Covetousness, or envy, is the strong desire for something that someone else has. It goes beyond mere admiration and enters into sin when we begin to wish that we had something that belongs to someone else or when we want to take something that does not rightfully belong to us. Covetousness is the opposite of being content with what God has given us. It is a violation of the 10th Commandment, which says, “You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his male servant, or his female servant, or his ox, or his donkey, or anything that is your neighbor’s” (Exodus 20:17).
The book of Proverbs has a lot to say about covetousness and contentment. Proverbs 27:20 says, “Sheol and Abaddon are never satisfied, and never satisfied are the eyes of man.” This verse poetically personifies death and destruction as being unsatisfied and always wanting more. Likewise, the eyes of man are never satisfied, always looking for the next thing to covet. In contrast, Proverbs 15:27 says, “Whoever is greedy for unjust gain troubles his own household, but he who hates bribes will live.” This verse warns that greed brings trouble to one’s family and integrity brings life. Ultimately, Proverbs 30:7-9 advises, “Two things I ask of you; deny them not to me before I die: Remove far from me falsehood and lying; give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with the food that is needful for me, lest I be full and deny you and say, ‘Who is the Lord?’ or lest I be poor and steal and profane the name of my God.” This prayer requests the wisdom to be content with daily needs rather than covetous of excess.
The New Testament also contains many warnings against covetousness. Jesus taught, “Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions” (Luke 12:15). He warned that life is more than material wealth. The apostle Paul listed covetousness along with other serious sins like sexual immorality and idolatry (Ephesians 5:3-5). He reminded believers that covetousness is equated with idolatry because when we covet we are valuing created things over the Creator (Colossians 3:5). James 4:1-3 traces quarrels and conflicts among Christians to the covetous desires that battle within us.
There are several noteworthy Bible stories that illustrate the sin of covetousness and its consequences:
1. Achan’s Sin (Joshua 7) – When Israel conquered Jericho, God commanded them to take nothing for themselves. But Achan coveted a beautiful robe from Babylon, silver, and gold, and took them for himself. This brought judgment on Israel until the sin was dealt with.
2. David and Bathsheba (2 Samuel 11) – David coveted his neighbor Uriah’s wife Bathsheba and committed adultery with her. This led to lies and murder in an effort to cover up his sin.
3. Ahab and Naboth’s Vineyard (1 Kings 21) – Ahab wanted Naboth’s vineyard to use as a vegetable garden, since it was conveniently next to the palace. When Naboth refused to sell it, Ahab’s wife Jezebel arranged to have Naboth killed on false charges. Ahab’s covetousness led to theft, false testimony, and murder.
4. Judas (Matthew 26:14-16) – Judas betrayed Jesus for 30 pieces of silver, driven by his greed and covetousness. This ultimately led to his immense guilt and suicide.
5. Ananias and Sapphira (Acts 5:1-11) – This couple sold property and lied about the sale price, keeping back some of the money for themselves but wanting to appear generous. Their covetousness led to deceit, judgment, and death.
In contrast to these negative examples, we also see praiseworthy people in the Bible who were free from covetousness. After the prophet Samuel grew old, the people asked him to appoint a king over them. Samuel warned them that a king would exploit them for his own gain (1 Samuel 8:10-18). The two subsequent kings, Saul and David, did enrich themselves at the nation’s expense. But Samuel himself modeled integrity and said, “Here I am; testify against me before the Lord and before his anointed. Whose ox have I taken? Or whose donkey have I taken? Or whom have I defrauded? Whom have I oppressed? Or from whose hand have I taken a bribe to blind my eyes with it? Testify against me and I will restore it to you” (1 Samuel 12:3). Samuel was free from covetousness during his leadership.
There are several reasons why covetousness is so strongly warned against in Scripture:
1. Covetousness reveals a lack of faith in God’s provision. It indicates we do not trust that God will take care of our needs (Matthew 6:25-34; Philippians 4:11-13, 19).
2. Covetousness focuses our desire on things of this world rather than spiritual things. It shows the state of our heart (Matthew 6:21; Colossians 3:1-2).
3. Covetousness misses the true meaning of life. It values material possessions over relationships with God and people (Luke 12:15).
4. Covetousness often leads to sin against others in order to fulfill our excessive desires. It violates the 10th commandment and can lead to breaking the other 9 as well (Exodus 20:17).
5. Covetousness reveals pride and ingratitude for what we already have (Luke 12:13-21).
6. Covetousness enslaves us. It is never satisfied. Our craving actually increases the more we acquire (Ecclesiastes 5:10-11).
7. Covetousness causes all kinds of grief and sorrow (1 Timothy 6:9-10). The stories above illustrate how it ruins lives and relationships.
So what is the solution to covetousness? How can we fight against this tendency in our hearts?
1. Ask God to search your heart and reveal covetous desires to you (Psalm 139:23-24).
2. Repent of covetousness as sin whenever you become aware of it. Confess it to God.
3. Cultivate contentment with what you have (Philippians 4:11-13; 1 Timothy 6:6-8; Hebrews 13:5).
4. Remember that life is more than possessions. Keep your focus on the spiritual (Colossians 3:1-2).
5. Be on guard against greed entering your heart in small ways (Luke 16:10-11).
6. Trust God to meet your needs in His timing and His way (Matthew 6:25-34).
7. Practice generosity and avoid stinginess (Acts 20:35; 1 John 3:17-18).
8. Give thanks continually for what you already have (1 Thessalonians 5:18).
9. Find your identity and security in your relationship with Christ, not in what you own (Ephesians 1:3-14).
10. Work hard and seek to earn wealth ethically so you can be generous to others (Ephesians 4:28; 1 Timothy 5:8).
In summary, covetousness is a heart condition of envy and greed that the Bible repeatedly warns against. It reveals a lack of faith in God, ingratitude, pride, and wrong priorities. But by God’s grace, Christians can fight against covetous tendencies and instead learn to be content, finding their satisfaction in Christ above all else. The key is allowing the Spirit to renew our minds (Romans 12:1-2) and to trust God’s promises to provide what we need.