“You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his male servant, or his female servant, or his ox, or his donkey, or anything that is your neighbor’s.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
This commandment is a radical call to internal purity, targeting not just actions but the very desires that birth them. It reveals that God sees the "root of sin" within our hearts, not just its outward manifestation, challenging us to root out envy before it ever takes root in deed.
“You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his male servant, or his female servant, or his ox, or his donkey, or anything that is your neighbor’s.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
This commandment serves as the grand finale to the Ten Commandments, directly addressing the internal desires that fuel the outward sins of disrespecting parents, murder, adultery, theft, and false witness. It prohibits the internal longing or craving for what belongs to another, making it clear that God's law extends to the thoughts and motives of the heart, not just the actions. The list of possessions—house, wife, servants, animals—illustrates that coveting can extend to any aspect of a neighbor's life and property, highlighting discontent with one's own lot.
Most laws stop at what you do. But God's law digs deeper, right into your thoughts and desires. What does this mean for us today?
The final commandment, "You shall not covet," is unique. While the previous nine commandments focus on outward actions – what you do (or don't do) – this one targets the internal landscape: your desires and thoughts.
The Root of Sin
Commentators note that coveting isn't just a fleeting thought, but an inordinate desire, a longing to possess what belongs to someone else. This internal state is seen as the root from which many outward sins grow. If you deeply desire something that isn't yours, you're already on a path that can lead to theft, deceit, or even violence. God, who sees the heart, recognizes this inner longing as a violation of His law.
God's Gaze on the Heart
This command reveals God's profound interest in our inner lives. Unlike human laws that can only judge actions, God's law penetrates to the motive and intention. He desires "truth in the inward parts" – meaning genuine righteousness that starts from within. This doesn't mean we can't have desires, but that our desires must be rightly ordered, respecting God's design and our neighbor's property.
Is it wrong to simply something your neighbor has? The Hebrew understanding of 'covet' goes beyond a casual wish. Let's explore.
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The word 'covet' here (in the original Hebrew) implies a strong, often selfish or unlawful, desire for something that belongs to another. It's not just noticing something nice; it's a longing to possess it, often at your neighbor's expense.
Beyond Simple Wishing
Think of it as an active longing that can lead to discontent with your own lot and envy of your neighbor's. It’s the internal seed that could grow into schemes to acquire what isn't yours, or wishing you could take it from them. This desire often stems from dissatisfaction with God's provision in your own life.
Protecting the Community
By forbidding covetousness, God protects the fabric of society. If people genuinely didn't harbor these intense, possessive desires for their neighbor's goods, it would prevent many outward crimes like theft, fraud, and disputes. This commandment, therefore, serves as a foundation for peaceful coexistence and respect for others' property and relationships.
Why does the commandment list 'house' first, then 'wife,' and then possessions? The order reveals something about human values and God's perspective.
The specific order in which the prohibited items are listed in Exodus 20:17 – house, wife, servants, animals, and everything else – isn't accidental. It reflects a hierarchy of value and importance.
The Household as the Core
'House' often represented more than just a building; it symbolized the entire household – the family, the security, the domestic establishment. It was the central unit of life and society. The other items mentioned, including the wife, servants, and livestock, were integral parts of that household and its functioning.
A Hierarchy of Desire
By placing the 'wife' second, the commandment powerfully underscores that relationships and persons are not mere possessions. Coveting another's spouse is a particularly grave violation, touching on the sanctity of marriage and treating a person as property. The subsequent items – servants, oxen, donkeys – represent wealth, labor, and means of sustenance. The final phrase, 'or anything that is your neighbor’s,' serves as a catch-all, emphasizing that no earthly possession is outside the scope of God's law regarding our desires.
A Challenging Standard
This detailed list shows the comprehensive nature of God's law. It protects not just property, but the very structure of family and community, forbidding the internal longing that could undermine them.
Understand the original words
chamad · Hebrew Verb
A deep, unchecked, and sinful desire for what belongs to another; it is an internal heart attitude that disregards God's provision and leads to further moral failure.
The Apostle Paul directly references this tenth commandment to show how it reveals sin and the law's spiritual nature, highlighting that coveting is a sin of the heart, not just action.
Luke 12:15Jesus warns against covetousness, stating that life does not consist in an abundance of possessions, directly connecting to the principle that inordinate desire for 'things' is dangerous.
Micah 2:2The prophet Micah condemns those who 'covet fields and seize them, and houses, and take them,' illustrating how covetous desires can lead to unjust actions and oppression against one's neighbor.
1 Timothy 6:10This verse declares that 'the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil,' echoing the Exodus command by pointing to an excessive desire for possessions as a source of sin.
Matthew 5:28Jesus expands on the law's intent by stating that even looking at someone lustfully is committing adultery in the heart, showing that Christ also recognized that sin begins with internal desire, just as coveting does.
pulpitExodus 20:17: "Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour's."
Verse 17. - Thou shalt not covet. Here the Mosaic law takes a step enormously in advance of any other ancient code. Most codes stopped short at the deed; a few went on to words; not one attempted to control thoughts. "Thou shalt not covet" teaches men that there is One who sees the heart; t…
clarkeExodus 20:17: "Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour's."
Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's house - wife, etc. - Covet signifies to desire or long after, in order to enjoy as a property the person or thing coveted. He breaks this command who by any means endeavors to deprive a man of his house or farm by taking them over his head, as it is expre…
This commandment is a radical call to internal purity, targeting not just actions but the very desires that birth them. It reveals that God sees the "root of sin" within our hearts, not just its outward manifestation, challenging us to root out envy before it ever takes root in deed.
This commandment serves as the grand finale to the Ten Commandments, directly addressing the internal desires that fuel the outward sins of disrespecting parents, murder, adultery, theft, and false witness. It prohibits the internal longing or craving for what belongs to another, making it clear that God's law extends to the thoughts and motives of the heart, not just the actions. The list of possessions—house, wife, servants, animals—illustrates that coveting can extend to any aspect of a neighbor's life and property, highlighting discontent with one's own lot.
This commandment serves as the grand finale to the Ten Commandments, directly addressing the internal desires that fuel the outward sins of disrespecting parents, murder, adultery, theft, and false witness. It prohibits the internal longing or craving for what belongs to another, making it clear that God's law extends to the thoughts and motives of the heart, not just the actions. The list of possessions—house, wife, servants, animals—illustrates that coveting can extend to any aspect of a neighbor's life and property, highlighting discontent with one's own lot.
"“You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his male servant, or his female servant, or his ox, or his donkey, or anything that is your neighbor’s.”" — This commandment is a radical call to internal purity, targeting not just actions but the very desires that birth them. It reveals that God sees the "root of sin" within our hearts, not just its outw…
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Last reviewed October 2026