Covet Versus Envy 07 29 2026

So in the Bible, in the Ten Commandments, we know that when it commands not to covet it means not to envy.  The two words are synonymous there.

But let's say that I knew a business secret.  And I coveted that Secret.  I Coveted knowing that secret.  Or to say that a company has a coveted secret.  And then to say my company has a coveted secret.  Then to say I covet my own companies secret?  No, the direction I am going in with this doesn't seem to apply.

If I substitute the word envy in there?  What does it then mean?

For someone to covet their own secret converted to for someone to envy their own secret?

To envy my company secret?

No I really mean to say that other people envy my company secret.

But lets play it out anyway.

I envy my companies secret?  What do I really envy?

What do I really envy?

Let's say I said, "Though shall not covet they neighbor's property?"  It would mean that I would not consider it to be mine!  For some reason they had to explain to a group of people, in commandment form, that others people's property didn't really belong to them.  Why would God have to explain that?  Why did God see fit to explain that?  Why did God have to make a point of understanding about that?

Now if you substitute in the word envy!

Though shall not envy thy neighbor.

Ask yourself how God see's someone who envies other people on earth?  Does God view someone that envies as a Child of him?  I would declare not.  A child of God need not envy or covet.

So there was a non-recognition by God wasn't there!  Do you believe that God did a good enough job of explaining it?

Did you ever notice a child (some) looks around and believes everything is theirs?  They say mine, mine, mine and point at things not theirs.  But they start school and they have to learn something about that.  And perhaps most of us do easily learn what is and is not ours by the time we are in kindergarten.

So there is personal development there.  And there is also an implication that personal development was unattainable.

What am I getting at?

© 2026 Thomas Paul Murphy