James 4:3

Or you make techinot (petitions) and you do not receive, because you ask wrongly, that on your ta'avot (lusts) you may spend what you receive. + 4:3 Ps 18:41; 66:18

Orthodox Jewish Bible

In The King James Version

Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.

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.

4No'efot (adulterers)! Do you not have da'as that to have shaichus (closeness, friendship, intimacy) with the Olam Hazeh is eyvah im Hashem (enmity with G-d)? Therefore, whoever chooses to make the Olam Hazeh his Oihev is made an Oyev (Enemy) of Hashem. + 4:4 Isa 54:4; Jer 3:20; Hos 2:2-5; 3:1; 9:1

Read all of James 4

Cross References

Job 27:8For what is the tikveh of the chanef, when He cutteth off, 1 when Eloah taketh away, his nefesh? 1

Psalms 18:41Thou hast also given me the necks of mine oyevim; 1 that I might destroy them that hate me. 1

Proverbs 1:28Then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer; 1 they shall look for me diligently, but they shall not find me; 1

Proverbs 21:13He who stoppeth his ozen at the cry of the dal (poor), 1 he also shall cry out himself, but shall not be heard. 1

Isaiah 1:15And when ye spread forth your hands, 1 I will hide Mine eyes from you; 1 yea, when ye make many tefillah, 1 I will not hear; 1 your hands are full of damim. 1

Jeremiah 11:14Therefore pray not thou for HaAm Hazot, neither lift up a rinnah (entreaty) or tefillah on their behalf; for I will not hear them in the time that they cry unto Me for their ra'ah (disaster).

Matthew Henry on James 4:2-11

Origin of War and Contention; Against Pride; Submission to God. ( a. d. 61.) 1 From whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members? 2 Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not. 3 Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts. 4 Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever… Read the whole commentary →

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