Isaiah 43:24

sweet cane (qâneh) is also mentioned in Jeremiah 6:20 as coming from a "far country." It is supposed to be calamus odoratus, a product of India, but grown also in Arabia and Syria; hence Jarchi, the Jewish commentator, explains: "because there was enough in Palestine"! It formed an ingredient in the sacred oil with which the priests, the tabernacle, &c. were anointed (Exodus 30:23, E.V. "sweet calamus"). One of the rare paronomasias in this prophecy is the play of words between this name and the verb for "buy" (qânâh).

filled me satiated me (as R.V. marg.).

with the fat cf. Jeremiah 31:14; Psalms 36:8.

but( only) thou hast made me to serve This is the contrast which the prophet has had in view from the beginning of the section: while Jehovah has not burdened His people even with the offerings which it had been too ready to bring, it has burdened Him with its sins; and while Israel has taken its whole relation to Jehovah lightly, He has accepted the burden, and laboured in its service for the removal of its guilt.