Acts 25:3

“And desired favour against him, etc.] Paul; they asked what would be a favour to them, and a prejudice to him: or “of him”, that is, of Festus; they asked a favour of him, and desired it as such, as what would be gratefully accepted and acknowledged by them; which sense is confirmed by the Syriac version; the Arabic version renders it “to”, or “upon them”; that is, they asked him to grant a favour to them, or bestow one on them, which is as follows: that he would send for him to Jerusalem; that his case might be heard before him, and he might be tried and judged by him, as they pretended: laying wait in the way to kill him; this was their design, though they concealed it, and pretended no…”

“desired favour--in Act 25:15, "judgment." against him--It would seem that they had the insolence to ask him to have the prisoner executed even without a trial (Act 25:16). laying wait . . . to kill him--How deep must have been their hostility, when two years after the defeat of their former attempt, they thirst as keenly as ever for his blood! Their plea for having the case tried at Jerusalem, where the alleged offense took place, was plausible enough; but from Act 25:10 it would seem that Festus had been made acquainted with their causeless malice, and that in some way which Paul was privy to.”

“And desired favour against him - Desired the favor of Festus, that they might accomplish their wicked purpose on Paul. Would send for him to Jerusalem - Probably under a pretence that he might be tried by the Sanhedrin; or perhaps they wished Festus to hear the cause there, and to decide it while he was at Jerusalem. Their real motive is immediately stated. Laying wait in the way to kill him - That is, they would lie in wait, or they would employ a band of Sicarii, or assassins, to take his life on the journey. See the notes on Acts 21:38; Acts 23:12. It is altogether probable that if this request had been granted, Paul would have been killed. But God had promised him that he should bear…”

“desired: Act 9:2; Sa1 23:19-21; Jer 38:4; Mar 6:23-25; Luke 23:8-24 laying: Act 23:12-15, Act 26:9-11; Psa 37:32, Psa 37:33, Psa 64:2-6, Psa 140:1-5; Jer 18:18; Joh 16:3; Rom 3:8 Acts 25:5”