Isaiah 43:24

tn That is, “calamus” (so NIV); NCV, TEV, NLT “incense”; CEV “spices.”

tn Heb “you did not saturate me”; NASB “Neither have you filled Me.”

sn In vv. 22–24 the Lord appears to be condemning his people for failure to bring the proper sacrifices. However, this is problematic. If this refers to the nation’s behavior while in exile, such cultic service was impossible and could hardly be expected by the Lord. If this refers to the nation’s conduct before the exile, it contradicts other passages that depict Israel as bringing excessive sacrifices (see, e.g., Isa 1:11–14; Jer 6:20; Amos 4:4–5, 5:21–23). Rather than being a condemnation of Israel’s failure to bring sacrifices, these verses are better taken as a highly rhetorical comment on the worthlessness of Israel’s religious ritual. They may have brought sacrifices, but not to the Lord, for he did not accept them or even want them. See C. R. North, Second Isaiah, 127, and R. Whybray, Isaiah 40–66 (NCBC), 91.