_Among all the wise of the nations and in all their realm, not one is like Thee!_ Who are the wise thus contrasted with the Supreme God? Are the false gods the reputed wise ones, giving pretended counsel to their deluded worshippers through the priestly oracle? The term "kingdom" seems to indicate this view, if we take "their kingdom" to mean the kingdom of the wise ones of the nations, that is, the countries whose "kings" they are, where they are worshipped as such. The heathen in general, and the Babylonians in particular, ascribed wisdom to their gods. But there is no impropriety from an Old Testament point of view in comparing Iahvah's wisdom with the wisdom of man. The meaning of the prophet may be simply this, that no earthly wisdom, craft or political sagacity, not even in the most powerful empires such as Babylon, can be a match for Iahvah the All-wise, or avail to thwart His purposes (Isa. xxxi. 1, 2). "Wise" and "sagacious" are titles which the kings of Babylon continually assert for themselves in their extant inscriptions; and the wisdom and learning of the Chaldeans was famous in the ancient world. Either view will agree with what follows: _But in one thing they_--the nations, or their wise men--_will turn out brutish and besotted_: (in) _the teaching of Vanities which are wood_. The verse is difficult; but the expression "the teaching (or doctrine) of Vanities" may perhaps be regarded as equivalent to _the idols taught of_; and then the second half of the verse is constructed like the first member of ver. 3: _The ordinances of the peoples are Vanity_, and may be rendered, _the idols taught of are mere wood_ (cf. ver. 3 _b_, ii. 27, iii. 9). It is possible also that the right reading is "foundation" (_mûsad_) not "doctrine" (_mûsar_): _the foundation_ (basis, substratum, substance) _of idols is wood_. (The term "Vanities"--_habalim_--is used for "idols," viii. 19, xiv. 22; Ps. xxxi. 7). And, lastly, I think, the clause might be rendered: _a doctrine of Vanities, of mere wood, it_--their religion--_is_![41] This supreme folly is the "one thing" that discredits all the boasted wisdom of the Chaldeans; and their folly will hereafter be demonstrated by events (ver. 14).