Albert Barnes Commentary Micah 7:3

"Their hands are upon that which is evil to do it diligently; the prince asketh, and the judge [is ready] for a reward; and the great man, he uttereth the evil desire of his soul: thus they weave it together." — Micah 7:3 (ASV)

That they may do evil with both hands earnestly - (Literally, "on evil both hands to do well,") meaning, “both their hands are on evil to do it well,” or “earnestly,” as our translation provides the meaning. The Hebrew, however, expresses more: that evil is their good, and their good or excellence is in evil.

Bad men gain a dreadful skill and wisdom in evil, as Satan has, and cleverness in evil is their delight. Jerome says, “They call the evil of their hands good.”

The prince asks, and the judge asks (or, it may more readily be supplied, judges, does that which is his office) against right for a reward (which was strictly forbidden), and the great man, he utters his mischievous desire (Deuteronomy 16:19. See above Micah 3:11), or the “desire of his soul.”

Even the show of good is laid aside; whatever the heart conceives and covets, it utters—mischief to others and, in the end, to itself.

The mischief comes out from the soul and returns to it.

The elders and nobles in the city (1 Kings 21:8, 1 Kings 21:11), as well as Ahab, took part (as one instance) in the murder of Naboth.

The great man, however, here is rather the source of the evil, which he induces others to carry out; so that for as many great men as there were, there were that many sources of oppression.

All—prince, judges, the great—unite in the evil. They do this not just once, but continually, and so they wrap it up (literally, twist, intertwine it).

Things are twisted either to strengthen, or to pervert or complicate them. It might mean they “strengthen” it—that which their soul covets against the poor—or they “pervert” it—the cause of the poor.