Commentators explain that this verse condemns the belief that wealth can buy ultimate security. The Babylonians used their stolen riches to build a figurative "nest on high," thinking they could escape danger and judgment. However, scholars like Calvin and Spurgeon note the folly in this. The very act of accumulating "evil gain" is what invites the "evil" or divine judgment they desperately try to avoid. True security is not found in earthly treasures.