Why Is Jealousy Not Necessarily A Bad Thing?

"GOD IS A DEVOURING FIRE,
A JEALOUS GOD"

(Deut. 4:24)

Everyone feels this basic human feeling of jealousy from time to time. The Hebrew Bible tells us that as humanity we are made into the image of God and into his likeness, which basically means that in some ways we are similar to our Maker. It therefore comes as no surprise that God of the Hebrew Bible feels jealous too.

The Hebrew Bible in Exodus 34:14 without any apology says that the LORD’s name is Jealous (יהוה קַנָּא שְׁמוֹ) and He can be called a Jealous God- אֵל קַנָּא )“el kana”(.

Given the fact that the character of God in the Hebrew Bible is the definition of good itself, it follows that the human feeling of jealousy in and of itself is not really bad thing. A true jealousy has a sense of absolute loyalty towards someone, expecting the same commitment in return.

In the Ten Commandments the people of Israel are not forbidden to feel jealous (קנא) or to covet (חמד), which basically means to strongly desire something. Instead, they prohibited to want something that belongs to others (Ex.20:17). If something or someone belongs to you than the feeling of jealousy is fully justified and in fact praise worthy. If it does not, it must be repented of.