What does the Bible teach about jealousy?

TL;DR:

The Bible distinguishes between worldly jealousy and godly jealousy, which is a zealous desire for God’s glory and exclusive worship. Believers are called to avoid worldly jealousy, which is sinful, and to instead focus on heavenly treasures and ensuring the glory of the One who deserves all praise.

what does the bible say?

The Bible addresses jealousy in several contexts, distinguishing between worldly and righteous forms. Worldly jealousy is seen as envy of things that do not belong to us, such as possessions or status (Genesis 3:5; Genesis 4:3-8). In contrast, God's jealousy is portrayed as a righteous desire for the exclusive worship of His people (Deuteronomy 5:9; 6:15). The Bible also describes the jealousy of God's people who zealously seek His honor (1 Kings 19:14; 2 Corinthians 11:2). We are warned against worldly jealousy and urged to focus on heavenly treasures and God’s glory (Matthew 6:19-21; Luke 6:30). This distinction helps believers understand the different forms of jealousy and directs them toward righteous zeal for God.

from the old testament

The first occurrence of worldly jealousy is found in Eden when Satan convinced Eve to be jealous of God's understanding of good and evil (Genesis 3:5).
Traces of jealousy can be seen in Cain’s relationship with Abel. God was not pleased with Cain’s offering, but He was pleased with Abel’s. Cain was jealous because of this and killed Abel in fit of murderous rage (Genesis 4:3-8).
In Genesis 11, those who built the Tower of Babel revealed an overwhelming, jealous desire to keep what they already had.
Although Rachel was Jacob’s chosen and favored wife, she greatly envied her sister Leah’s ability to bear children (Genesis 30:1).
God’s jealousy for the hearts of His people is not worldly. Several times in the Old Testament, God declares, "I the Lord your God am a jealous God," (Deuteronomy 5:9; 6:15). This is the Hebrew word qanna, which simply means jealous but is only ever used for God.
God was righteously jealous for His people. He had chosen them but not because of any merit of their own (Deuteronomy 7:7-9). They were not particularly noble, nor did they voluntarily worship Him to any great degree. Yet, He blessed them, multiplied them, rescued them, and gave them a fertile land with fields and cities they did not cultivate or build.
The next type of good jealousy is the jealousy of God’s people for Him to receive what He is owed. This word (qana in the Hebrew—1 Kings 19:14; zeloo in the Greek—2 Corinthians 11:2) is also translated as eager, envious, zealous. It is used by those who serve God and see others unjustly withholding the honor owed to God.

from the new testament

Jesus clearly communicates in Matthew 6:19-21 that we are not to seek riches on earth (such as becoming jealous over someone’s else's abilities or possessions). Instead, we should let our hearts be dedicated to eternal treasures.
Thinking only of himself, Pilate was jealous for the fragile peace he had brokered with the Jewish authorities who wished to see Jesus crucified (Matthew 27).
In Luke 6:30, Jesus said, "Give to everyone who begs from you, and from one who takes away your goods do not demand them back." Instead of spending our time and energy on being jealous over things we do not have, we are instructed to give what we already have.
We must avoid hurting others over our jealous possessiveness, such as Joseph's brothers who wanted to keep their position of prominence in the family (Acts 7:9) so badly that they sold their brother into slavery to keep it.
Paul had to deal with the unfortunate reality of teachers who were jealous of his ministry (Philippians 1:12-15).
We should be jealous for God's glory. But while this jealousy shows us the direction and the intensity of our feelings, we are still called to respond in patience and gentleness (2 Timothy 2:24-26) to those who perhaps are not giving Him the glory He is due.

implications for today

Jealousy is one of those words in Scripture that means different things depending on the context. Whenever God is reported to be jealous in the Bible, He is justified in that jealousy. For instance, the Israelites agreed to worship, obey, and serve Him (Joshua 24). In return, they would take on the identity of God's people. However, they did not keep their word and served idols. The Israelites owed God their hearts, so it was appropriate for God to both want their hearts and be jealous because they rejected Him.

We are also justified in jealousy for God when we see that He is not getting the glory He is due—if we truly know the Creator of the universe and understand how much He has done for us, we will be angered by how unjust it is for others to attempt to steal His glory. The worldly type of jealousy mentioned in the Bible is jealousy to have what someone else has. This, of course, is how we most often define the word jealousy. It is to want what someone else possesses, whether that be a job, car, skill, spouse, etc. Instead of pining after worldly pleasures and indulging in jealousy, we must set our minds on heavenly things and seek to bring God glory with the outpouring of our lives in service to Him.

understand

The Bible differentiates between worldly jealousy (envy) and godly jealousy, which is a righteous zeal for God’s glory and exclusive worship.
God’s jealousy for His people reflects His desire for wholehearted devotion.
Believers are called to avoid worldly jealousy and instead focus on serving God and glorifying Him.

reflect

How can you identify when your feelings of jealousy are worldly and when they are godly?
What are some practical steps you can take to focus more on heavenly treasures rather than becoming envious of others’ earthly possessions?
How can you foster a more righteous zeal for God’s glory in your daily life?

engage

How do the Old Testament examples of jealousy, like Cain’s anger toward Abel and the Tower of Babel, reflect a worldly perspective, and what can we learn from these instances today?
How can we guard against allowing jealousy to damage relationships within our communities and instead use it as motivation to seek God’s honor and glory?
What does it look like to be jealous for God’s glory in a godly way?