Tenth Commandment: You shall not covet
Exodus
20:17
Hebrew:
לֹא תַחְמֹד בֵּית רֵעֶךָ ; לֹא תַחְמֹד אֵשֶׁת רֵעֶךָ , וְעַבְדּוֹ וַאֲמָתוֹ , וְשׁוֹרוֹ וַחֲמֹרוֹ , וְכֹל אֲשֶׁר לְרֵעֶךָ
Literal translation:
“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.”
Linguistic analysis
·
לֹא תַחְמֹד (lo tachmod):
– “You shall not covet”, from the verb חָמַד ( chamad ) , which means:
To intensely desire, to crave, to covet with
avidity what does not belong to you.
This is not simply about noticing
or admiring something good in another, but rather about nurturing
the desire to possess it even if it is improper.
1. Greed:
the hidden root of many sins
The tenth commandment reveals
something key: other sins (stealing, committing adultery, killing,
lying) often have their origin in the greed of the heart .
·
The woman
covets → adultery
·
Greed for
wealth → theft, fraud
·
Covet power
or status → lie, betrayal
·
Greed for
revenge → murder
James
1:14–15
“Each person is tempted... when he is drawn away
by his own evil desire and enticed. And evil desire... gives birth to sin, and
sin... gives birth to death.”
2. Paul
and the Tenth Commandment: The Law That Reveals Sin
Romans
7:7
“...I did not know sin except through the law; for
I would not have known covetousness unless the law had said, ‘You shall not
covet.’”
Paul understood that this
commandment reveals the inner nature of sin .
While the other commandments can be fulfilled externally ,
this one demands inner purity .
⚠ ️ That is why no one can justify themselves with
the law alone : true justice must change the heart .
3. Jesus
Christ intensifies the meaning: from desire to judgment
Jesus taught that impure
or covetous thinking is already a transgression:
Matthew
5:27–28
“...whoever looks at a woman lustfully has already
committed adultery with her in his heart.”
This shows
that:
·
God judges
not only actions , but intentions .
·
The Kingdom
of God demands a clean heart, not just a pious appearance.
4. Covetousness
as idolatry
Paul is even more direct:
Colossians
3:5
“...greed, which is idolatry .”
Because?
Because those who covet put their
trust, desire, and worship in what they do not have , instead
of trusting in God's provision and will .
5. Practical applications of the tenth commandment
·
Refuse
to envy the
possessions, position, or relationships of others.
·
Spiritual
contentment :
knowing that what God gives is enough (Philippians 4:11–13).
·
Fight
against modern advertising that encourages you to desire the unnecessary.
·
Move
away from the spirit of carnal competition , and cultivate gratitude.
✨ Spiritual and prophetic
dimension
|
Level |
Application |
|
Literal |
Do not covet
what belongs to your neighbor |
|
Moral |
Don't let
desire fuel injustice. |
|
Spiritual |
Living with
contentment and trust in God |
|
Prophetic |
Greed
characterizes the end-world (2 Tim. 3:2) |
|
Scatological |
Only the pure
in heart will see God (Matt. 5:8) |
Final Reflection: The Ten Commandments as a Path of Life
The Ten Commandments, far
from being a list of prohibitions, represent the foundation of a just and
harmonious life. They express God’s wisdom and His desire for humanity to live
in peace—with Him and with one another.
They remind us that true
freedom is not found in doing whatever we please, but in living according to
God’s design. By setting boundaries, the commandments actually open a way
toward dignity, justice, and love.
Each commandment safeguards
what is most valuable: our relationship with God, our family, truth, life,
fidelity, and mutual respect. Together, they shape a moral and spiritual
compass that transcends cultures and epochs.
In our modern world, these
principles are often ignored, twisted, or relativized. Yet they remain as
relevant as ever. Corruption, violence, dishonesty, idolatry of wealth or
power—all these realities show what happens when the commandments are set
aside.
But when they are lived with
sincerity of heart, empowered by God’s Spirit, the commandments become a source
of blessing. They protect us from self-destruction and guide us into the
fullness of love: love for God above all things, and love for our neighbor as
ourselves.
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