covet after, desire

Boyd’s Bible Dictionary:

(desire). Rightful desire (1 Cor. 12:3131But covet earnestly the best gifts: and yet show I unto you a more excellent way. (1 Corinthians 12:31), good). Wrongful desire, sinful (Ex. 20:17; 18:2117Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbor's. (Exodus 20:17)
21Moreover thou shalt provide out of all the people able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness; and place such over them, to be rulers of thousands, and rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens: (Exodus 18:21)
; Prov. 28:1616The prince that wanteth understanding is also a great oppressor: but he that hateth covetousness shall prolong his days. (Proverbs 28:16); Luke 12:15-3415And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth. 16And he spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully: 17And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits? 18And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods. 19And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry. 20But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided? 21So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God. 22And he said unto his disciples, Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat; neither for the body, what ye shall put on. 23The life is more than meat, and the body is more than raiment. 24Consider the ravens: for they neither sow nor reap; which neither have storehouse nor barn; and God feedeth them: how much more are ye better than the fowls? 25And which of you with taking thought can add to his stature one cubit? 26If ye then be not able to do that thing which is least, why take ye thought for the rest? 27Consider the lilies how they grow: they toil not, they spin not; and yet I say unto you, that Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 28If then God so clothe the grass, which is to day in the field, and to morrow is cast into the oven; how much more will he clothe you, O ye of little faith? 29And seek not ye what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink, neither be ye of doubtful mind. 30For all these things do the nations of the world seek after: and your Father knoweth that ye have need of these things. 31But rather seek ye the kingdom of God; and all these things shall be added unto you. 32Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom. 33Sell that ye have, and give alms; provide yourselves bags which wax not old, a treasure in the heavens that faileth not, where no thief approacheth, neither moth corrupteth. 34For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. (Luke 12:15‑34); 1 Tim. 6:9-109But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. 10For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. (1 Timothy 6:9‑10)).

Concise Bible Dictionary:

In 1 Corinthians 12:3131But covet earnestly the best gifts: and yet show I unto you a more excellent way. (1 Corinthians 12:31) and 1 Corinthians 14:3939Wherefore, brethren, covet to prophesy, and forbid not to speak with tongues. (1 Corinthians 14:39), the word is ζηλόω, and is quite different from the coveting that is condemned in scripture; it is translated in Revelation 3:1919As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent. (Revelation 3:19) “be zealous,” and the above passages in Corinthians can be so translated, or “desire earnestly” the best gifts, and “desire earnestly” to prophesy.

Strong’s Dictionary of Greek Words:

Greek:
ὀρέγομαι
Transliteration:
oregomai
Phonic:
or-eg’-om-ahee
Meaning:
middle voice of apparently a prolonged form of an obsolete primary (compare 3735); to stretch oneself, i.e. reach out after (long for)
KJV Usage:
covet after, desire