Deuteronomy 5:21 · Bible study
Deuteronomy 5:21 Commentary: Tenth Commandment
Hebrew · 8 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Why does Deuteronomy reorder and expand the tenth commandment?
Research Summary
- Meaning: Prohibits desiring anything that belongs to another, spouse, property, servants, animals, or anything else.
- Key words: Covet (חָמַד H2530), Desire (אָוָה H0183), Neighbor (רֵעַ H7453).
- Main debate: Whether the two verbs distinguish lust for a person from coveting property, or are simply synonyms.
- Theological theme: Sin begins in the heart; God requires internal righteousness, not just external compliance.
- Best use: Paul used this command to demonstrate how the law exposes the power of indwelling sin (Romans 7:7, 8).
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife. You shall not covet your neighbor’s house or field, or his manservant or maidservant, or his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.”
WEB World English Bible 2000
“You shall not 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.”
KJV King James Version 1769
Neither shalt thou desire thy neighbour’s wife, neither shalt thou covet thy neighbour’s house, his field, or his manservant, or his maidservant, his ox, or his ass, or any thing that is thy neighbour’s.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
Neither shalt thou covet thy neighbor’s wife; neither shalt thou desire thy neighbor’s house, his field, or his man-servant, or his maid-servant, his ox, or his ass, or anything that is thy neighbor’s.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
`Thou dost not desire thy neighbour's wife; nor dost thou covet thy neighbour's house, his field, and his man-servant, and his handmaid, his ox, and his ass, and anything which is thy neighbour's.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
Neither shalt thou desire thy neighbour's wife, neither shalt thou covet thy neighbour's house, his field, nor his bondman, nor his handmaid, his ox, nor his ass, nor anything that is thy neighbour's.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife: nor his house, nor his field, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is his.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
No codiciarás la mujer de tu prójimo, ni desearás la casa de tu prójimo, ni su tierra, ni su siervo, ni su sierva, ni su buey, ni su asno, ni ninguna cosa que sea de tu prójimo.
Não cobiçarás a mulher de teu próximo, nem desejarás a casa de teu próximo, nem sua terra, nem seu servo, nem sua serva, nem seu boi, nem seu asno, nem nenhuma coisa que seja de teu próximo.
Tu ne convoiteras point la femme de ton prochain; tu ne désireras point la maison de ton prochain, ni son champ, ni son serviteur, ni sa servante, ni son bœuf, ni son âne, ni aucune chose qui appartienne à ton prochain.
[5:18] Laß dich nicht gelüsten deines Nächsten Weibes. Du sollst nicht begehren deines Nächsten Haus, Acker, Knecht, Magd, Ochsen, Esel noch alles, was sein ist.
En gij zult niet begeren uws naasten vrouw; en gij zult u niet laten gelusten uws naasten huis, zijn akker, noch zijn dienstknecht, noch zijn dienstmaagd, zijn os, noch zijn ezel, noch iets, dat uws naasten is.
Non concupire la moglie del tuo prossimo, e non bramare la casa del tuo prossimo, né il suo campo, né il suo servo, né la sua serva, né il suo bue, né il suo asino, né cosa alcuna che sia del tuo prossimo”.
Nie będziesz pożądał żony bliźniego twego, ani będziesz pożądał domu bliźniego twego, roli jego, i sługi jego, i służebnicy jego, wołu jego, i osła jego, i wszystkich rzeczy, które są bliźniego twego.
Не желай жены ближнего твоего и не желай дома ближнего твоего, ни поля его, ни раба его, ни рабы его, ни вола его, ни осла его, [ни всякого скота его,] ни всего, что есть у ближнего твоего.
「『不可 貪戀 人 的妻子；也不可 貪圖 人 的房屋、田地、僕 婢、牛、驢，並他 一切 所有的。』
Or let your desire be turned to your neighbour's wife, or his house or his field or his man-servant or his woman-servant or his ox or his ass or anything which is your neighbour's.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · Deuteronomy 5:21
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators agree that the tenth commandment in Deuteronomy 5:21 goes beyond outward actions to the inner disposition of the heart. The Cambridge Bible notes that this command carries the law from the sphere of action into thought and feeling, focusing the spirit of all the previous commandments. Gill’s Exposition identifies 'lust' as the thing intended and prohibited, linking it directly to Jesus’ teaching in Matthew 5:28. Wesley’s Explanatory Notes states the plain meaning: you shall not desire anything that is not your own, because God has already given whatever is truly good for you. Paul in Romans 7:7, 8 selected this very command to illustrate how the law reveals sin’s power, showing that covetousness is the inward desire that outward commands only restrain. There is broad agreement that this command is uniquely spiritual, a diagnostic of the heart’s allegiance.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Two distinct prohibitions: The separate verbs and the placement of wife in a class by herself suggest a difference between lust for a person and coveting property.
- Single comprehensive command: The essential meaning is the same as Exodus 20:17; the variations are stylistic or contextual, not substantive.
What is clear: The command forbids the inward desire for what belongs to another, targeting the heart's disposition as the root of outward sin.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Number of commandments in the Decalogue | All traditions accept a tenth commandment prohibiting coveting. | Some traditions (Reformed, Orthodox) treat the prohibition of coveting the neighbor's house and wife as a single commandment, while others (Catholic, Lutheran) split them into two, citing the distinct verbs in Deuteronomy. |
| Meaning of the two Hebrew verbs | Both verbs (חָמַד and אָוָה) refer to inward desire or longing. | Some commentators see אָוָה as specifically denoting sexual desire when used of a person, making a sharper distinction between person and property. Others view them as synonymous, noting the LXX uses one verb (ἐπιθυμέω) for both. |
| Addition of 'his field' | The field is added to the list in Deuteronomy but not in Exodus. | Some see it as a simple expansion for the agrarian context of the land. Others argue it changes the intent, making the command more comprehensive and connected to the land promises. |
| Does this command summarize the whole law? | The command addresses the heart and goes beyond external actions, showing the spiritual nature of God's law. | Some, like Calvin and the Cambridge Bible, view it as focusing the spirit of all other commandments. Others see it as one among ten, not necessarily more important than the others. |
Historical & Cultural Context
Deuteronomy 5:21 appears in Moses’ repetition of the Ten Commandments to the new generation of Israel, assembled on the plains of Moab just before entering the Promised Land. Unlike the Exodus version (Exodus 20:17), which lists the neighbor’s house first and uses the same verb for all items, Deuteronomy reorders the list and introduces a second Hebrew verb. The wife is placed in a separate clause with the verb אָוָה (a.vah, “desire, long for, lust after”), while house, field, servants and animals fall under the verb חָמַד (cha.mad, “covet”). The Cambridge Bible explains that this distinguishes the wife as a person, not property, and notes that the older English versions rendered the first verb as ‘lust.’ The addition of “his field” reflects Deuteronomy’s special regard for rural life, Israel would soon farm the land God was giving them.
The tenth commandment stands last in the Decalogue, not as an afterthought but as the demand that sums up all the others. As Calvin says, and the Cambridge Bible cites, it is ‘not superfluous even in so brief a summary’ because without it the law could be reduced to external compliance. The commandment protects not just the neighbor’s possessions but the neighbor’s personhood. A strong illustration is the story of Ahab coveting Naboth’s vineyard (1 Kings 21:1, 4), which led to false witness and murder. Covetousness, unchecked, always produces further sin.
Textual Notes
The supplied sources note no significant textual variants for Deuteronomy 5:21. The differences in wording and order between Exodus 20:17 and this verse are considered intentional expansions within the biblical tradition, not scribal errors.
Reception History
Paul’s citation of the tenth commandment in Romans 7:7, 8 showed that the law’s purpose was not merely to restrain actions but to expose the sin that lives within. Calvin, as cited by the Cambridge Bible, saw this command as essential for bringing the law into the realm of thought and desire, making it impossible to reduce obedience to outward behavior. In Reformation catechisms, the commandment was applied to forbid not only theft but also any design to get a neighbor’s goods through deception or schemes. Wesley’s Explanatory Notes drew the positive implication: if God has already given you everything good, there is no ground for discontent. Across traditions, this verse has been treasured as the law’s mirror, reflecting the heart’s deepest need for grace.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- The Command Searches the Heart. This command moves from actions to desires, showing that sin begins within. Paul saw his own covetousness through this law (Romans 7:7).
- The Person Comes First. By placing the wife under a different verb, Deuteronomy distinguishes persons from property. We are not to lust after another person, but to honor him or her.
- Covetousness Breeds Other Sins. Ahab’s desire for Naboth’s vineyard led to theft and murder (1 Kings 21:1, 4). Coveting is never satisfied alone; it spawns deceit, theft, and violence.
Five-point outline
- The Command Is Comprehensive. “Or anything that is your neighbor’s” closes the list, making it clear that no desire for what belongs to another is permitted.
- The Law Reveals Sin. Paul uses this command as the example of how the law awakens awareness of sin (Romans 7:8).
- The Heart of the Law. This command targets the root of all outward sins: selfish desire.
- The Gift of Contentment. Wesley notes that if we trust God’s provision, there is no room to desire what we lack.
- The Gospel Answer. The remedy is not simply to suppress desire but to cultivate trust in God, who gives what we truly need.
Illustration hooks
- The neighbor’s new car or larger house can spark envy, leading to resentment and discontent in our own homes.
- Scrolling through social media often triggers comparison and the desire for someone else’s life, relationships, or success.
- The story of Ahab pouting over Naboth’s vineyard shows how coveting can dominate a person’s thoughts and drive them to unethical actions.
Questions your congregation is asking
- What’s the difference between a healthy goal and covetousness?
- How do I know if I’m coveting someone’s spouse or simply admiring them?
- Can coveting be forgiven, and how do I find freedom from it?
Leading a Discussion
This command invites us to examine the desires of our hearts, not just our actions. The list and wording in Deuteronomy press us to see where our true allegiance lies.
Discussion questions
- What does the list in Deuteronomy 5:21 tell us about what God values? (observation)
- Compare Exodus 20:17 with this verse. Why do you think the order and wording changed? (interpretation)
- Why does the command use two different verbs for “covet” and “desire”? What does that suggest about the wife versus the house? (interpretation)
- Paul said he would not have known sin except through this command (Romans 7:7). What does that reveal about the purpose of the law? (interpretation)
- In what areas of your life do you feel the pull of discontent or comparison? (application)
- How can the community of faith help one another cultivate contentment? (application)
- What does it mean to “desire” something in a healthy way versus a sinful way? (application)
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Exodus 20:17 | “You shall not covet your neighbor’s house. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, nor his male servant, nor his female servant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor anything that is your neighbor’s.” |
| I Kings 21:1 | After these things, Naboth the Jezreelite had a vineyard which was in Jezreel, next to the palace of Ahab king of Samaria. |
| I Kings 21:4 | Ahab came into his house sullen and angry because of the word which Naboth the Jezreelite had spoken to him, for he had said, “I will not give you the inheritance of my fathers.” He laid himself down on his bed, and turned away his face, and would eat no bread. |
| Micah 2:2 | They covet fields and seize them, and houses, then take them away. They oppress a man and his house, even a man and his heritage. |
| Habakkuk 2:9 | Woe to him who gets an evil gain for his house, that he may set his nest on high, that he may be delivered from the hand of evil! |
| Luke 12:15 | He said to them, “Beware! Keep yourselves from covetousness, for a man’s life doesn’t consist of the abundance of the things which he possesses.” |
| Romans 7:7 | What shall we say then? Is the law sin? May it never be! However, I wouldn’t have known sin except through the law. For I wouldn’t have known coveting unless the law had said, “You shall not covet.” |
| Romans 7:8 | But sin, finding occasion through the commandment, produced in me all kinds of coveting. For apart from the law, sin is dead. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
8 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke observes that the Deuteronomic version of the tenth commandment uniquely adds the phrase "his field," a detail entirely absent from the parallel listing in Exodus. This addition expands what the law explicitly forbids coveting.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The Cambridge Bible Schools note that Deuteronomy's version of this command makes a moral breakthrough by separating the wife from all other property. Where Exodus lists wife, slaves, animals and possessions together under one verb, Deuteronomy uses a verb for the wife that implies unlawful desire or lust, then a different verb for everything else. This distinction elevates the wife as a person rather than an item.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva Bible renders this commandment with a deliberate
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill notes that this version places the neighbor's wife before the house and adds the field, expanding the commandment to cover every kind of property. The core prohibition, he argues, is against unlawful lust or desire for anything that belongs to another person.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB points out that Deuteronomy reverses the order of "wife" and "house" compared to Exodus, but argues this slight change actually proves the two objects belong to the same commandment, not separate ones as some critics have claimed.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange stresses that the covenant at Horeb was made directly with the living generation, not with the patriarchs. He sees this as a deliberate shift: the law now takes center stage as a national code, preparing Israel for its role in bringing salvation to all nations.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry reads the Ten Commandments here as a covenant of grace, not just a legal code. He stresses that God first identifies Himself as Israel's Redeemer before giving any commands. The Sabbath command in Deuteronomy, he notes, is uniquely tied to remembering their deliverance from Egyptian slavery.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley argues that coveting what we lack is always wrong because it implies God has not given us everything truly good for us. Since God withholds only what would not serve our holiness, any desire for something else is a form of distrust. Trust God's wise disposal instead.