Proverbs 21:10

“The soul of the wicked desireth evil, etc.] The evil of sin, it being natural to him; he chooses it, delights in it, craves after it, under a notion of pleasure or profit: or the evil of mischief; it is a sport and pastime to him to do injury to others; (see <201023>Proverbs 10:23); he desires both the one and the other with all his soul; his heart is in it, he is set upon it, which shows him to be a wicked man; his neighbour findeth no favour in his eyes; not only he delights to do mischief to an enemy or a stranger, but even to a neighbour and friend; he will do him no kindness, though he asks it of him; he will show him no mercy, though an object of it; he will spare him not, but do him…”

“So strongly does he desire to do evil (Psa 10:3; Ecc 8:11), that he will not even spare his friend if in his way.”

“Desireth - To do mischief. No favour - He spares neither friend nor foe. Proverbs 21:11”

“21:10 Evil people do not just act evil; they are evil. No appeal will persuade them to act otherwise.”

“soul: Pro 3:29, Pro 12:12; Psa 36:4, Psa 52:2, Psa 52:3; Mar 7:21, Mar 7:22; Co1 10:6; Jam 4:1-5; Jo1 2:16 findeth no favour: Heb. is not favoured, Pro 21:13; Sa1 25:8-11; Psa 112:5, Psa 112:9; Isa 32:6-8; Mic 3:2, Mic 3:3; Jam 2:13, Jam 5:4-6 Proverbs 21:11”

“10 The soul of the godless hath its desire after evil; His neighbour findeth no mercy in his eyes. The interchange of perf. and fut. cannot be without intention. Lwenstein renders the former as perf. hypotheticum: if the soul of the wicked desires anything evil...; but the רשׁע wishes evil not merely now and then, but that is in general his nature and tendency. The perf. expresses that which is actually the case: the soul of the wicked has its desire directed (write אוּתה with Munach, after Codd. and old Ed., not with Makkeph) toward evil, and the fut. expresses that which proceeds from this: he who stands near him is not spared. יחן is, as at Isa 26:10, Hoph. of חנן, to incline, viz.,…”