King James Bible Dictionary

COVETOUS, adjective

1. Very desirous; eager to obtain; in a good sense; as covetous of wisdom, virtue or learning.

2. Inordinately desirous; excessively eager to obtain and possess; directed to money or goods, avaricious.

A bishop must not be covetous 1 Timothy 3:3.

COVETOUSLY, adverb With a strong or inordinate desire to obtain and possess; eagerly; avariciously.

A strong desire after the possession of worldly things (Colossians 3:5; Ephesians 5:5; Hebrews 13:5; 1 Timothy 6:9, 10; Matthew 6:20). It assumes sometimes the more aggravated form of avarice, which is the mark of cold-hearted worldliness.

General references
Exodus 18:21; Exodus 20:17; Deuteronomy 5:21; Nehemiah 5:7; Job 20:15; Job 31:24-25; Job 31:28; Psalms 10:3; Psalms 119:36; Proverbs 1:19; Proverbs 11:24; Proverbs 11:26; Proverbs 15:27; Proverbs 21:25-26; Proverbs 22:16; Proverbs 23:4-5; Proverbs 30:8-9; Ecclesiastes 1:2-8; Ecclesiastes 4:8; Ecclesiastes 5:10-11; Isaiah 1:23; Isaiah 5:8; Isaiah 56:11; Isaiah 57:17; Jeremiah 6:13; Jeremiah 8:10; Jeremiah 17:11; Jeremiah 22:17; Jeremiah 51:13; Ezekiel 22:12-13; Ezekiel 33:31; Hosea 4:18; Hosea 10:1; Micah 2:2; Micah 3:11; Micah 7:3; Habakkuk 1:15-16; Habakkuk 2:5-9; Haggai 1:6; Malachi 1:10; Matthew 6:19-21; Matthew 6:24-25; Matthew 6:31-33; Matthew 13:22; Mark 4:19; Luke 7:14; Matthew 16:26; Matthew 19:23-24; Luke 18:24-25; Matthew 22:1-14; Mark 7:21-23; Luke 12:15-21; Luke 12:33-34; Luke 14:16-24; John 6:26-27; Romans 1:29; Romans 13:9; 1 Corinthians 5:11; Ephesians 5:3; Ephesians 5:5; 1 Corinthians 6:10; Colossians 3:2; Colossians 3:5-6; Philippians 3:18-19; 1 Thessalonians 2:5; 1 Timothy 3:3; Titus 1:11; 1 Timothy 6:5-11; 1 Timothy 6:17; 2 Timothy 3:2; Titus 1:7; Hebrews 13:5; James 4:2; James 4:13-17; 1 Peter 5:2; 2 Peter 2:3; 2 Peter 2:14-16; 1 John 2:15-17; Jude 1:11
Avarice; Rich, The; Riches; Worldliness

Instances of:

Eve, in desiring the forbidden fruit
Genesis 3:6

Lot, in choosing the plain of the Jordan
Genesis 13:10-13

Laban:

In giving Rebekah to be Isaac's wife
Genesis 24:29-51

In deceiving Jacob when he served him seven years for Rachel
Genesis 29:15-30

In deceiving Jacob in wages
Genesis 31:7; Genesis 31:15; Genesis 31:41-42

Jacob:

In defrauding Esau of his father's blessing
Genesis 27:6-29

In defrauding Laban of his flocks and herds
Genesis 30:35-43

In buying Esau's birthright
Genesis 25:31

Balaam, in loving the wages of unrighteousness
2 Peter 2:15; 2 Peter 4:22

Achan, in hiding the treasure
Joshua 7:21

Eli's sons, in taking the flesh of the sacrifice
1 Samuel 2:13-17

Samuel's sons, in taking bribes
1 Samuel 8:3

Saul, in sparing Agag and the booty
1 Samuel 15:8-9

David, of Bath-Sheba
2 Samuel 11:2-5

Ahab, in desiring Naboth's vineyard
1 Kings 21:2-16

Gehazi, in taking a gift from Naaman
2 Kings 5:20-27

Jews:

In exacting usury of their brethren
Nehemiah 5:1-11

In keeping back the portion of the Levites
Nehemiah 13:10

In building fine houses while the house of the Lord lay waste
Haggai 1:4-9

In following Jesus for the loaves and fishes
John 6:26

Money changers in the temple
Matthew 21:12-13; Luke 19:45-46; John 2:14-16

The rich young ruler
Matthew 19:16-22

The rich fool
Luke 12:15-21

Judas, in betraying Jesus for thirty pieces of silver
Matthew 26:15-16; Mark 14:10-11; Luke 22:3-6; John 12:6

The unjust steward
Luke 16:1-8

The Pharisees
Luke 16:14

Simon Magus, in trying to buy the gift of the Holy Ghost
Acts 8:18-23

The sorcerers, in filing complaint against Paul and Silas
Acts 16:19

Demetrius, in raising a riot against Paul and Silas
Acts 19:24; Acts 19:27

Festus, in hoping for a bribe from Paul
Acts 24:26

Demas, in forsaking Paul for love of the world
2 Timothy 4:10
Avarice; Bribery; Rich, The; Riches

COVETOUSNESS, noun

1. A strong or inordinate desire of obtaining and possessing some supposed good; usually in a bad sense, and applied to an inordinate desire of wealth or avarice.

Out of the heart proceedeth covetousness Mark 7:22.

Mortify your members--and covetousness which is idolatry. Colossians 3:5.

2. Strong desire; eagerness.