Pro 21:25-26; Pro 22:16; Pro 23:4; Pro 30:8-9Ecc 1:8; Ecc 4:8; Ecc 5:10-11Isa 1:23; Isa 5:8; Isa 56:11; Isa 57:17Jer 6:13; Jer 8:10; Jer 17:11; Jer 22:17; Jer 51:13Eze 22:12-13; Eze 33:31Hsa 4:18; Hsa 10:1Mic 2:2; Mic 3:11; Mic 7:3Hab 1:15-16; Hab 2:5-9Hag 1:6Mal 1:10Mat 6:19-21; Mat 6:24-25; Mat 6:31-33; Mat 13:22; Mat 16:26; Mat 19:24; Mat22:5Mar 4:19; Mar 7:21Luk 7:14; Luk 12:15; Luk 12:33-34; Luk 14:18; Luk 18:24-25Jhn 6:26-27Rom 1:29; Rom 13:91Cr 5:11; 1Cr 6:10Eph 5:3Phl 3:18-19Col 3:2; Col 3:5-61Th 2:51Ti 3:3; 1Ti 6:5-11; 1Ti 6:172Ti 3:2Tts 1:7; Tts 1:11Hbr 13:5Jam 4:2; Jam 4:13-141Pe 5:22Pe 2:3; 2Pe 2:141Jo 2:15Jud 1:11

Torrey's New Topical Textbook

Covetousness: Comes from the Heart

Mar 7:22,23

Covetousness: Engrosses the Heart

Eze 33:31; 2Pe 2:14

Covetousness: Is Idolatry

Eph 5:5; Col 3:5

Covetousness: Is the Root of All Evil

1Ti 6:10

Covetousness: Is Never Satisfied

Ecc 5:10; Hab 2:5

Covetousness: Is Vanity

Psa 39:6; Ecc 4:8

Covetousness: Is Inconsistent

In saints

Eph 5:3; Hbr 13:5

Specially in ministers

1Ti 3:3

Covetousness: Leads To

Injustice and oppression

Pro 28:20; Mic 2:2

Foolish and hurtful lusts

1Ti 6:9

Departure from the faith

1Ti 6:10

Lying

2Ki 5:22-25

Murder

Pro 1:18,19; Eze 22:12

Theft

Jos 7:21

Poverty

Pro 28:22

Misery

1Ti 6:10

Domestic affliction

Pro 15:27

Covetousness: Abhorred by God

Psa 10:3

Covetousness: Forbidden

Exd 20:17

Covetousness: A Characteristic of the Wicked

Rom 1:29

Covetousness: A Characteristic of the Slothful

Pro 21:26

Covetousness: Commended by the Wicked Alone

Psa 10:3

Covetousness: Hated by Saints

Exd 18:21; Act 20:33

Covetousness: To Be Mortified by Saints

Col 3:5

Covetousness: Woe Denounced Against

Isa 5:8; Hab 2:9

Covetousness: Punishment Of

Job 20:15; Isa 57:17; Jer 22:17-19; Mic 2:2,3

Covetousness: Excludes from Heaven

1Cr 6:10; Eph 5:5

Covetousness: Beware Of

Luk 12:15

Covetousness: Avoid Those Guilty Of

1Cr 5:11

Covetousness: Pray Against

Psa 119:36

Covetousness: Reward of Those Who Hate

Pro 28:16

Covetousness: Shall Abound in the Last Days

2Ti 3:2; 2Pe 2:1-3

Covetousness: Exemplified

Laban

Gen 31:41

Achan

Jos 7:21

Eli's sons

1Sa 2:12-14

Samuel's sons

1Sa 8:3

Saul

1Sa 15:9,19

Ahab

1Ki 21:2-4

Gehazi

2Ki 5:20-24

Nobles of the Jews

Neh 5:7; Isa 1:23

Jewish people

Isa 56:11; Jer 6:13

Babylon

Jer 51:13

Young man

Mat 19:22

Judas

Mat 26:14,15; Jhn 12:6

Pharisees

Luk 16:14

Ananias &c

Act 5:1-10

Felix

Act 24:26

Balaam

2Pe 2:15; Jud 1:11