1 Samuel 15:22
Good News Translation
Samuel said, "Which does the LORD prefer: obedience or offerings and sacrifices? It is better to obey him than to sacrifice the best sheep to him.

New Revised Standard Version
And Samuel said, “Has the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obedience to the voice of the LORD? Surely, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed than the fat of rams.

Contemporary English Version
"Tell me," Samuel said. "Does the LORD really want sacrifices and offerings? No! He doesn't want your sacrifices. He wants you to obey him.

New American Bible
But Samuel said: “Does the LORD delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obedience to the LORD’s command? Obedience is better than sacrifice, to listen, better than the fat of rams.

Douay-Rheims Bible
And Samuel said: Doth the Lord desire holocausts and victims, and not rather that the voice of the Lord should be obeyed? For obedience is better than sacrifices: and to hearken rather than to offer the fat or rams.

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

And Samuel said: Doth the Lord desire holocausts and victims, and not rather that the voice of the Lord should be obeyed? For obedience is better than sacrifices: and to hearken rather than to offer the fat or rams.

Hath the Lord

Psalm 50:8,9 I will not reprove thee for thy sacrifices: and thy burnt offerings are always in my sight. . . .

Psalm 51:16,17 For if thou hadst desired sacrifice, I would indeed have given it: with burnt offerings thou wilt not be delighted. . . .

Proverbs 21:3 To do mercy and judgment, pleaseth the Lord more than victims.

Isaiah 1:11-17 To what purpose do you offer me the multitude of your victims, saith the Lord? I am full, I desire not holocausts of rams, and fat of fatlings, and blood of calves, and lambs, and buck goats. . . .

Jeremiah 7:22,23 For I spoke not to your fathers, and I commanded them not, in the day that I brought them out of the land of Egypt, concerning the matter of burnt offerings and sacrifices. . . .

Hosea 6:6 For I desired mercy, and not sacrifice: and the knowledge of God more than holocausts.

Amos 5:21-24 I hate, and have rejected your festivities: and I will not receive the odour of your assemblies. . . .

Micah 6:6-8 What shall I offer to the Lord that is worthy? wherewith shall I kneel before the high God? shall I offer holocausts unto him, and calves of a year old? . . .

Matthew 9:13 Go then and learn what this meaneth, I will have mercy and not sacrifice. For I am not come to call the just, but sinners.

Matthew 12:7 And if you knew what this meaneth: I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: you would never have condemned the innocent.

Matthew 23:23 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites; because you tithe mint and anise and cummin and have left the weightier things of the law: judgment and mercy and faith. These things you ought to have done and not to leave those undone.

Hebrews 10:4-10 For it is impossible that with the blood of oxen and goats sin should be taken away. . . .

obey

Exodus 19:5 If therefore you will hear my voice, and keep my covenant, you shall be my peculiar possession above all people: for all the earth is mine.

Ecclesiastes 5:1 Keep thy foot, when thou goest into the house of God, and draw nigh to hear. For much better is obedience, than the victims of fools, who know not what evil they do.

Jeremiah 7:23 But this thing I commanded them, saying: Hearken to my voice, and I will be your God, and you shall be my people: and walk ye in all the way that I have commanded you, that it may be well with you.

Jeremiah 11:4,7 Which I commanded your fathers in the day that I brought them out of the land of Egypt, from the iron furnace, saying: Hear ye my voice, and do all things that I command you: and you shall be my people, and I will be your God: . . .

Jeremiah 26:13 Now therefore amend your ways, and your doings, and hearken to the voice of the Lord your God: and the Lord will repent him of the evil that he hath spoken against you.

Hosea 6:6 For I desired mercy, and not sacrifice: and the knowledge of God more than holocausts.

Matthew 5:24 Leave there thy offering before the altar, and go first to be reconciled to thy brother, and then coming thou shalt offer thy gift.

Mark 12:33 And that he should be loved with the whole heart and with the whole understanding and with the whole soul and with the whole strength. And to love one's neighbour as one's self is a greater thing than all holocausts and sacrifices.

Context
Samuel Denounces Saul
21But the people took of the spoils, sheep and oxen, as the firstfruits of those things that were slain, to offer sacrifice to the Lord their God in Galgal. 22And Samuel said: Doth the Lord desire holocausts and victims, and not rather that the voice of the Lord should be obeyed? For obedience is better than sacrifices: and to hearken rather than to offer the fat or rams.23Because it is like the sin of witchcraft, to rebel: and like the crime of idolatry, to refuse to obey. Forasmuch, therefore, as thou hast rejected the word of the Lord, the Lord hath also rejected thee from being king.…
Cross References
Matthew 12:7
And if you knew what this meaneth: I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: you would never have condemned the innocent.

Mark 12:33
And that he should be loved with the whole heart and with the whole understanding and with the whole soul and with the whole strength. And to love one's neighbour as one's self is a greater thing than all holocausts and sacrifices.

Hebrews 10:6
Holocausts for sin did not please thee.

Genesis 4:4
Abel also offered of the firstlings of his flock, and of their fat: and the Lord had respect to Abel, and to his offerings.

1 Samuel 13:13
And Samuel said to Saul: Thou hast done foolishly, and hast not kept the commandments of the Lord thy God, which he commanded thee. And if thou hadst not done thus, the Lord would now have established thy kingdom over Israel for ever:

Psalm 40:6
Sacrifice and oblation thou didst not desire; but thou hast pierced ears for me. Burnt offering and sin offering thou didst not require:

Psalm 51:16
For if thou hadst desired sacrifice, I would indeed have given it: with burnt offerings thou wilt not be delighted.

Psalm 51:17
A sacrifice to God is an afflicted spirit: a contrite and humbled heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.

Proverbs 21:3
To do mercy and judgment, pleaseth the Lord more than victims.

Ecclesiastes 5:1
Keep thy foot, when thou goest into the house of God, and draw nigh to hear. For much better is obedience, than the victims of fools, who know not what evil they do.

Isaiah 1:11
To what purpose do you offer me the multitude of your victims, saith the Lord? I am full, I desire not holocausts of rams, and fat of fatlings, and blood of calves, and lambs, and buck goats.

Jeremiah 7:22
For I spoke not to your fathers, and I commanded them not, in the day that I brought them out of the land of Egypt, concerning the matter of burnt offerings and sacrifices.

Jeremiah 7:23
But this thing I commanded them, saying: Hearken to my voice, and I will be your God, and you shall be my people: and walk ye in all the way that I have commanded you, that it may be well with you.

Hosea 6:6
For I desired mercy, and not sacrifice: and the knowledge of God more than holocausts.

Micah 6:6
What shall I offer to the Lord that is worthy? wherewith shall I kneel before the high God? shall I offer holocausts unto him, and calves of a year old?

1 Samuel 15:21
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