Jealousy

jel'-us-i (qin'ah; zelos): Doubtless, the root idea of both the Greek and the Hob translated "jealousy" is "warmth," "heat." Both are used in a good and a bad sense--to represent right and wrong passion.

When jealousy is attributed to God, the word is used in a good sense. The language is, of course, anthropomorphic; and it is based upon the feeling in a husband of exclusive right in his wife. God is conceived as having wedded Israel to Himself, and as claiming, therefore, exclusive devotion. Disloyalty on the part of Israel is represented as adultery, and as provoking God to jealousy. See, e.g., Deut 32:16; Deut 32:21; 1 Kgs 14:22; Ps 78:58; Ezek 8:3; Ezek 16:38; Ezek 16:42; Ezek 23:25; Ezek 36:5; Ezek 38:19.

When jealousy is attributed to men, the sense is sometimes good, and sometimes bad. In the good sense, it refers to an ardent concern for God's honor. See, e.g., Num 25:11 (compare 1 Kgs 19:10; 2 Kgs 10:16); 2 Cor 11:2 (compare Rom 10:2). In the bad sense it is found in Acts 7:9; Rom 13:13; 1 Cor 3:3; 2 Cor 12:20; Jas 3:14; Jas 3:16.

The "law of jealousy" is given in Num 5:11-31. It provided that, when a man suspected his wife of conjugal infidelity, an offering should be brought to the priest, and the question of her guilt or innocence should be subjected to a test there carefully prescribed. The test was intended to be an appeal to God to decide the question at issue.

See ADULTERY; SACRIFICE.

E. J. Forrester