Do Not Covet!

Do Not Covet!

Naboth lived during the time of a notoriously wicked Israelite king named Ahab. Naboth’s vineyard, which was next to king Ahab’s palace, was his family property since many years. Ahab looked at the vineyard and liked it very much. So he offered to buy it from Naboth. But Naboth refused to sell as it was his ancestor’s property. Ahab’s wife Jezebel saw that the king was depressed because of this.  Jezebel was a cunning woman and planned to get the vineyard for him. She arranged some people to falsely blame against Naboth. He was accused of cursing God and the king. He was put to death as punishment. The people of the city killed him by throwing stones on him. Jezebel went and told Ahab that the vineyard was his to take possession of. Thus, Ahab took possession of Naboth’s vineyard.

But after some years, God punished Ahab and Jezebel for shedding innocent blood of Naboth.

God says “Do not covet.” The Hebrew word for ‘covet’ means ‘to desire’ or ‘to take pleasure’ on something which is not our own. In this story, Ahab was a king. With his power he could have bought anything anywhere in his country. But his eyes fell on Naboth’s vineyard. When he was denied of his desire, he acted selfish and grabbed the vineyard in an evil way.

To covet is to want something badly which is not ours.

Examples of things that we are tempted to covet for:

Material things like :

                                Dress of your friend,

                                Car that your neighbor owns.

                                House of a fellow worker.

                               

Physical things like:

                                Neighbors wife.

                                Friends’ Happy life.

                                Joy of a friend’s family.

We have quoted very few examples of covetousness. But beware that your simple desire doesn’t get you to sin against God.

Exo 20:17

 (Hindi) तू किसी के घर का लालच न करना? न तो किसी की स्त्री का लालच करना, और न किसी के दास-दासी, वा बैल गदहे का, न किसी की किसी वस्तु का लालच करना।।

(Kan) ನೀನು ನಿನ್ನ ನೆರೆಯವನ ಮನೆಯನ್ನು ಆಶಿಸ ಬಾರದು, ನಿನ್ನ ನೆರೆಯವನ ಹೆಂಡತಿಯನ್ನೂ ಆಶಿಸ ಬಾರದು; ಅವನ ದಾಸನನ್ನಾಗಲಿ ದಾಸಿಯನ್ನಾಗಲಿ ಎತ್ತನ್ನಾಗಲಿ ಕತ್ತೆಯನ್ನಾಗಲಿ ನಿನ್ನ ನೆರೆಯವನಿಗೆ ಇರುವ ಯಾವದನ್ನೂ ಆಶಿಸಬಾರದು ಎಂದು ಹೇಳಿದನು.

(Mal) കൂട്ടുകാരന്റെ ഭവനത്തെ മോഹിക്കരുതു; കൂട്ടുകാരന്റെ ഭാര്യയെയും അവന്റെ ദാസനെയും ദാസിയെയും അവന്റെ കാളയെയും കഴുതയെയും കൂട്ടുകാരനുള്ള യാതൊന്നിനെയും മോഹിക്കരുതു.

(MKJV)  You shall not covet(long for) your neighbor's house. You shall not covet your neighbor's wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor anything that is your neighbor's.

(Tamil OV)  பிறனுடைய வீட்டை இச்சியாதிருப்பாயாக; பிறனுடைய மனைவியையும், அவனுடைய வேலைக்காரனையும், அவனுடைய வேலைக்காரியையும், அவனுடைய எருதையும், அவனுடைய கழுதையையும், பின்னும் பிறனுக்குள்ள யாதொன்றையும் இச்சியாதிருப்பாயாக என்றார்.

(Telugu)  నీ పొరుగువాని యిల్లు ఆశింపకూడదు. నీ పొరుగువాని భార్యనైనను అతని దాసునైనను అతని దాసినైనను అతని యెద్దునైనను అతని గాడిదనైనను నీ పొరుగువానిదగు దేనినైనను ఆశింప కూడదు అని చెప్పెను.