James 4:1

From where do milchamot (wars) come? What is their goirem (driving force)? And from where come fights among you? Is it not from here, from the ta'avot (lusts) of you warring in your evarim (members)?

Orthodox Jewish Bible

In The King James Version

From whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members?

In Context

2You lust for something and you do not have it; you kill and you envy and you are not able to obtain. You get involved in machalokot (divisions of dissensions) and fights. You do not have because you fail to daven with your request.

Read all of James 4

Cross References

Jeremiah 17:9The lev (heart, mind) akov (is deceitful) above all things, 1 and anush (incurable); + 17:9 in wickedness who can know it? 1

Mark 7:21For from within the lev of the ben Adam comes evil cravings and machshavot: then zenunim (fornications), gneyvot (thefts), retzichot (murders),

Romans 7:5For when we were in the basar (in the fallen condition of the old humanity), through the Gezetz, the ta'avat besarim, the sinful passions + 7:5 i.e., Chet Kadmonʼs yetzer harah of the fallen human condition were working in our natural capacities, so as to bear p'ri for mavet (death). + 7:5 cf. Ro 4:15

Romans 8:7Because the way of thinking of the basar is hostility, eyvah + 8:7 Gn 3:15 (enmity) toward G-d, for it does not submit itself to the Gezetz of G-d; for it cannot.

Colossians 3:5Therefore, put to death your evarim (members) in the Olam Hazeh: zenut (fornication), debauchery, sensuality, zimmah (licentiousness), and chamdanut (covetousness), which is avodah zarah (idolatry).

Titus 3:3For all of us were once without da'as, sorrarim (disobedient), being led astray, avadim (slaves) of ta'avot and to various ta'anugot (pleasures) of the Olam Hazeh, spending our lives in eyvah + 3:3 Gn 3:15 (enmity) and kina (jealousy), hated, and hating one another.

Matthew Henry on James 4:1

In this chapter we are directed to consider, I. Some causes of contention, besides those mentioned in the foregoing chapter, and to watch against them, ver. 1-5 . II. We are taught to abandon the friendship of this world, so as to submit and subject ourselves entirely to God, ver. 4-10 . III. All detraction and rash judgment of others are to be carefully avoided, ver. 11, 12 . IV. We must preserve a constant regard, and pay the utmost deference to the disposals of divine Providence, ver. 13, to the end . Read the whole commentary →

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