1 Samuel 15:22
in 1 Samuel 15But 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.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
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.
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.
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This verse in 1 Samuel 15
Commentary
13 notes on this verseSamuel, that great man, no less clearly reproved Saul, saying, "Is not the word better than a gift?" For hereby one fulfills the law and pleases God, as he says, "The sacrifice of praise shall glorify me." Let one "learn what this means, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice," and I will not condemn the adversaries.
This site's exposition
Does the LORD delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obedience to His voice
on 1 Samuel 15:22-23
Samuel’s answer is one of Scripture’s clearest statements, that "obedience is better than sacrifice, and attentiveness is better than the fat of rams." Verse 23 sets rebellion "like the sin of divination." The verse closes with the sentence the chapter carries out, that the LORD "has rejected you as king."
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
Moreover, the prophets indicate in the fullest manner that God stood in no need of their slavish obedience, but that it was upon their own account that He enjoined certain observances in the law. And again, that God needed not their oblation, but [merely demanded it], on account of man himself who offers it, the Lord taught distinctly, as I have pointed out. For when He perceived them neglecting righteousness, and abstaining from the love of God, and imagining that God was to be propitiated by sacrifices and the other typical observances, Samuel did even thus speak to them: "God does not desire whole burnt-offerings and sacrifices, but He will have His voice to be hearkened to. Behold, a ready obedience is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams."
Therefore, when different prophets or different apostles should give to those who sin the counsel by which they can correct or amend the sin, they rightly will seem to have sold rams to them for sacrifice. But how much do they charge the buyers? It is, I think, the cost of reading zealously, of hearing with vigilance the word of God, and above all, I think, the most diligent obedience, about which the Lord says, "I prefer obedience to sacrifice; and hearing what I say rather than whole burnt offerings."
The Medieval Church3 voices
A commentator
Bernard of ClairvauxSermons on the Song of Songs, Sermon 19 · Written before 1153.
proposed
You do not wish to be content with the common life. The regular fast is not enough for you, nor the appointed vigils, nor the imposed discipline, nor the measure which we apportion to you in clothing and food; you prefer private practices to the …
A commentator
Gregory the DialogistCommentary on 1 Kings, Book 6, Chapter 2 · Written before 604.
proposed
22. For what are the good works of the elect but sacrifices and burnt offerings? Since therefore the Lord had commanded burnt offerings and sacrifices to be offered through the law, what does it mean that the Lord is said not to want burnt offerings and sacrifices, yet promises that He wants to be obeyed, unless that those things which are done apart from obedience are not burnt offerings and sacrifices? As if to say: Good works are then good when they do not disagree with the judgment of those set over them. But if this is said in order to commend the virtue of obedience, it is clear how sublime a good it is, which surpasses sacrifices and offerings. What then does it mean that He wills obedience to the voice of the Lord, unless that all good works must be set below those goods which are commanded? For when superiors rightly command, the goods which subjects choose of their own judgment are set below the commands of their superiors. Those very works set below them are called burnt offerings and sacrifices, so that not only may the small works of inferiors be perceived as not to be compared with the commands of superiors, but the greatest burnt offerings indeed belong to those who wish to withdraw themselves entirely from public work, so as to offer themselves wholly consumed by love to God in the secret of contemplation. Sacrifices belong to those who by no means separate themselves from the common public life, but act with singular virtue, so as to surpass the virtues of others by living more strictly. […]
And Samuel said: "Does the Lord delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices?" etc. These words indeed specifically pertain to the Jews, who, neglecting justice, mercy, and faith, and similar things, thought they could please the Lord through sacrifices and burnt offerings. But even now in …
6 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
Sacrifice - Because obedience to God is a moral duty, constantly and indispensably necessary; but sacrifice is but a ceremonial institution, sometimes unnecessary, as it was in the wilderness: and sometimes sinful, when it is offered by a polluted hand, or in an irregular manner. Therefore thy gross disobedience to God's express command, is not to be compensated with sacrifice.
Obedience is enjoyed by the eternal law of nature, but sacrifice only by a positive law. Obedience was the law of innocency, but sacrifice supposes sin come into the world, and is but a feeble attempt to take that away which obedience would have prevented. God is more glorified and self more denied by obedience than by sacrifice.
And Samuel said,....
The Nineteenth Century3 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
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.
Hath 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?
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
Hath 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.
The words behind it
16 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיֹּ֣אמֶר | vaiyomer | and he said | H559 → | 5305 times |
| שְׁמוּאֵ֗ל | shemuel | Samuel | H8050 → | 141 times |
| הַחֵ֤פֶץ | hachefetz | ¿ [does] delight | H2656 → | |
| לַֽיהוָה֙ | layahweh | [belong] to Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| בְּעֹל֣וֹת | beolot | in burnt offerings | H5930 → | 287 times |
| וּזְבָחִ֔ים | uzevachim | and sacrifices | H2077 → | 162 times |
| כִּשְׁמֹ֖עַ | kishmoa' | like listening | H8085 → | 1159 times |
| בְּק֣וֹל | bekol | to [the] voice of | H6963 → | 506 times |
| יְהוָ֑ה | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| הִנֵּ֤ה | hineh | here! | H2009 → | 843 times |
| שְׁמֹ֙עַ֙ | shemoa' | to obey | H8085 → | 1159 times |
| מִזֶּ֣בַח | mizevach | more than sacrifice | H2077 → | 162 times |
| ט֔וֹב | tov | [is] good | H2896 → | 538 times |
| לְהַקְשִׁ֖יב | lehakshiv | to pay attention | H7181 → | |
| מֵחֵ֥לֶב | mechelev | more than [the] fat of | H2459 → | 92 times |
| אֵילִֽים׃ | ʾeilim | rams | H352 → |
וַיֹּ֣אמֶרand he said
vaiyomerH559 →5305 times
שְׁמוּאֵ֗לSamuel
shemuelH8050 →141 times
הַחֵ֤פֶץ¿ [does] delight
hachefetzH2656 →
לַֽיהוָה֙[belong] to Yahweh
layahwehH3068 →6520 times
בְּעֹל֣וֹתin burnt offerings
beolotH5930 →287 times
וּזְבָחִ֔יםand sacrifices
uzevachimH2077 →162 times
כִּשְׁמֹ֖עַlike listening
kishmoa'H8085 →1159 times
בְּק֣וֹלto [the] voice of
bekolH6963 →506 times
יְהוָ֑הYahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
הִנֵּ֤הhere!
hinehH2009 →843 times
שְׁמֹ֙עַ֙to obey
shemoa'H8085 →1159 times
מִזֶּ֣בַחmore than sacrifice
mizevachH2077 →162 times
ט֔וֹב[is] good
tovH2896 →538 times
לְהַקְשִׁ֖יבto pay attention
lehakshivH7181 →
מֵחֵ֥לֶבmore than [the] fat of
mechelevH2459 →92 times
אֵילִֽים׃rams
ʾeilimH352 →
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Hosea 6:6For I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings.
it leads to
- 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.”
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Matthew 12:7
If only you had known the meaning of ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice,’ you would not have condemned the innocent.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- 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.
- 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.
- Matthew 9:13
Through
Proverbs 21:3To do righteousness and justice is more desirable to the LORD than sacrifice.
it leads to
- Hosea 6:6
For I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Micah 6:6–8
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?
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Proverbs 15:8
The sacrifice of the wicked is detestable to the LORD, but the prayer of the upright is His delight.
- Hosea 6:6
Where this verse is studied
By subject
Obedience35 verses
Worship35 verses
On this page
Studies16
On this verse
About 1 Samuel
Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on 13 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Athanasius of Alexandria, Letter 19.5; Bede, Commentary on Samuel; Bernard of Clairvaux, Sermons on the Song of Songs, Sermon 19; Gregory the Dialogist, Commentary on 1 Kings, Book 6, Chapter 2; Irenaeus, AGAINST HERESIES 4.17.1; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament; Keil and Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Books of Samuel; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Origen of Alexandria, HOMILIES ON LEVITICUS 4.5.6.