My losing battle

I am waging a very small scale battle against the growing confusion between “envious” and “jealous”. One that I know I will lose.

People are increasingly giving double duty to jealous and ignoring envy. Aren’t they synonyms? No. Oh I know, dictionaries are now listing them as synonyms, but they are only reflecting the modern usage and confusion.

“So what’s the difference?”

To be jealous is to not want others to have what is yours. Such as the love, affection, and attention of your spouse. You can be jealous of your possessions, your time etc.

To be envious is to want what another has. If it is not a synonym of covet, they are very similar. “You got a raise? I’m envious.”

I ask again, Aren’t they synonyms? And again I say, No. The Bible describes God as a jealous God. Can we substitute the word envy and say our God is an envious God? NO! But He is a jealous God - He does not want to share your love and worship and trust with anyone/anything else.

For thou shalt worship no other god: for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God:

Or when the spirit of jealousy cometh upon him, and he be jealous over his wife

And he said, I have been very jealous for the LORD God of hosts: for the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away.

A sound heart is the life of the flesh: but envy the rottenness of the bones.

Let not thine heart envy sinners: but be thou in the fear of the LORD all the day long.

As you can see, sometimes jealously is not a bad thing. But I think envy is nearly always presented in a negative light.


I know, I know, this is a losing battle. We are so sloppy and lazy in our use of language today and these two words are slowly merging into one in the common parlance. Nevertheless, I continue the effort!