James 4:5 Reference in Apocrypha?

[NickF]

Doing a word study as part of my book answering the argument against polygyny: "Men shouldn't take multiple wives because the women always get envious or jealous of each other."

5 Do ye think that the scripture saith in vain, The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy?

Is that above verse referencing a passage in a non-canonized book? Someone have the apocrypha on digital searchable media?

 

[FollowingHim]

It's not in the apocrypha either. Scholars have been puzzling over this one for years and there isn't a single good answer.

Lots of commentaries here coming to different conclusions, suggesting a range of verses in the Old, New and Apocrypha that might be intended, but none that have that actual wording:

James 4:5 Commentaries: Or do you think that the Scripture speaks to no purpose: "He jealously desires the Spirit which He has made to dwell in us"?

Searchable apocrypha:

Apocrypha.org: Online Apocrypha with Search Tools

 

[FollowingHim]

Note that the verse may be irrelevant - a non-KJV translation renders the verse irrelevant to the issue. If it means that God "jealously desires our spirits" then it's got nothing to do with people being envious. That also makes it discuss a general principle that can be said to be taught in scripture, without being worded precisely that way anywhere specific.

 

[MeganC]

I love discussions like this! Thank you both for the education!

 

[Bartato]

Note that the verse may be irrelevant - a non-KJV translation renders the verse irrelevant to the issue. If it means that God "jealously desires our spirits" then it's got nothing to do with people being envious.

That's what I've always understood the verse to mean.

God has a righteous jealousy for the devotion of His people, like a man might have a righteous jealousy for the devotion of his wife.

Perhaps it would be appropriate to say that the Holy Spirit has a burning desire that we, the bride of Christ, would be absolutely pure, and utterly devoted to the Son of God.

 

[enlargeourtents]

Doing a word study as part of my book answering the argument against polygyny: "Men shouldn't take multiple wives because the women always get envious or jealous of each other."

5 Do ye think that the scripture saith in vain, The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy?

Is that above verse referencing a passage in a non-canonized book? Someone have the apocrypha on digital searchable media?

 

[enlargeourtents]

There are still apocryphal books (for example, from the Ethiopian Bible) being translated into English. We also have to consider, I think, that maybe James 4:5 is saying the OT teaches us about general lust and envy through the lives of general people like Cain and Abel and Rachel and Leah, and that the Bible says not to take sisters as wives while they are both alive Lev 18:18, and something somewhere about it vexing your wife. I think this is more about envy in general, or the command not to marry sisters unless one has already died, not about polygyny being lustful or leading to envy all the time.