Many people may be confused as to what the term coveting (or covet) means when it is used in the Bible, because the term is sometimes used with regard to situations that differ significantly from those that are mentioned in the Tenth Commandment. As a result, when the term coveting (or covet) is used in such scriptures, it may be somewhat confusing to someone trying to understand the correct meaning of those scriptures.
In addressing this matter, we will first consider two scriptures in the Old Testament that paraphrase the wording of the Tenth Commandment and then we will consider several other scriptures in the Bible that, in some Bible translations, mention coveting (or covet). [Note: When we quote Scripture in this article, we use the wording in the New King James Version of the Bible, unless indicated otherwise.]
Exodus 20:17 declares,
You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, nor his male servant, nor his female servant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor anything that is your neighbor’s.
Likewise, Deuteronomy 5:21 asserts,
You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife; and you shall not desire your neighbor’s house, his field, his male servant, his female servant, his ox, his donkey, or anything that is your neighbor’s.
Thus, the Tenth Commandment indicates that desiring the spouse or any possession that belongs to someone else is sinful coveting. Note that the Bible gives no indication that coveting includes wanting a spouse or a possession that is similar to – or even essentially identical to – the one that belongs to someone else.
As previously indicated, some translations of the Bible use the term coveting (or covet) rather than a more appropriate term with regard to matters that do not involve coveting as it is explained in the Tenth Commandment. Most of these translations are in older versions of the Bible.
For example, at least two inappropriate uses of the term covet are found in the original King James Version of the Bible. First Corinthians 12:31a says, “But covet earnestly the best [spiritual] gifts. . . .” And, 1 Corinthians 14:39a states, “Wherefore, brethren, covet to prophesy. . . .” The more recent King James Version (i.e., the NKJV) of the Bible and most other modern Bible translations have rectified this problem by using wording such as “earnestly desire” or “desire earnestly,” rather than the term coveting (or covet) in regard to these two scriptures.
Therefore, when reading about situations in the Bible that use the term coveting (or covet), it is important to try to ascertain whether or not there is a synonym for coveting (or covet) that will provide a better understanding of the situation being considered.
Among the most relevant synonyms mentioned in Roget’s 21st Century Thesaurus with regard to the term covet are the following: aspire, crave, want, wish, yearn, envy, and lust.
Webster’s Dictionary provides pertinent definitions of these synonyms, as follows:
Aspire: “to be ambitious to get or do something; seek”
Crave: “to ask for earnestly; to long for eagerly; desire strongly”
Want: “to feel the need of; long for; crave; to desire, wish or long”
Wish: “to have a longing for; want; desire; crave”
Yearn: “to be filled with longing or desire”
Envy: “a feeling of discontent and ill will because of another’s advantages, possessions, etc.”
Lust: “a desire to gratify the senses; sexual desire”
To aspire for something, crave something, want something, wish for something, or yearn for something is not fundamentally sinful. For example, there generally is nothing wrong with aspiring to own a nice house, craving a certain food, wanting a nice car, wishing for personal happiness, or yearning for “the good old days.”
In contrast, there is no valid reason to think that either envy or lust is ever appropriate. Both of these sins can be regarded as similar to coveting. Scriptures that pertain to envy and/or lust include Matthew 5:28, Romans 1:29, Colossians 3:5, Titus 3:3; and 1 John 2:16.
As for using the term coveting in conversations, it is certainly not a sin if someone makes a statement such as “I covet your prayers” to emphasize that person’s sincere desire to have other people pray for them. However, in such situations, it probably would be better to use an appropriate synonym instead of the term covet.
Conclusions
Because some Bible translations use the term coveting (or covet) when referring to some situations that do not actually involve coveting, it is important to correctly understand which situations actually involve coveting. Desiring specifically what someone else possesses is certainly coveting, whereas wanting something that does not involve envy or lust is not coveting and is not sinful. To better understand what the Bible teaches about coveting, it would be wise to give ample consideration to several relatively recent translations of the Bible, which are more likely than older translations to appropriately use the term coveting (or covet).