44:11 Look, all his associates 1 will be put to shame;
the craftsmen are mere humans. 2
Let them all assemble and take their stand!
They will panic and be put to shame.
58:3 They lament, 3 ‘Why don’t you notice when we fast?
Why don’t you pay attention when we humble ourselves?’
Look, at the same time you fast, you satisfy your selfish desires, 4
you oppress your workers. 5
45:14 This is what the Lord says:
“The profit 6 of Egypt and the revenue 7 of Ethiopia,
along with the Sabeans, those tall men,
will be brought to you 8 and become yours.
They will walk behind you, coming along in chains. 9
They will bow down to you
and pray to you: 10
‘Truly God is with 11 you; he has no peer; 12
there is no other God!’”
1 tn The pronoun “his” probably refers to the one who forms/casts an idol (v. 10), in which case it refers to the craftsman’s associates in the idol-manufacturing guild.
2 sn The point seems to be this: If the idols are the mere products of human hands, then those who trust in them will be disappointed, for man-made gods are incapable of helping their “creators.”
3 tn The words “they lament” are supplied in the translation for clarification.
4 tn Heb “you find pleasure”; NASB “you find your desire.”
5 tn Or perhaps, “debtors.” See HALOT 865 s.v. * עָצֵב.
5 tn Heb “labor,” which stands metonymically for the fruits of labor, either “monetary profit,” or “products.”
6 tn Or perhaps, “merchandise” (so KJV, NASB, NIV, NRSV); NAB “the gain of Ethiopia”; CEV “the treasures of Ethiopia.”
7 tn Heb “they will pass over to you”; NASB, NIV “will come over to you”; CEV “will belong to you.”
8 sn Restored Israel is depicted here in typical ancient Near Eastern fashion as an imperial power that receives riches and slaves as tribute.
9 sn Israel’s vassals are portrayed as so intimidated and awed that they treat Israel as an intermediary to God or sub-deity.
10 tn Or perhaps, “among.” Cf. KJV, ASV “Surely God is in thee.”
11 tn Heb “there is no other” (so NIV, NRSV). The same phrase occurs at the end of v. 18, in v. 21, and at the end of v. 22.