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covet, desire, would fain, lust (after)

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)).

“Covet, To” From 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.

“Lust, To” From Concise Bible Dictionary:

The word έπιθυμέω signifies “to desire earnestly,” and is often translated “desire,” without the thought of the desire being an evil one, as in Matthew 13:17¹⁷For verily I say unto you, That many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them. (Matthew 13:17); 1 Timothy 3:1¹This is a true saying, If a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work. (1 Timothy 3:1); 1 Peter 1:12¹²Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; which things the angels desire to look into. (1 Peter 1:12). The English word “lust” was anciently not always used in a bad sense, as it now is (see Deuteronomy 12:15¹⁵Notwithstanding thou mayest kill and eat flesh in all thy gates, whatsoever thy soul lusteth after, according to the blessing of the Lord thy God which he hath given thee: the unclean and the clean may eat thereof, as of the roebuck, and as of the hart. (Deuteronomy 12:15) and Galatians 5:17¹⁷For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would. (Galatians 5:17)).

Strong’s Dictionary of Greek Words:

Number:

1937 (find all occurrences in KJV Bible)

Greek:

ἐπιθυμέω

Transliteration:

epithumeo

Phonic:

ep-ee-thoo-meh’-o

Meaning:

from 1909 and 2372; to set the heart upon, i.e. long for (rightfully or otherwise)

KJV Usage:

covet, desire, would fain, lust (after)