What does קִנְאָה (qinʾāh) mean in the Bible?
קִנְאָה (qinʾāh): Passionate intensity that God himself embodies—divine jealousy for covenant exclusivity, not mere human envy
Hebrew · H7068
קִנְאָה
Jealousy or envy
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קִנְאָה H7068
Pronunciation qinʾāh
What does קִנְאָה (qinʾāh) mean in the Bible?
קִנְאָה (qinʾāh): Passionate intensity that God himself embodies—divine jealousy for covenant exclusivity, not mere human envy
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).
Source Word Evidence
BSB source-word alignment connects this entry to exact verse rows, English rendering, source form, transliteration, and parsing.
How English Renders It of jealousy 5× Numbers 5:14, Numbers 5:29, Numbers 5:30, Ezekiel 8:5
zeal 4× Psalms 69:9, Ezekiel 36:5, Ezekiel 36:6, Zechariah 8:2
and jealousy 3× Deuteronomy 29:20, Ezekiel 16:38, Ezekiel 35:11
for jealousy 3× Numbers 5:15, Numbers 5:18, Numbers 5:25
in My zeal 3× Numbers 25:11, Ezekiel 5:13, Ezekiel 38:19
jealousy 3× Proverbs 6:34, Proverbs 27:4, Ezekiel 8:3
The zeal 3× 2 Kings 19:31, Isaiah 9:7, Isaiah 37:32
my zeal 2× 2 Kings 10:16, Psalms 119:139
. . . 1× Zechariah 1:14
[for My sake] 1× Numbers 25:11
and envy 1× Job 5:2
and My jealousy 1× Ezekiel 16:42
are Your zeal 1× Isaiah 63:15
but envy 1× Proverbs 14:30
envy 1× Ecclesiastes 4:4
His zeal 1× Isaiah 42:13
its jealousy 1× Song Of Solomon 8:6
My jealous rage 1× Ezekiel 23:25
of His jealousy 1× Zephaniah 1:18
of My jealousy 1× Zephaniah 3:8
of zeal 1× Isaiah 59:17
their envy 1× Ecclesiastes 9:6
Then the jealousy 1× Isaiah 11:13
Will Your jealousy 1× Psalms 79:5
Your zeal 1× Isaiah 26:11
Show sample aligned rows
Numbers 5:14 קִנְאָ֛ה to of jealousy Noun - feminine singular Numbers 5:14 קִנְאָה֙ to of jealousy Noun - feminine singular Numbers 5:15 קְנָאֹת֙ to for jealousy Noun - feminine plural Numbers 5:18 קְנָאֹ֖ת to for jealousy Noun - feminine plural Numbers 5:25 הַקְּנָאֹ֑ת to for jealousy Article | Noun - feminine plural Numbers 5:29 הַקְּנָאֹ֑ת to of jealousy Article | Noun - feminine plural Numbers 5:30 קִנְאָ֖ה to of jealousy Noun - feminine singular Numbers 25:11 קִנְאָתִ֖י to [for My sake] Noun - feminine singular construct | first person common singular Numbers 25:11 בְּקִנְאָתִֽי׃ to in My zeal Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular construct | first person common singular Deuteronomy 29:20 וְקִנְאָתוֹ֙ to and jealousy Conjunctive 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 row Numbers 5:14
Aligned rows 43
Books represented 12
Numbers 9 Deuteronomy 1 2 Kings 2 Job 1 Psalms 3 Proverbs 3 Ecclesiastes 2 Song Of Solomon 1 Isaiah 7 Ezekiel 10 Zephaniah 2 Zechariah 2
Source forms
קִנְאָֽה׃ 4x qin·’āh Job 5:2, Proverbs 14:30, Proverbs 27:4, Isaiah 59:17
קִנְאַ֛ת 3x qin·’aṯ 2 Kings 19:31, Isaiah 9:7, Isaiah 37:32
הַקִּנְאָ֥ה 2x haq·qin·’āh Ezekiel 8:3, Ezekiel 8:5
הַקְּנָאֹ֑ת 2x haq·qə·nā·’ōṯ Numbers 5:25, Numbers 5:29
קִנְאָ֥ה 2x qin·’āh Proverbs 6:34, Zechariah 1:14
קִנְאָ֑ה 2x qin·’āh Song Of Solomon 8:6, Isaiah 42:13
קִנְאַ֣ת 2x qin·’aṯ Psalms 69:9, Isaiah 11:13
קִנְאַת־ 2x qin·’aṯ- Ecclesiastes 4:4, Isaiah 26:11
Parsing patterns
Noun - feminine singular 12x Numbers 5:14, Numbers 5:30, Job 5:2, Proverbs 6:34
Noun - feminine singular construct 7x 2 Kings 19:31, Psalms 69:9, Ecclesiastes 4:4, Isaiah 9:7
Noun - feminine singular construct | first person common singular 6x Numbers 25:11, Psalms 119:139, Ezekiel 16:42, Ezekiel 23:25
Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular construct | first person common singular 4x Numbers 25:11, 2 Kings 10:16, Ezekiel 5:13, Ezekiel 36:6
Article | Noun - feminine plural 2x Numbers 5:25, Numbers 5:29
Article | Noun - feminine singular 2x Ezekiel 8:3, Ezekiel 8:5
Noun - feminine plural 2x Numbers 5:15, Numbers 5:18
Noun - feminine singular construct | second person masculine singular 2x Psalms 79:5, Isaiah 63:15
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 definition Source: 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.
Sources
MorphGNT Strong's Dictionary XML — CC0 1.0 Public Domain
Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible (morphhb/OSHB) — CC BY 4.0
Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon — CC BY 4.0
Berean Standard Bible (BSB) source-word alignment - CC0 Public Domain