In this verse Yahweh accuses his people of not bringing sacrifices to honor him even though he did not make unreasonable demands for such offerings.

You have not brought me your sheep for burnt offerings seems to say that the people did not bring any sheep as burnt offerings to Yahweh. However, as in the previous verse, there is irony here also. The people offered sheep to other gods also. Bible en français courant expresses this line well with “It is not for me that you sacrificed sheep.” It may also be rendered “I was not the one to whom you offered sheep as whole burnt sacrifices.” For the Hebrew word rendered sheep, see the comments on 7.25; for burnt offerings, see 1.11.

Or honored me with your sacrifices is parallel to the previous line. The people brought sacrifices to Yahweh, but they did not honor him by doing this since they kept sinning. This line is literally “and your sacrifices you did not honor me.” Since the word “sacrifices” occurs before the verb “honor” in Hebrew, it is emphatic. There is the following chiasmus in the first two lines of this verse: not brought me > sheep for burnt offerings > < your sacrifices < not honored me. For the Hebrew word rendered sacrifices, see the comments on 1.11.

I have not burdened you with offerings: Yahweh required offerings from his people, but he did not ask them to bring more than they could provide. His demands were not unreasonable. The Hebrew verb rendered burdened comes from a root meaning “to serve.” Here it has the sense that God did not force his people to serve him with too many offerings. Bible en français courant makes this very explicit by rendering this line as “It is not true either that I made of you a slave by demanding offerings.” The Hebrew word for offerings normally refers to grain offerings, but its sense here seems to be more general, referring to any kind of offering (see the comments on 1.13).

Or wearied you with frankincense is parallel to the previous line. Neither did Yahweh tire out his people by asking for too much incense. The verb wearied is synonymous with burdened. Frankincense is fragrant plant resin that people burn for its pleasing smell. The more general word “incense” may be used here (see the comments on 1.13). Revised English Bible translates the last two lines clearly with “I did not exact grain-offerings from you or weary you with demands for frankincense.” Good News Translation is also helpful with “I did not burden you by demanding offerings or wear you out by asking for incense.”

Translation examples for this verse are:

• It was not for me that you made burnt offerings of sheep,
nor did you honor me when you made sacrifices.
I have never burdened you with demands for grain offerings,
nor wearied you with requests for frankincense.

• It wasn’t to me that you burned sheep offerings,
nor with your sacrifices did you honor me.
I have never asked you for too many offerings,
nor required of you too much [frank]incense.

Quoted with permission from Ogden, Graham S. and Sterk, Jan. A Handbook on Isaiah. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2011. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .