Deuteronomy 5:21"Neither shall you covet your neighbor's wife; neither shall you desire your neighbor's house, his field, or his male servant, or his female servant, his ox, or his donkey, or anything that is your neighbor's."
The setting
Mount Sinai, Sinai Peninsula, Egypt, ~1440 BC. The final commandment thunders down as God addresses the heart's deepest struggle — wanting what others have...
The emotion here: solemn responsibility recording God's final commandment about the human heart
The original word
חָמַד (chamad) — intense desire that leads to scheming and taking action
Why it matters
This commandment uniquely addresses internal desire, not external action — revolutionary for ancient legal codes
Read with care
What most readers miss in Deuteronomy 5:21
God lists specific examples because coveting always targets concrete things, not abstract concepts
Common misconceptionPeople think coveting is just wanting nice things, but it's specifically wanting what belongs to someone else — your neighbor's specific house, wife, or possessions.
The thread continues
Verses that echo Deuteronomy 5:21
Bible Genome reading
Deuteronomy 5:21 — Bible Genome reading
Emotional genome
Deuteronomy 5:21 comes from the book of Deuteronomy, written during the exodus period. These words are attributed to God. The dominant emotion in this verse is deciding, with a comfort power of 20% and a tone that is commanding. It belongs to the law genre of biblical literature. Key themes include contentment, desire, envy. Notable phrases: Neither shall you covet. This verse contains a command.
Emotionally similar
Verses that meet the same deciding
“"You shall have no other gods before me.”
— Deuteronomy 5:7
“"You shall not murder.”
— Exodus 20:13
“Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.”
— Matthew 23:12
“For God didn't give us a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and self-control.”
— 2 Timothy 1:7
“But Peter said, "Silver and gold have I none, but what I have, that I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, get up and walk!"”
— Acts 3:6
Your reflection
What does Deuteronomy 5:21 mean to you, today?
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