Deuteronomy 5:21

“Neither shalt thou desire thy neighbour’s wife, etc.] Here a neighbour’s wife is put before his house, different from (<022017>Exodus 20:17) and “his field” is added, which with what follows take in everything that is a man’s property; and which is not to be desired or coveted in an unlawful manner by another, and much less should any means be made use of to deprive him of it; but “lust” is the thing intended and prohibited, be it after what it may, which is another man’s: (see <400528>Matthew 5:28 <450707>Romans 7:7), of a man’s field, (see <230508>Isaiah 5:8 <330202>Micah 2:2).”

“Neither shalt thou desire thy neighbour's wife, . . . house, his field--An alteration is here made in the words (see Exo 20:17), but it is so slight ("wife" being put in the first clause and "house" in the second) that it would not have been worth while noticing it, except that the interchange proves, contrary to the opinion of some eminent critics, that these two objects are included in one and the same commandment.”

“Compare Exodus 20:0 and notes. Moses here adopts the Ten Words as a ground from which he may proceed to reprove, warn, and exhort; and repeats them, with a certain measure of freedom and adaptation. Our Lord Mark 10:19 and Paul Ephesians 6:2-3 deal similarly with the same subject. Speaker and hearers recognized, however, a statutory and authoritative form of the laws in question, which, because it was familiar to both parties, needed not to be reproduced with verbal fidelity. Deuteronomy 5:12-15 The exhortation to observe the Sabbath and allow time of rest to servants (compare Exodus 23:12) is pointed by reminding the people that they too were formerly servants themselves. The bondage in…”

“Neither shalt thou covet any thing that is thy neighbour's - The plain meaning of this is, thou shalt not desire any thing that is not thy own, any thing which thou hast not. Indeed why shouldst thou? God hath given thee whatever tends to thy one end, holiness. Thou canst not deny it, without making him a liar: and: when any thing else will tend thereto, he will give thee that also. There is therefore no room to desire any thing which thou hast not. Thou hast already every thing that is really good for thee, wouldst thou have more money, more pleasure, more praise still? Why this is not good for thee. God has told thee so, by withholding it from thee. O give thyself up to his wise and…”

“5:21 covet: This commandment differs from the others because it pertains to a desire rather than to an act. An evil desire is no less offensive to God than an evil deed (see Matt 5:27-28).”

“Exo 20:17; Kg1 21:1-4; Mic 2:2; Hab 2:9; Luk 12:15; Rom 7:7, Rom 7:8, Rom 13:9; Ti1 6:9, Ti1 6:10; Heb 13:5 Deuteronomy 5:22”