Parallel Verses

NET Bible

Then Samuel said, "Does the Lord take pleasure in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as he does in obedience? Certainly, obedience is better than sacrifice; paying attention is better than the fat of rams.

New American Standard Bible

Samuel said,
Has the Lord as much 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.

King James Version

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.

Holman Bible

Then Samuel said:

Does the Lord take pleasure in burnt offerings and sacrifices
as much as in obeying the Lord?


Look: to obey is better than sacrifice,
to pay attention is better than the fat of rams.

International Standard Version

Samuel said, "Does the LORD delight as much in burnt offerings and sacrifices as in obeying the LORD? Surely, to obey is better than sacrifice, to pay attention is better than the fat of rams.

A Conservative Version

And Samuel said, Has LORD as great delight in burnt-offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams.

American Standard Version

And Samuel said, Hath Jehovah as great delight in burnt-offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of Jehovah? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams.

Amplified

Samuel said,“Has the Lord as great a delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices
As in obedience to the voice of the Lord?
Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice,
And to heed [is better] than the fat of rams.

Bible in Basic English

And Samuel said, Has the Lord as much delight in offerings and burned offerings as in the doing of his orders? Truly, to do his pleasure is better than to make offerings, and to give ear to him than the fat of sheep.

Darby Translation

And Samuel said, Has Jehovah delight in burnt-offerings and sacrifices, As in hearkening to the voice of Jehovah? Behold, obedience is better than sacrifice, Attention than the fat of rams.

Julia Smith Translation

And Samuel will say, Was it pleasing to Jehovah in burnt-offerings and sacrifices as to hear to the voice of Jehovah? Behold, to hear, above a good sacrifice, and to hearken, above the fat of rams.

King James 2000

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 hearken than the fat of rams.

Lexham Expanded Bible

Then Samuel said, "Is there [as much] delight for Yahweh in burnt offerings and sacrifices as [there is] in {obeying} Yahweh? Look! {To obey} [is] better than sacrifice; to give heed than the fat of rams.

Modern King James verseion

And Samuel said, Does Jehovah delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as in obeying the voice of Jehovah? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice! To listen is better than the fat of rams!

Modern Spelling Tyndale-Coverdale

Then said Samuel, "Hath the LORD as great pleasure in burnt sacrifices and offerings, as he hath that thou shouldest obey his voice? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to give heed is better than the fat of rams.

New Heart English Bible

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.

The Emphasized Bible

Then said Samuel - Doth that which is pleasing unto Yahweh consist in ascending-offerings and sacrifices, So much as in hearkening unto the voice of Yahweh? Lo! to hearken, is, better, than, sacrifice. And, to give heed, than, the fat of rams;

Webster

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.

World English Bible

Samuel said, "Has Yahweh as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of Yahweh? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to listen than the fat of rams.

Youngs Literal Translation

And Samuel saith, 'Hath Jehovah had delight in burnt-offerings and sacrifices as in hearkening to the voice of Jehovah? lo, hearkening than sacrifice is better; to give attention than fat of rams;

Themes

Amalekites » Defeated by saul

Amalekites, the » saul » Condemned for not utterly destroying

the Burnt offering » Obedience better than

Christian ministers » Expostulate with rulers » Samuel with saul

Church and state » Ecclesiastical power superior to civil » Reproves rulers

Delight » What the lord delights in

Delight » What the lord does not delight in

Desires » What the lord desires

Desires » What the lord does not desire

Falsehood » Instances of » Saul, in professing to samuel to have obeyed the commandment to destroy all spoils of the amalekites, when in fact he had not obeyed

Formalism » The insufficiency of

Gilgal » Place of the first encampment of the israelites west of the jordan river » An altar built at, and sacrifice offered

Kings » Who reigned over all israel » saul

Obedience » The obeying of the lord

Obedience » To God, the duty of » Better than sacrifice

Obedience to God » Better than sacrifice

Offerings » Useless when not accompanied by genuine piety

Offerings » Withheld see offerings; withheld » Insufficient to secure salvation

Presumption » Instances of » Sparing the amalekites

Religion » Formalism » The insufficiency of

Repentance » Instances of » Saul, at the rebuke of samuel for not destroying the amalekites

Reproof » Faithfulness in » Samuel, of saul

Requirements » What the lord does not require

Rulers' » Wicked » Instances of » Saul, sparing agag and the best of the booty

Sacrifice » What is better than sacrifice

Sacrifices » Insufficient to secure salvation

Sacrifices » Generally the best of their kind

Sacrifices » Without obedience, worthless

samuel » Life summarized » Courageous

saul » King of israel » Dedicates the spoils of war

Saul, king of israel » The man who lost a crown characteristics of » Disobedience

Self-righteousness » Instances of » saul

Self-will » Exemplified » King saul

Self-will and stubbornness » Exemplified » saul

Service » Test » King saul was condemned by it

Sheep » Males of, called rams

Interlinear

English(KJV)
Strong's
Root Form
Definition
Usage
And Samuel
שׁמוּאל 
Sh@muw'el 
Usage: 140

Hath the Lord

Usage: 0

עולה עלה 
`olah 
Usage: 288

זבח 
Zebach 
Usage: 162

the voice
קל קול 
Qowl 
Usage: 506

of the Lord

Usage: 0

זבח 
Zebach 
Usage: 162

and to hearken
קשׁב 
Qashab 
Usage: 46

than the fat
חלב חלב 
Cheleb 
Usage: 92

References

Images 1 Samuel 15:22

Prayers for 1 Samuel 15:22

Context Readings

Samuel Announces The Downfall Of Saul

21 But the army took from the plunder some of the sheep and cattle -- the best of what was to be slaughtered -- to sacrifice to the Lord your God in Gilgal." 22 Then Samuel said, "Does the Lord take pleasure in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as he does in obedience? Certainly, obedience is better than sacrifice; paying attention is better than the fat of rams. 23 For rebellion is like the sin of divination, and presumption is like the evil of idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, he has rejected you as king."


Cross References

Hosea 6:6

For I delight in faithfulness, not simply in sacrifice; I delight in acknowledging God, not simply in whole burnt offerings.

Mark 12:33

And to love him with all your heart, with all your mind, and with all your strength and to love your neighbor as yourself is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices."

Jeremiah 7:22-23

Consider this: When I spoke to your ancestors after I brought them out of Egypt, I did not merely give them commands about burnt offerings and sacrifices.

Micah 6:6-8

With what should I enter the Lord's presence? With what should I bow before the sovereign God? Should I enter his presence with burnt offerings, with year-old calves?

Matthew 12:7

If you had known what this means: 'I want mercy and not sacrifice,' you would not have condemned the innocent.

Psalm 40:6-8

Receiving sacrifices and offerings are not your primary concern. You make that quite clear to me! You do not ask for burnt sacrifices and sin offerings.

Psalm 50:8-9

I am not condemning you because of your sacrifices, or because of your burnt sacrifices that you continually offer me.

Psalm 51:16-17

Certainly you do not want a sacrifice, or else I would offer it; you do not desire a burnt sacrifice.

Proverbs 21:3

To do righteousness and justice is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice.

Ecclesiastes 5:1

Be careful what you do when you go to the temple of God; draw near to listen rather than to offer a sacrifice like fools, for they do not realize that they are doing wrong.

Matthew 9:13

Go and learn what this saying means: 'I want mercy and not sacrifice.' For I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners."

Isaiah 1:11-17

"Of what importance to me are your many sacrifices?" says the Lord. "I am stuffed with burnt sacrifices of rams and the fat from steers. The blood of bulls, lambs, and goats I do not want.

Jeremiah 11:7

For I solemnly warned your ancestors to obey me. I warned them again and again, ever since I delivered them out of Egypt until this very day.

Jeremiah 26:13

But correct the way you have been living and do what is right. Obey the Lord your God. If you do, the Lord will forgo destroying you as he threatened he would.

Amos 5:21-24

"I absolutely despise your festivals! I get no pleasure from your religious assemblies!

Matthew 23:23

"Woe to you, experts in the law and you Pharisees, hypocrites! You give a tenth of mint, dill, and cumin, yet you neglect what is more important in the law -- justice, mercy, and faithfulness! You should have done these things without neglecting the others.

Hebrews 10:4-10

For the blood of bulls and goats cannot take away sins.

Exodus 19:5

And now, if you will diligently listen to me and keep my covenant, then you will be my special possession out of all the nations, for all the earth is mine,

Jeremiah 11:4

Those are the terms that I charged your ancestors to keep when I brought them out of Egypt, that place which was like an iron-smelting furnace. I said at that time, "Obey me and carry out the terms of the agreement exactly as I commanded you. If you do, you will be my people and I will be your God.

Matthew 5:24

leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother and then come and present your gift.

King James Version Public Domain

Holman Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers.

International Standard Version Copyright © 1996-2008 by the ISV Foundation.

New American Standard Bible Copyright ©1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit http://www.lockman.org

American Standard Version Public Domain

NET Bible copyright © 1996-2006 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. NetBible

Basic English, produced by Mr C. K. Ogden of the Orthological Institute - public domain