it was a principal city, famous for men of wisdom; such an one was the person just mentioned: perhaps the grand senate of the country, or the chief counsellors, dwelt here; where schemes were formed for the good of the country in times of war or peace; or schools were kept here for the instruction of persons in various arts and sciences; and which had continued to this time, but now would be no more.
The Targum is,"is there no more wisdom in the south?''but Jarchi better interprets it of Edom, which lay south to the land of Israel;is counsel perished from the prudent? it was so, even from those that were the most famous for being prudent and understanding men; they were now at their wits' end, and knew not what course to take, nor what advice to give, in this their time of distress.
The Targum renders it "from the children"; the sons of the Temanites, strangely degenerated from their ancestors;is their wisdom vanished? or corrupted, as the Targum; or does it stink? according to the Rabbinical sense of the word; or infatuated, and become good for nothing?
verily it was, it was useless, disregarded and despised. Mwdal "ad Idumeam", V. L. "ad Edom", Pagninus, Montanus.