Isaiah 43:24

24 non emisti mihi argento calamum et adipe victimarum tuarum non inebriasti me verumtamen servire me fecisti in peccatis tuis praebuisti mihi laborem in iniquitatibus tuis

Isaiah 43:24 Meaning and Commentary

Isaiah 43:24

Thou hast bought me no sweet cane with money
Or "calamus" F18, which was used in the anointing oil, and for the perfume or incense, ( Exodus 30:7 Exodus 30:23 ) , this they thought too expensive, and so left it out of the composition, or neglected the whole this being put a part for the whole. Jarchi gives it as the sense, that they had no need to buy it, since it grew in great plenty in the land of Israel, which he took to be cinnamon; though this is distinguished from calamus, or the sweet cane, ( Song of Solomon 4:14 ) , wherefore Kimchi much better observes, that it was not to be had in the land of Israel, but came from a land afar off; and therefore must be bought; see ( Jeremiah 6:20 ) , hence grudging to give the price for it, and to be at the expense of it, bought it not, and disused it: neither hast thou filled me with the fat of thy sacrifices;
they did not multiply their sacrifices, offered only just what the law required, if so many, and those of the leaner sort; and whereas the fat of the sacrifices was the Lord's, there was little of it for him in these: but thou hast made me to serve with thy sins, thou hast wearied me with
thine iniquities;
they were so many, and so aggravated, that he could not bear with them any longer, his patience was worn out; they were an uneasiness to him, as it were a burden upon him, and therefore would ease himself, as he sometimes does, by avenging himself, ( Isaiah 1:24 ) , but here by pardoning them, as in the following verse. Some think that these are the words of Christ, the surety of his people, who took upon him the form of a servant for the sake of them, and had all their sins laid upon him, and which he bore, and made satisfaction for; and were to the human nature a burden, and a weariness to it; see ( Psalms 40:12 ) . This must be understood of the remnant according to the election of grace, among these people so sadly corrupted, for whose sins of omission and commission Christ made atonement; and upon the foot of his satisfaction, remission of sins proceeds, as in the next verse: this they thought too chargeable, and so left it out of the composition, or neglected the whole this being put a part for the whole. Jarchi gives it as the sense, that they had no need to buy it, since it grew in great plenty in the land of Israel, which he took to be cinnamon; though this is distinguished from calamus, or the sweet cane, ( Song of Solomon 4:14 ) , wherefore Kimchi much better observes, that it was not to be had in the land of Israel, but came from a land afar off; and therefore must be bought; see ( Jeremiah 6:20 ) , hence grudging to give the price for it, and to be at the expense of it, bought it not, and disused it: neither hast thou filled me with the fat of thy sacrifices;
they did not multiply their sacrifices, offered only just what the law required, if so many, and those of the leaner sort; and whereas the fat of the sacrifices was the Lord's, there was little of it for him in these: but thou hast made me to serve with thy sins, thou hast wearied me with
thine iniquities;
they were so many, and so aggravated, that he could not bear with them any longer, his patience was worn out; they were an uneasiness to him, as it were a burden upon him, and therefore would ease himself, as he sometimes does, by avenging himself, ( Isaiah 1:24 ) , but here by pardoning them, as in the following verse. Some think that these are the words of Christ, the surety of his people, who took upon him the form of a servant for the sake of them, and had all their sins laid upon him, and which he bore, and made satisfaction for; and were to the human nature a burden, and a weariness to it; see ( Psalms 40:12 ) . This must be understood of the remnant according to the election of grace, among these people so sadly corrupted, for whose sins of omission and commission Christ made atonement; and upon the foot of his satisfaction, remission of sins proceeds, as in the next verse.


FOOTNOTES:

F18 (hnq) "calamum", V. L. Pagninus, Montanus; "calamum odoratum", Junius & Tremellius, Piscator, Cocceius, Vitringa.

Isaiah 43:24 In-Context

22 non me invocasti Iacob nec laborasti in me Israhel
23 non obtulisti mihi arietem holocausti tui et victimis tuis non glorificasti me non te servire feci in oblatione nec laborem tibi praebui in ture
24 non emisti mihi argento calamum et adipe victimarum tuarum non inebriasti me verumtamen servire me fecisti in peccatis tuis praebuisti mihi laborem in iniquitatibus tuis
25 ego sum ego sum ipse qui deleo iniquitates tuas propter me et peccatorum tuorum non recordabor
26 reduc me in memoriam et iudicemur simul narra si quid habes ut iustificeris
The Latin Vulgate is in the public domain.