Bible Strands
1 Samuel 15:22
But Samuel declared: “Does the LORD delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obedience to His voice? Behold, obedience is better than sacrifice, and attentiveness is better than the fat of rams.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — Samuel addresses Saul immediately after Saul has spared the best of the Amalekite livestock and offered them as sacrifice at Gilgal, in violation of the command to destroy all.
The words — שׁמֹעַ (shemoa'), "listening" or "hearing," is set against עֹלוֹת (olot), "burnt offerings"; the contrast is between active attentiveness to God's voice and the performance of ritual.
The thread — The same priority recurs in Hosea 6:6 (mercy over sacrifice), Psalms 51:16 (God takes no pleasure in burnt offerings), and Proverbs 21:3 (righteousness and justice more desirable than sacrifice).
Why it lands — It removes the option of substituting religious performance for compliance with a direct command; the ritual does not compensate for the disobedience.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
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.
Cross-references
- Hosea 6:6 For I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings.
- Psalms 51:16 For You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it; You take no pleasure in burnt offerings.
- Proverbs 21:3 To do righteousness and justice is more desirable to the LORD than sacrifice.
- Amos 5:21 “I hate, I despise your feasts! I cannot stand the stench of your solemn assemblies.
- Mark 12:33 and to love Him with all your heart and with all your understanding and with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself. This is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.”
- Matthew 9:13 But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”
- Micah 6:6 With what shall I come before the LORD when I bow before the God on high? Should I come to Him with burnt offerings, with year-old calves?
- Jeremiah 7:22 For when I brought your fathers out of the land of Egypt, I did not merely command them about burnt offerings and sacrifices,
- Psalms 40:6 Sacrifice and offering You did not desire, but my ears You have opened. Burnt offerings and sin offerings You did not require.
- Ecclesiastes 5:1 Guard your steps when you go to the house of God. Draw near to listen rather than to offer the sacrifice of fools, who do not know that they do wrong.