Is God Jealous?

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קנא (kana) = Either (a) “to be zealous” or (b) “to be jealous”

(a) Psalm 69:9 For zeal for Your house has consumed me, and the reproaches of those who reproach You have fallen on me. (c. John 2:17)

(b) Genesis 30:1  When Rachel saw that she bore Jacob no children, she became jealous of her sister…

Numbers 25:11-13 (ESV)  “Phinehas the son of Eleazar, son of Aaron the priest, has turned back My wrath from the people of Israel, in that he was jealous with My jealousy among them, so that I did not consume the people of Israel in My jealousy. Therefore say, ‘Behold, I give to him My covenant of peace, and it shall be to him and to his descendants after him the covenant of a perpetual priesthood, because he was jealous for his God and made atonement for the people of Israel.’”

קנה (kanah) = “to purchase” or “legally acquire”

קנא (kana)  v. = “to be jealous/zealous”

קנה (kanah)  v. = “to purchase/acquire”

קנאה (kinah)  n. = “zeal” or “jealousy”

The Two Sides of  קנא:

+  Zeal to protect what I rightfully own

–  Jealousy to own what belongs to another

Exodus 34:14  For you shall worship no other god, for Adonai, Jealous is His name; He is a jealous God.

          כי יהוה קנא שׁמו אל קנא הוא׃

REFERENCES:

John 2:17  His disciples remembered that it was written, “Zeal for your house will consume me.”

Genesis 4:1  Now Adam knew Eve his wife, and she conceived and bore Cain [קין], saying, “I have acquired[קנה, kanah] a man with the help of Adonai.”

Numbers 5  [NOTE: This passage about the sotah (the wayward wife) contains the words ‘jealous’ and ‘jealousy’ 10 times.]