Proverbs 21:10
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The soul of the wicked man craves evil; his neighbor finds no favor in his eyes.
Commentaries
Excerpts gathered from published commentaries to ground the reading.
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., oneself, compassionately toward any one, or to bend to him. But in what sense is בּעיניו added? It does not mean, as frequently, e.g., Pro 21:2, according to his judgment, nor, as at Pro 20:8; Pro 6:13 : with his eyes, but is to be understood after the phrase מצא חן בּעיני: his neighbour finds no mercy in his eyes, so that in these words the sympathy ruling within him expresses itself: "his eyes will not spare his friends," vid., Isa 13:18.
Open source ↗See here the character of a very wicked man. 1. The strong inclination he has to do mischief. His very soul desires evil, desires that evil may be done and that he may have the pleasure, not only of seeing it, but of having a hand in it. The root of wickedness lies in the soul; the desire that men have to do evil, that is the lust which conceives and brings forth sin. 2. The strong aversion he has to do good: His neighbour, his friend, his nearest relation, finds no favour in his eyes, cannot gain from him the least kindness, though he be in the greatest need of it. And, when he is in the pursuit of the evil his heart is so much upon, he will spare no man that stands in his way; his next neighbour shall be used no better than a stranger, than an enemy.
Open source ↗21:10 Evil people do not just act evil; they are evil. No appeal will persuade them to act otherwise.
Open source ↗Original language
The Hebrew and Greek words behind this passage, with Strong's numbers — from openscriptures (CC BY-SA).
Cross-references
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For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh, the desires of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not from the Father but from the world.
Do not devise evil against your neighbor, for he trustfully dwells beside you.
Even on his bed he plots wickedness; he sets himself on a path that is not good; he fails to reject evil.
These things took place as examples to keep us from craving evil things as they did.
The wicked desire the plunder of evil men, but the root of the righteous flourishes.
It is well with the man who is generous and lends freely, whose affairs are guided by justice.
For judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment.
Whoever shuts his ears to the cry of the poor, he too shall cry out and receive no answer.
He has scattered abroad his gifts to the poor; his righteousness endures forever; his horn will be lifted high in honor.