Delight in something because it is beautiful or precious. Most uses are neutral or positive: the trees of Eden were "pleasant to the sight" (Gen 2:9), and God's judgments are "more to be desired than gold" (Ps 19:10). The same delight is called "covet" when it reaches for what belongs to someone else (Ex 20:17; Micah 2:2).
An inward longing or appetite. It can be a longing for God, "With my soul have I desired thee in the night" (Isa 26:9), and it is even used of God, who "desired" Zion for His habitation (Ps 132:13). In the wilderness it describes Israel's craving for flesh: they "fell a lusting" (Num 11:4).
The desire itself, or the object of desire. It can be good: "the desire of the righteous shall be granted," and "when the desire cometh, it is a tree of life" (Prov 10:24; 13:12). The forbidden fruit was "pleasant [ta'avah] to the eyes" (Gen 3:6), and the place where Israel's craving ended in death was named Kibroth-hattaavah, "the graves of craving" (Num 11:34).
The whole living, breathing self: the seat of life, appetite, and emotion. It is overwhelmingly translated "soul" or "life." In the rare places it is rendered "lust," it is the self's appetite speaking, as when Pharaoh says "my lust [nephesh] shall be satisfied upon them" (Ex 15:9).
The most common New Testament word for "lust": the heart set upon something. Most uses describe desires that pull against God: "the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes" (1 John 2:16), "drawn away of his own lust" (James 1:14). Yet the same word describes the Savior, "With desire I have desired to eat this passover" (Luke 22:15), and Paul's "desire to depart, and to be with Christ" (Phil 1:23).
The verb form: "to set the heart upon, rightfully or otherwise." Half its uses are simply "desire," and many are good: prophets "desired to see" what the disciples saw (Matt 13:17), a man "desireth a good work" (1 Tim 3:1), angels "desire to look into" the gospel (1 Pet 1:12). It is also the word in "whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her" (Matt 5:28).
Pleasure, the root of "hedonism." Every New Testament use is negative: pleasures that choke the word (Luke 8:14), that hold people in service (Titus 3:3), and that cause "wars and fightings" among us (James 4:1–3).
Something that happens to a person: a feeling the mind suffers. In Greek generally it could be good or bad, but all three New Testament uses describe passion that rules a person: "vile affections" (Rom 1:26), "inordinate affection" (Col 3:5), "the lust of concupiscence" (1 Thess 4:5).
And it came to pass that when Laban saw our property, and that it was exceedingly great, he did lust after it, insomuch that he thrust us out, and sent his servants to slay us, that he might obtain our property.
27Behold, it is written by them of old time, that thou shalt not commit adultery; 28But I say unto you, that whosoever looketh on a woman, to lust after her, hath committed adultery already in his heart. 29Behold, I give unto you a commandment, that ye suffer none of these things to enter into your heart; 30For it is better that ye should deny yourselves of these things, wherein ye will take up your cross, than that ye should be cast into hell.
15Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. 17And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.
14But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. 15Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.
And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.
For the natural man is an enemy to God, and has been from the fall of Adam, and will be, forever and ever, unless he yields to the enticings of the Holy Spirit, and putteth off the natural man and becometh a saint through the atonement of Christ the Lord, and becometh as a child, submissive, meek, humble, patient, full of love, willing to submit to all things which the Lord seeth fit to inflict upon him, even as a child doth submit to his father.
4Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. 5And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; 6And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness;
24By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter; 25Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; 26Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompence of the reward.
29And Jacob sod pottage: and Esau came from the field, and he was faint: 30And Esau said to Jacob, Feed me, I pray thee, with that same red pottage; for I am faint: therefore was his name called Edom. 31And Jacob said, Sell me this day thy birthright. 32And Esau said, Behold, I am at the point to die: and what profit shall this birthright do to me? 33And Jacob said, Swear to me this day; and he sware unto him: and he sold his birthright unto Jacob. 34Then Jacob gave Esau bread and pottage of lentiles; and he did eat and drink, and rose up, and went his way: thus Esau despised his birthright.
Lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright.
Wherefore, do not spend money for that which is of no worth, nor your labor for that which cannot satisfy. Hearken diligently unto me, and remember the words which I have spoken; and come unto the Holy One of Israel, and feast upon that which perisheth not, neither can be corrupted, and let your soul delight in fatness.