Isaiah 43:23

Thou hast not brought me the small cattle of thy burnt offerings; neither hast thou honoured me with thy sacrifices. I have not caused thee to serve with an offering, nor wearied thee with incense.

Thou hast not brought {H935} me the small cattle {H7716} of thy burnt offerings {H5930}; neither hast thou honoured {H3513} me with thy sacrifices {H2077}. I have not caused thee to serve {H5647} with an offering {H4503}, nor wearied {H3021} thee with incense {H3828}.

You have not brought me sheep for your burnt offerings, you have not honored me with your sacrifices. I didn't burden you by requiring grain offerings. or weary you by demanding frankincense.

You have not brought Me sheep for burnt offerings, nor honored Me with your sacrifices. I have not burdened you with offerings, nor wearied you with frankincense.

Thou hast not brought me of thy sheep for burnt-offerings; neither hast thou honored me with thy sacrifices. I have not burdened thee with offerings, nor wearied thee with frankincense.

Commentary

Commentary on Isaiah 43:23 (KJV)

In Isaiah 43:23, the Lord confronts the nation of Israel, expressing His disappointment and exposing their spiritual apathy. This verse is a direct accusation from God, highlighting their failure to uphold their covenant responsibilities and show Him due reverence through the prescribed acts of worship.

Context

This verse is situated within a powerful section of Isaiah where God is both comforting His people with promises of future restoration and deliverance from Babylonian exile, and simultaneously rebuking them for their persistent sin and unfaithfulness. Despite God's unwavering faithfulness and His declaration of being their only Savior (Isaiah 43:11), Israel had consistently neglected their duties under the Mosaic Covenant. The system of burnt offerings and sacrifices was divinely instituted, not as a burden, but as a means for the people to express their devotion, seek atonement, and honor God. Their failure to bring these offerings was a clear sign of their spiritual indifference and lack of honor towards their Deliverer.

Key Themes

  • Spiritual Neglect and Apathy: The primary accusation is that Israel had failed to perform the required acts of worship, specifically bringing "small cattle" for burnt offerings and other sacrifices. This wasn't a casual oversight but a pervasive neglect of their religious duties.
  • Lack of Honor and Reverence: God states, "neither hast thou honoured me with thy sacrifices." True worship is an act of honor, acknowledging God's supremacy and worthiness. Their omission of sacrifices demonstrated a profound disrespect and a failure to give God the glory due His name.
  • God's Just Complaint: The second part of the verse, "I have not caused thee to serve with an offering, nor wearied thee with incense," is God's defense. He asserts that He did not make excessive demands or weary them with the requirements. The problem lay not with the divine commands, but with Israel's unwillingness and lack of genuine desire to obey and worship Him. God's commands were for their good, not to burden them.

Linguistic Insights

The Hebrew word for "honoured" (כָּבַד, kavadh) literally means to be heavy or weighty. When used in the context of honoring God, it implies giving Him His full weight of glory, significance, and respect. Their failure to sacrifice meant they were not attributing to God the weight of His importance. The term "sacrifices" (זֶבַח, zevach) refers broadly to animal offerings, symbolizing a comprehensive failure in their ritual worship.

Practical Application

Isaiah 43:23 serves as a timeless challenge for believers today. While the New Covenant replaces animal sacrifices with the ultimate sacrifice of Christ (Hebrews 9:26), the principle of offering God our honor and worship remains vital. This verse prompts us to examine:

  • Our True Devotion: Are our acts of worship—whether prayer, praise, giving, or service—genuine expressions of honor, or are they perfunctory, or even neglected? God desires a heart of sincere obedience and reverence, not mere ritual.
  • God's Expectations vs. Our Excuses: Just as God did not "weary" Israel, He does not burden us with impossible demands. Our reluctance often stems from our own spiritual apathy, not from God's perceived excessive requirements. We are called to present our bodies as a "living sacrifice", which is our reasonable service.
  • The Essence of Worship: This passage reminds us that God desires genuine engagement and honor from His people. As 1 Samuel 15:22 states, "to obey is better than sacrifice." Our worship should flow from a heart of love and obedience, not just obligation.

The verse ultimately calls us to a deeper, more intentional relationship with God, characterized by genuine honor and active participation in His will.

Note: If the commentary doesn’t appear instantly, please allow 2–5 seconds for it to load. It is generated by Gemini 2.5 Flash using a prompt focused on Biblical fidelity over bias. While the insights have been consistently reliable, we encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit.

Please note that only the commentary section is AI-generated — the main Scripture and cross-references are stored on the site and are from trusted and verified sources.

Cross-References

  • Amos 5:25

    Have ye offered unto me sacrifices and offerings in the wilderness forty years, O house of Israel?

  • Zechariah 7:5

    Speak unto all the people of the land, and to the priests, saying, When ye fasted and mourned in the fifth and seventh [month], even those seventy years, did ye at all fast unto me, [even] to me?

  • Zechariah 7:6

    And when ye did eat, and when ye did drink, did not ye eat [for yourselves], and drink [for yourselves]?

  • Amos 5:21

    ¶ I hate, I despise your feast days, and I will not smell in your solemn assemblies.

  • Amos 5:22

    Though ye offer me burnt offerings and your meat offerings, I will not accept [them]: neither will I regard the peace offerings of your fat beasts.

  • Proverbs 21:27

    ¶ The sacrifice of the wicked [is] abomination: how much more, [when] he bringeth it with a wicked mind?

  • Isaiah 66:3

    He that killeth an ox [is as if] he slew a man; he that sacrificeth a lamb, [as if] he cut off a dog's neck; he that offereth an oblation, [as if he offered] swine's blood; he that burneth incense, [as if] he blessed an idol. Yea, they have chosen their own ways, and their soul delighteth in their abominations.
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