1 Samuel 15 22

1 Samuel 15:22 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.

1 Samuel 15:22 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.

1 Samuel 15:22 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.

1 Samuel 15:22 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.

1 Samuel 15:22 nlt

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.

1 Samuel 15 verses

1 Samuel 15 22 Meaning

1 Samuel 15:22 states that God desires obedience to His voice far more than ritualistic burnt offerings and sacrifices. Samuel's rebuke to King Saul reveals that outward religious performance, no matter how costly or well-intentioned, is worthless to God if it comes from a heart of disobedience. God's ultimate delight and priority is complete submission to His divine commands, valuing an obedient spirit over any ceremonial act.

1 Samuel 15 22 Context

This verse is part of Samuel's dramatic confrontation with King Saul. In 1 Samuel chapter 15, God commanded Saul through Samuel to utterly destroy the Amalekites and all their possessions (known as herem, the ban). This command included not sparing King Agag or any livestock. However, Saul disobeyed, sparing Agag and the best of the sheep and oxen, claiming they were for sacrifices to the Lord. Samuel arrives and exposes Saul's lie and disobedience, leading to this profound declaration. This historical context reveals Saul's failure to fully submit to God's authority, which ultimately leads to his rejection as king. The broader historical context is the early Israelite monarchy, where the nature of leadership and devotion to God was being established, often in tension with the surrounding pagan practices that valued ritualistic propitiation over ethical living and divine obedience.

1 Samuel 15 22 Word analysis

• And Samuel said: Samuel acts as God's prophet, delivering God's verdict and spiritual truth.
• Has the Lord: Refers to Yahweh, the covenant God of Israel.
• as great delight (חֵפֶץ - chephets): Signifies God's pleasure, desire, or purpose. It's not just tolerance, but a positive preference. God does not take pleasure in disobedient acts, even if cloaked in religious piety.
• in burnt offerings (עוֹלוֹת - 'olót): Sacrifices entirely consumed by fire on the altar, symbolizing complete dedication to God. These were a major part of Israel's ritual worship.
• and sacrifices (זְבָחִים - zevakhím): A broader term for various offerings, including peace offerings where portions were eaten by the worshiper. Together with "burnt offerings," this covers the range of typical Israelite animal sacrifices.
• as in obeying (שְׁמֹעַ - shamo'a): Derived from the root shema (שָׁמַע), meaning "to hear" or "to listen," but crucially implying hearing with the intent to obey and act upon. It is not passive reception but active submission and attentiveness to instruction. This is the heart of the verse.
• the voice (קוֹל - qol): Refers to God's direct command, utterance, or instruction, indicating specific divine communication.
• of the Lord: Reinforces the source of the command – the ultimate authority.
• Behold: An interjection (הִנֵּה - hinnēh) used to draw immediate attention to the vital truth being stated.
• to obey (שְׁמֹעַ - shamo'a): Reiterates the pivotal action.
• is better (טוֹב - tov): Meaning good, superior, or excellent. It establishes a clear hierarchy of spiritual values – one is fundamentally superior to the other.
• than sacrifice (מִזָּבַח - mizzāvach): Directly comparing the spiritual act of obedience to the ritual act of offering.
• and to listen (לְהַקְשִׁיב - l'haqshiv): This verb means "to give heed to," "to pay attention," emphasizing an attentive, responsive hearing. It reinforces the nuance of shema.
• than the fat (חֵלֶב - chelev): The choicest and richest part of the animal, considered the best and traditionally reserved for the Lord as sacred (Lev 3:16-17). Saul's claim was to sacrifice this best part.
• of rams (אֵילִים - 'eilim): Male sheep, often used for significant offerings. The saving of the "fat of rams" by Saul was a direct act of disobedience, yet he presented it as a pious gesture. This is deep irony and hypocrisy.

Words-group Analysis:

• "Has the Lord as great delight... as in obeying the voice of the Lord?": This rhetorical question is a powerful statement. It implies a resounding "No." God's pleasure is not primarily in the mechanics of ritual, but in the yielded heart behind them. It challenges the conventional thinking that quantity or show in religious acts pleases God most.
• "Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to listen than the fat of rams.": This chiastic parallelism (A-B-A'-B' structure where A = obey, B = sacrifice; A' = listen, B' = fat of rams) emphasizes and drives home the central point. The "fat of rams" represents the peak of external material offering, but even this pales in comparison to internal, heartfelt obedience. It speaks to a divine preference for the immaterial over the material, and inner disposition over outer display.

1 Samuel 15 22 Bonus section

• This verse serves as a crucial Old Testament foundation for understanding the prophetic emphasis on social justice, personal righteousness, and heartfelt repentance over mere ritual observance, a theme echoed by prophets like Isaiah, Jeremiah, Amos, and Micah.
• The profound theological point made here sets up the New Testament understanding of true worship, emphasizing a spiritual reality ("worship in spirit and truth," John 4:24) rather than physical locations or rituals.
• It distinguishes between external religion and internal righteousness. Saul focused on outward appearance and popularity, whereas God focuses on the state of the heart and the completeness of obedience.
• The choice between "obedience" and "sacrifice" highlights a common human tendency to substitute prescribed religious acts for genuine relationship and surrender to God's ongoing guidance. This substitution ultimately leads to spiritual rejection, as seen in Saul's downfall.
• The parallel phrases, "obey is better than sacrifice" and "listen than the fat of rams," build intensity and demonstrate God's unambiguous preference, framing the conflict not as a minor issue but as a matter of core values.

1 Samuel 15 22 Commentary

Samuel's declaration in 1 Samuel 15:22 cuts to the very heart of authentic worship and the nature of humanity's relationship with God. Saul, driven by self-preservation and perhaps a misguided desire to appease the people, prioritized his own wisdom and partial obedience over God's clear, uncompromising command. His excuse of saving the best livestock for sacrifice was an attempt to cover disobedience with religious piety. However, Samuel makes it clear that such external religious acts, divorced from genuine, wholehearted submission to God's revealed will, are not merely useless but an abomination. God seeks a listening, yielding heart (obedient/listening) far above any outward offering (sacrifice/fat of rams). This verse stands as a foundational principle throughout scripture: God is not manipulated or impressed by outward display if the heart is not in alignment with His character and command. True worship is expressed through active obedience that flows from a reverent heart. For instance, a person who meticulously attends all religious services but habitually cheats in business is embodying Saul's error; likewise, one who gives large sums to charity but refuses to forgive an offense has missed God's ultimate desire for obedience and righteousness.