New Living Translation
1 Samuel 15:22
22But Samuel replied, “What is more pleasing to the Lord: your burnt offerings and sacrifices or your obedience to his voice? Listen! Obedience is better than sacrifice, and submission is better than offering the fat of rams.
1 Samuel 15:22 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And Samuel said, Hath the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams.
- New International Version (NIV)But Samuel replied: “Does the Lord delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the Lord? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams.
- English Standard Version (ESV)And Samuel said, "Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to listen than the fat of rams.
- New King James Version (NKJV)So Samuel said: “Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, As in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, And to heed than the fat of rams.
Context of 1 Samuel 15:22
20“But I did obey the Lord,” Saul insisted. “I carried out the mission he gave me. I brought back King Agag, but I destroyed everyone else. 21Then my troops brought in the best of the sheep, goats, cattle, and plunder to sacrifice to the Lord your God in Gilgal.” But Samuel replied, “What is more pleasing to the Lord: your burnt offerings and sacrifices or your obedience to his voice? Listen! Obedience is better than sacrifice, and submission is better than offering the fat of rams. 23Rebellion is as sinful as witchcraft, and stubbornness as bad as worshiping idols. So because you have rejected the command of the Lord, he has rejected you as king.” 24Then Saul admitted to Samuel, “Yes, I have sinned. I have disobeyed your instructions and the Lord’s command, for I was afraid of the people and did what they demanded.
Read all of 1 Samuel 151 Samuel 15:22 word by word
וַיֹּ֣אמֶר שְׁמוּאֵ֗ל הַחֵ֤פֶץ לַֽיהוָה֙ בְּעֹל֣וֹת וּזְבָחִ֔ים כִּשְׁמֹ֖עַ בְּק֣וֹל יְהוָ֑ה הִנֵּ֤ה שְׁמֹ֙עַ֙ מִזֶּ֣בַח ט֔וֹב לְהַקְשִׁ֖יב מֵחֵ֥לֶב אֵילִֽים׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And Samuelשְׁמוּאֵלshemû'êl · SamuelH8050
- saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- Hath the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
- delightחֵ֫פֶץchêphets · pleasureH2656
- in burnt offeringsעֹלָה‛ôlâh ‛ôlâh · burnt offeringH5930
- and sacrificesזֶ֫בַחzebach · sacrificeH2077
- as in obeyingשָׁמַעshâma‛ · to hear: obeyH8085
- the voiceקוֹלqôl qôl · voiceH6963
- betterטוֹבţôb · pleasantH2896
- to hearkenקָשַׁבqâshab · to listenH7181
- than the fatחֵ֫לֶבcheleb chêleb · fatH2459
- of ramsאַ֫יִל'ayil · ramH352
Cross-references for 1 Samuel 15:22
- Psalms 50:8I have no complaint about your sacrifices or the burnt offerings you constantly offer.
- Psalms 51:16You do not desire a sacrifice, or I would offer one. You do not want a burnt offering.
- Proverbs 21:3The Lord is more pleased when we do what is right and just than when we offer him sacrifices.
- Isaiah 1:11“What makes you think I want all your sacrifices?” says the Lord. “I am sick of your burnt offerings of rams and the fat of fattened cattle. I get no pleasure from the blood of bulls and lambs and goats.
- Jeremiah 7:22When I led your ancestors out of Egypt, it was not burnt offerings and sacrifices I wanted from them.
- Hosea 6:6I want you to show love, not offer sacrifices. I want you to know me more than I want burnt offerings.
- Amos 5:21“I hate all your show and pretense— the hypocrisy of your religious festivals and solemn assemblies.
- Micah 6:6What can we bring to the Lord? Should we bring him burnt offerings? Should we bow before God Most High with offerings of yearling calves?
- Matthew 9:13Then he added, “Now go and learn the meaning of this Scripture: ‘I want you to show mercy, not offer sacrifices.’ For I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners.”
- Matthew 12:7But you would not have condemned my innocent disciples if you knew the meaning of this Scripture: ‘I want you to show mercy, not offer sacrifices.’
- Matthew 23:23“What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you are careful to tithe even the tiniest income from your herb gardens, but you ignore the more important aspects of the law—justice, mercy, and faith. You should tithe, yes, but do not neglect the more important things.
- Hebrews 10:4For it is not possible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.
- Exodus 19:5Now if you will obey me and keep my covenant, you will be my own special treasure from among all the peoples on earth; for all the earth belongs to me.
- Ecclesiastes 5:1As you enter the house of God, keep your ears open and your mouth shut. It is evil to make mindless offerings to God.
- Jeremiah 7:23This is what I told them: ‘Obey me, and I will be your God, and you will be my people. Do everything as I say, and all will be well!’
- Jeremiah 11:4For I said to your ancestors when I brought them out of the iron-smelting furnace of Egypt, “If you obey me and do whatever I command you, then you will be my people, and I will be your God.”
Commentaries on 1 Samuel 15:22
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 22Hath the Lord as great delight, etc. - This was a very proper answer to, and refutation of Saul's excuse. Is not obedience to the will of God the end of all religion, of its rites, ceremonies, and sacrifices?Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 22Hath the Lord - A grand example of the moral and spiritual teaching of the prophets (see the marginal references). The tension of Samuel‘s spirit, as he is about to pronounce the sentence of rejection, produces a lyrical turn of thought and language.Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 10-23Verses 10-23 Repentance in God is not a change of mind, as it is in us, but a change of method. The change was in Saul; "He is turned back from following me." Hereby he made God his enemy. Samuel spent a whole night in pleading for Saul. The rejection of sinners is the grief of believers: God delights not in their death, nor should we. Saul boasts to Samuel of his obedience. Thus sinners think, by justifying themselves, to escape being judged of the Lord…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 22Does the LORD delight: God values obedience more than ritual acts (see also Psalm 40:6; Hosea 6:6; Matthew 12:7). the fat of rams: People offered the best parts of the animal to God.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 13-2313-23. Saul said unto him, Blessed be thou of the Lord: I have performed the commandment of the Lord--Saul was either blinded by a partial and delusive self-love, or he was, in his declaration to Samuel, acting the part of a bold and artful hypocrite. He professed to have fulfilled the divine command, and that the blame of any defects in the execution lay with the people. Samuel saw the real state of the case, and in discharge of the commission he had…Read the comment
Topics related to 1 Samuel 15:22
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on 1 Samuel 15
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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