“And Saul eyed David from that day onward” (1 Samuel 18:9)

• Envy is rottenness to the bones (Prov. 14:30)
• Who can stand before envy (Prov. 27:4)?
• Envy caused Joseph’s brothers to hurt him
(Gen. 37:11; 42:21-22; Acts 7:9)
• Envy caused the religious leaders to deliver up Jesus
(Mt. 27:18; Mk. 15:10)

• Heb. awvan – to watch with jealousy (Strong’s Conc.)
• To keep an eye on, look at (with suspicion or jealousy) (Heb. – Eng. Conc., Koehlenberger)
• Eye (enviously), look (askance) at (BDB Heb. Lex.)
• To eye, view with envy (AHCL, Davidson, 596-597)

• “So Saul watched David jealously from that day forward” (NJB, HCSB)
• “So Saul watched David closely from then on. He was jealous of him” (NCV)
• “From that day on Saul kept a jealous eye on David”
(Tanakh: THS)
• “And from that time on Saul kept a jealous eye on
David” (REB, NLT, NIV)
• “And Saul turned a jealous eye on David from that day forward” (JB)

• The Seed of Envy - it starts with the success of another
(1 Sam. 18:6-9)
• The Fruit of Envy – it produces evil actions against another (1 Sam. 18:11-12,15; 18:25; 19:10-11)
• The Pit of Envy – it hurts those who are close and who associate with another (1 Sam. 20:30-34; 22:11-23)
• The Rot of Envy – it ends with the loss of everything that is important (1 Sam. 18:29; 28:29; 31:4)

“Phthonos … envy is the feeling of displeasure produced by witnessing or hearing about the advantage or prosperity of others” (Vine, p. 204)

• Someone is allowed a preaching role and I’m not
• Someone is allowed an eldership role and I’m not
• Someone is mentioned by name in prayers and I’m not
• Someone is close with certain members and I’m not
• Someone is given special attention and I’m not
• Someone has a talent (song leader) that I don’t

• Do I have feelings of inadequacy (Rom. 12:3;
1 Cor. 12:11,18; 13:4)?
• Am I constantly comparing myself with others
(2 Cor. 10:12)?
• Am I not never content with what God has given me
(Phil. 4:13)?
• Am I always unwilling to rejoice with those who rejoice (Rom. 12:15; 1 Cor. 12:26)?

• Envy leads to wrong-doing (Rom. 1:29; Phil. 1:15;
1 Tim. 6:4; Tit. 3:3)
• Envy is a work of the flesh that is to be put away
(Gal. 5:21,26; 1 Pet. 2:1)
• Put away the envy before it eats you up!