1 Samuel 15:19-23

Context
15:19 Why haven’t you obeyed¹ the Lord? Instead you have greedily rushed upon the plunder! You have done what is wrong in the Lord’s estimation.”²

15:20 Then Saul said to Samuel, “But I have obeyed³ the Lord! I went on the campaign⁴ the Lord sent me on. I brought back King Agag of the Amalekites after exterminating the Amalekites. 15:21 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.”

15:22 Then Samuel said,

“Does the Lord take pleasure in burnt offerings and sacrifices

as much as he does in obedience?⁵

Certainly,⁶ obedience⁷ is better than sacrifice;

paying attention is better than⁸ the fat of rams.

15:23 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 as⁹ king.”

[15:19] ¹tn Heb “listened to the voice of the Lord.”

[15:19] ²tn Heb “you have done what is evil in the eyes of the Lord.”

[15:20] ³tn Heb “listened to the voice of the Lord.”

[15:20] ⁴tn Heb “journey.”

[15:22] ⁵tn Heb “as [in] listening to the voice of the Lord.”

[15:22] ⁶tn Heb “look.”

[15:22] ⁷tn Heb “listening.”

[15:22] ⁸tn The expression “is better” is understood here by ellipsis (see the immediately preceding statement).

[15:23] ⁷tn Or “from [being].”