Their inward thought is, that their houses shall continue for ever. — These eleven words represent three in the Hebrew, and, as the text stands, give its sense, which is intelligible and consistent:
“They believe their houses will last for ever,
Their dwelling places from generation to generation;
They call the lands by their own names.”
The reading followed by the LXX., Chaldee, and Syriac, kibram for kirbam gives a different thought —
“Their graves are their homes,
Their dwelling places for ever.”
(Comp. “his long home,” Ecclesiastes 12:5.)
The last clause, which literally runs, they call in their names upon lands, is by some explained (see Isaiah 44:5) to mean, “they are celebrated in their lands,” which suits the text followed by the LXX.