Do not worship any other god, for the Lord , whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God.
1 a: intolerant of rivalry or unfaithfulness b: disposed to suspect rivalry or unfaithfulnessWe usually think of jealousy in terms of meanings 1b and 2, such as an ex-boyfriend or ex-girlfriend becoming enraged when the person they love starts dating other people, or a husband or wife being unduly suspicious of their spouse and making unreasonable accusations or demands. I would say that meanings 1a and 3 apply to God's jealousy: he is intolerant of our being unfaithful to him (in the sense of our worshiping something or someone besides him), and he is vigilant in guarding our virtue, for it ultimately harms us to worship false gods and not have the benefits of God's love and blessings (see the article on worship).
2: hostile toward a rival or one believed to enjoy an advantage
3: vigilant in guarding a possession [new colonies were jealous of their new independence -- Scott Buchanan]
One may even say that God has a "righteous jealousy," just as he has a righteous anger towards evil. A husband or wife has a right to feel jealous if their spouse cheats on them with someone else; parents who have raised their children well have a right to feel jealous if their children thank a stranger for their upbringing. Similarly, God can have a righteous jealousy when people give to other people or gods the reverance and worship that should be given to him, or offer gratitude to false gods or other people or things for what God has given them.
Other responses (offsite)