Isaiah 45:14-15

The Lord is the Nations’ Only Hope

45:14 This is what the Lord says:

“The profit of Egypt and the revenue of Ethiopia,

along with the Sabeans, those tall men,

will be brought to you and become yours.

They will walk behind you, coming along in chains.

They will bow down to you

and pray to you:

‘Truly God is with you; he has no peer;

there is no other God!’”

45:15 Yes, you are a God who keeps hidden,

O God of Israel, deliverer!


tn Heb “labor,” which stands metonymically for the fruits of labor, either “monetary profit,” or “products.”

tn Or perhaps, “merchandise” (so KJV, NASB, NIV, NRSV); NAB “the gain of Ethiopia”; CEV “the treasures of Ethiopia.”

tn Heb “they will pass over to you”; NASB, NIV “will come over to you”; CEV “will belong to you.”

sn Restored Israel is depicted here in typical ancient Near Eastern fashion as an imperial power that receives riches and slaves as tribute.

sn Israel’s vassals are portrayed as so intimidated and awed that they treat Israel as an intermediary to God or sub-deity.

tn Or perhaps, “among.” Cf. KJV, ASV “Surely God is in thee.”

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.