The Meaning of Isaiah 43:23 Explained

Isaiah 43:23

KJV: 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.

YLT: Thou hast not brought in to Me, The lamb of thy burnt-offerings, And with thy sacrifices thou hast not honoured Me, I have not caused thee to serve with a present, Nor wearied thee with frankincense.

Darby: thou hast not brought me the small cattle of thy burnt-offerings, neither hast thou glorified me with thy sacrifices. I have not caused thee to toil with an oblation, nor wearied thee with incense.

ASV: 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.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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. 

What does Isaiah 43:23 Mean?

Context Summary

Isaiah 43:14-28 - A Way In The Wilderness
Let uptake care lest we thwart God's purpose in our lives. We were made to show forth His praise, Isaiah 43:21; but we must beware of causing a revoking of His gracious purpose (See Numbers 14:34, r.v. margin): by prayerlessness, Isaiah 43:22; by the neglect of little things, Isaiah 43:23; by the lack of sweetness and tenderness in our disposition, Isaiah 43:24. "Be not high-minded, but fear; for if God spared not the natural branches, neither will He spare thee," Romans 11:20-21, r.v.
On the other hand, directly sin is repented of and put away, it is blotted out, Isaiah 43:25. It is persistence in sin that causes God to turn from us. If we forsake what is evil, as soon as we are conscious of it, "the blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth from all sin." It is blotted out as a cloud from the sky and no more remembered against us forever. This is done for God's own sake. The reason for our salvation and deliverance is not in us, but in Him. The cross of shame and sorrow was His own expedient, and the Lamb in the midst of the throne is the emblem of the divine Atonement, which was commenced and finished by the inexplicable grace of God. [source]

Chapter Summary: Isaiah 43

1  The Lord comforts the church with his promises
8  He appeals to the people for witness of his omnipotence
14  He foretells them the destruction of Babylon
18  And his wonderful deliverance of his people
22  He reproves the people as inexcusable

What do the individual words in Isaiah 43:23 mean?

Not You have brought Me the sheep for your burnt offerings and with your sacrifices Nor have you honored Me not I have caused you to serve with grain offerings nor wearied you with incense
לֹֽא־ הֵבֵ֤יאתָ לִּי֙ שֵׂ֣ה עֹלֹתֶ֔יךָ וּזְבָחֶ֖יךָ לֹ֣א כִבַּדְתָּ֑נִי לֹ֤א הֶעֱבַדְתִּ֙יךָ֙ בְּמִנְחָ֔ה וְלֹ֥א הוֹגַעְתִּ֖יךָ בִּלְבוֹנָֽה

הֵבֵ֤יאתָ  You  have  brought 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Perfect, second person masculine singular
Root: בֹּוא 
Sense: to go in, enter, come, go, come in.
לִּי֙  Me 
Parse: Preposition, first person common singular
שֵׂ֣ה  the  sheep  for 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: שֶׂה  
Sense: one of a flock, lamb, sheep, goat, young sheep, young goat.
עֹלֹתֶ֔יךָ  your  burnt  offerings 
Parse: Noun, feminine plural construct, second person masculine singular
Root: עֹלָה  
Sense: whole burnt offering.
וּזְבָחֶ֖יךָ  and  with  your  sacrifices 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine plural construct, second person masculine singular
Root: זֶבַח  
Sense: sacrifice.
לֹ֣א  Nor 
Parse: Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
כִבַּדְתָּ֑נִי  have  you  honored  Me 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Perfect, second person masculine singular, first person common singular
Root: כָּבֵד  
Sense: to be heavy, be weighty, be grievous, be hard, be rich, be honourable, be glorious, be burdensome, be honoured.
הֶעֱבַדְתִּ֙יךָ֙  I  have  caused  you  to  serve 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Perfect, first person common singular, second person masculine singular
Root: עָבַד  
Sense: to work, serve.
בְּמִנְחָ֔ה  with  grain  offerings 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, feminine singular
Root: מִנְחָה  
Sense: gift, tribute, offering, present, oblation, sacrifice, meat offering.
וְלֹ֥א  nor 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
הוֹגַעְתִּ֖יךָ  wearied  you 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Perfect, first person common singular, second person masculine singular
Root: יָגַע  
Sense: to toil, labour, grow weary, be weary.
בִּלְבוֹנָֽה  with  incense 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, feminine singular
Root: לְבֹונָה 
Sense: frankincense.