What does קִנְאָה (qinʾāh) mean in the Bible?
The Hebrew noun qinah names intense ardor that may appear as jealousy, envy, or zeal. Its moral character is not supplied by emotional intensity alone.
Hebrew · H7068
קִנְאָה
Jealousy or envy
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קִנְאָהH7068
Pronunciationqinʾāh
What does קִנְאָה (qinʾāh) mean in the Bible?
The Hebrew noun qinah names intense ardor that may appear as jealousy, envy, or zeal. Its moral character is not supplied by emotional intensity alone.
Reader summary
Full entry for קִנְאָה (H7068) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render H7068?
The BSB source-word alignment has 43 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include of jealousy (5), zeal (4), and jealousy (3), for jealousy (3), in My zeal (3).
Where does קִנְאָה (qinʾāh) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Numbers 5:14. Its strongest book concentrations include Ezekiel (10), Numbers (9), Isaiah (7), Proverbs (3).
What This Word Actually Means
The Hebrew noun qinah names intense ardor that may appear as jealousy, envy, or zeal. Its moral character is not supplied by emotional intensity alone. Human envy can drive competitive labor, corrode inward peace, inflame suspicion, or threaten retaliation. In other passages, the Lord's zeal secures a promised reign of justice and righteousness, protects Zion, and opposes covenant betrayal.
The same lexical range therefore does not make divine jealousy equivalent to possessive human control. Scripture also records legal and relational settings in which suspected unfaithfulness, power, and vulnerability require careful contextual reading. Responsible teaching distinguishes God's holy commitment from envy, coercive surveillance, sexual possessiveness, and violence.
It refuses to call controlling behavior proof of love, and it never uses jealousy texts to excuse threats against a spouse or suspected rival. Pastoral application should test zeal by truth, justice, humility, protection of neighbors, and conformity to God's revealed character, while providing safety and fair process when suspicion or relational conflict places someone at risk.
How the Bible Uses It
Qinah ranges from corrosive human envy and suspicious jealousy to the Lord's ardent covenant commitment. The passage identifies whether this intensity produces rivalry, danger, protection, justice, promised restoration, or faithful devotion.
- Eccl.4.4
I saw that all labor and success spring from a man’s envy of his neighbor. This too is futile and a pursuit of the wind.
The Teacher observes that envy of a neighbor can drive labor and achievement into futility.
- Prov.14.30
A tranquil heart is life to the body, but envy rots the bones.
Wisdom contrasts a tranquil heart with envy whose corrosive effect reaches embodied life.
- Num.5.14
And if a feeling of jealousy comes over her husband and he suspects his wife who has defiled herself—or if a feeling of jealousy comes over him and he suspects her even though she has not defiled herself—
The law names a husband's jealous suspicion whether or not his wife has actually been unfaithful.
- Prov.6.34
For jealousy enrages a husband, and he will show no mercy in the day of vengeance.
The proverb warns that jealousy can enrage a husband and create severe danger of vengeance.
- Isa.9.7
Of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish and sustain it with justice and righteousness from that time and forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of Hosts will accomplish this.
The Lord's zeal accomplishes the promised Davidic reign established with justice and righteousness forever.
- Zech.8.2
This is what the Lord of Hosts says: “I am jealous for Zion with great zeal; I am jealous for her with great fervor.”
The Lord declares ardent jealousy for Zion within a promise of return, truth, peace, and restoration.
Source Word Evidence
BSB source-word alignment connects this entry to exact verse rows, English rendering, source form, transliteration, and parsing.
How English Renders Itof jealousy5×Numbers 5:14, Numbers 5:29, Numbers 5:30, Ezekiel 8:5
zeal4×Psalms 69:9, Ezekiel 36:5, Ezekiel 36:6, Zechariah 8:2
and jealousy3×Deuteronomy 29:20, Ezekiel 16:38, Ezekiel 35:11
for jealousy3×Numbers 5:15, Numbers 5:18, Numbers 5:25
in My zeal3×Numbers 25:11, Ezekiel 5:13, Ezekiel 38:19
jealousy3×Proverbs 6:34, Proverbs 27:4, Ezekiel 8:3
The zeal3×2 Kings 19:31, Isaiah 9:7, Isaiah 37:32
my zeal2×2 Kings 10:16, Psalms 119:139
. . .1×Zechariah 1:14
[for My sake]1×Numbers 25:11
and envy1×Job 5:2
and My jealousy1×Ezekiel 16:42
are Your zeal1×Isaiah 63:15
but envy1×Proverbs 14:30
envy1×Ecclesiastes 4:4
His zeal1×Isaiah 42:13
its jealousy1×Song Of Solomon 8:6
My jealous rage1×Ezekiel 23:25
of His jealousy1×Zephaniah 1:18
of My jealousy1×Zephaniah 3:8
of zeal1×Isaiah 59:17
their envy1×Ecclesiastes 9:6
Then the jealousy1×Isaiah 11:13
Will Your jealousy1×Psalms 79:5
Your zeal1×Isaiah 26:11
Show sample aligned rows
Numbers 5:14קִנְאָ֛הtoof jealousyNoun - feminine singularNumbers 5:14קִנְאָה֙toof jealousyNoun - feminine singularNumbers 5:15קְנָאֹת֙tofor jealousyNoun - feminine pluralNumbers 5:18קְנָאֹ֖תtofor jealousyNoun - feminine pluralNumbers 5:25הַקְּנָאֹ֑תtofor jealousyArticle | Noun - feminine pluralNumbers 5:29הַקְּנָאֹ֑תtoof jealousyArticle | Noun - feminine pluralNumbers 5:30קִנְאָ֖הtoof jealousyNoun - feminine singularNumbers 25:11קִנְאָתִ֖יto[for My sake]Noun - feminine singular construct | first person common singularNumbers 25:11בְּקִנְאָתִֽי׃toin My zealPreposition-b | Noun - feminine singular construct | first person common singularDeuteronomy 29:20וְקִנְאָתוֹ֙toand jealousyConjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned rowNumbers 5:14
Aligned rows43
Books represented12
Numbers9Deuteronomy12 Kings2Job1Psalms3Proverbs3Ecclesiastes2Song Of Solomon1Isaiah7Ezekiel10Zephaniah2Zechariah2
Source forms
קִנְאָֽה׃4xqin·’āhJob 5:2, Proverbs 14:30, Proverbs 27:4, Isaiah 59:17
קִנְאַ֛ת3xqin·’aṯ2 Kings 19:31, Isaiah 9:7, Isaiah 37:32
הַקִּנְאָ֥ה2xhaq·qin·’āhEzekiel 8:3, Ezekiel 8:5
הַקְּנָאֹ֑ת2xhaq·qə·nā·’ōṯNumbers 5:25, Numbers 5:29
קִנְאָ֥ה2xqin·’āhProverbs 6:34, Zechariah 1:14
קִנְאָ֑ה2xqin·’āhSong Of Solomon 8:6, Isaiah 42:13
קִנְאַ֣ת2xqin·’aṯPsalms 69:9, Isaiah 11:13
קִנְאַת־2xqin·’aṯ-Ecclesiastes 4:4, Isaiah 26:11
Parsing patterns
Noun - feminine singular12xNumbers 5:14, Numbers 5:30, Job 5:2, Proverbs 6:34
Noun - feminine singular construct7x2 Kings 19:31, Psalms 69:9, Ecclesiastes 4:4, Isaiah 9:7
Noun - feminine singular construct | first person common singular6xNumbers 25:11, Psalms 119:139, Ezekiel 16:42, Ezekiel 23:25
Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular construct | first person common singular4xNumbers 25:11, 2 Kings 10:16, Ezekiel 5:13, Ezekiel 36:6
Article | Noun - feminine plural2xNumbers 5:25, Numbers 5:29
Article | Noun - feminine singular2xEzekiel 8:3, Ezekiel 8:5
Noun - feminine plural2xNumbers 5:15, Numbers 5:18
Noun - feminine singular construct | second person masculine singular2xPsalms 79:5, Isaiah 63:15
Using This Word Well
Be careful not to...
- If jealousy includes monitoring, isolation, threats, stalking, sexual coercion, or violence, prioritize the endangered person's safety and qualified domestic-abuse support rather than joint confrontation.
- Communities handling allegations must separate suspicion from evidence, prevent retaliation, preserve records, and use fair independent review without shaming either complainants or accused persons.
Avoid claiming...
- Do not claim that jealous behavior is loving merely because the person reports intense attachment or religious conviction.
- Do not claim that divine jealousy gives a husband, leader, or congregation ownership over another person's choices, body, relationships, or conscience.
- Do not claim that envy-related bodily language proves a specific diagnosis or replaces medical and mental-health assessment.
Evidence Summary
Hebrew word. Passionate intensity that God himself embodies—divine jealousy for covenant exclusivity, not mere human envy
Source Gloss
jealousy or envy
Extended definitionSource: Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon + Brown-Driver-Briggs
Passionate intensity that God himself embodies—divine jealousy for covenant exclusivity, not mere human envy
jealousy or envy BDB: ardour Usage: envy(-ied), jealousy, × sake, zeal.
Grammatical Forms
How this word appears across different grammatical cases and numbers.
Selected Scripture Witnesses
Selected passage-level study witnesses for this word. This section is not the full occurrence list.
Old Testament Witnesses
Fervent passion or jealousy.
Fervent passion or jealousy.
Showing 2 selected witnesses from 43 lexical occurrence verses.
Word Origins
קִנְאָה is built from this root:
Why This Word Matters
Expresses God’s committed action to fulfill his promise.Isaiah 37:21-35
Describes God’s energetic commitment to his purposes.Isaiah 42:10-17
Canonical Themes
Part of These Phrases
Compound and idiomatic phrases that include this word. Follow a link to study the phrase and how its parts work together.
For the Preacher and Teacher
Qinah is intensity that must be morally located. Ecclesiastes observes that envy of one's neighbor can animate labor and skill, yet such competition remains futile when comparison controls the heart. Proverbs 14 contrasts tranquil inward life with envy that corrodes embodied well-being, while Proverbs 6 warns that jealous rage can become dangerous vengeance.
These wisdom texts do not praise intensity merely because it feels sincere. Numbers 5 explicitly recognizes that jealous suspicion may arise whether a wife has or has not defiled herself. Whatever questions surround that ancient covenant procedure, the wording itself prevents suspicion from being treated as proof and gives no warrant for private punishment, surveillance, confinement, or violence.
Isaiah 9 and Zechariah 8 use qinah of the Lord. His zeal establishes justice and righteousness, returns to Zion, and promises peace and restoration; it is not insecure possessiveness. Faithful teaching therefore tests human zeal by God's character without collapsing Creator and creature. It calls envy to repentance, protects people endangered by jealous control, insists upon evidence and fair process, and directs passionate commitment toward justice, truth, patient faithfulness, and the good of neighbors.
Anchor passage
Isa.9.7
Doctrinal connections
- Human envy can distort useful labor into restless comparison and rivalry.
- Wisdom recognizes that jealous intensity can affect bodily and communal peace.
- Suspicion is not proof, even within an ancient covenant legal setting.
- Jealous vengeance warns communities to protect people exposed to relational violence.
- The Lord's zeal establishes the Messiah's kingdom in justice and righteousness.
- Divine jealousy for Zion moves toward truthful presence, peace, and restoration.
Qinah is a feminine Hebrew noun derived from the verbal family of being zealous or jealous. English renderings such as envy, jealousy, and zeal signal different evaluations, but the agent, object, context, and result determine the sense and moral force.
From Old to New Testament
The New Testament contrasts selfish ambition and jealousy with wisdom from above, identifies jealousy among works of the flesh, and presents Christ's kingdom through righteousness and peace. These connections test zeal by its fruit without making human possessiveness an image of divine love.