1 Samuel 7:9

7:9 So Samuel took a nursing lamb ¹  and offered it as a whole burnt offering to the Lord. Samuel cried out to the Lord on Israel’s behalf, and the Lord answered him.

1 Samuel 13:12

13:12 I thought, ²  ‘Now the Philistines will come down on me at Gilgal and I have not sought the Lord’s favor.’ So I felt obligated ³  to offer the burnt offering.”

1 Samuel 15:22

15:22 Then Samuel said,

“Does the Lord take pleasure in burnt offerings and sacrifices

as much as he does in obedience? ⁴ 

Certainly, ⁵  obedience ⁶  is better than sacrifice;

paying attention is better than ⁷  the fat of rams.

[7:9]  ¹ tn Heb “a lamb of milk”; NAB “an unweaned lamb”; NIV “a suckling lamb”; NCV “a baby lamb.”

[13:12]  ² tn Heb “said.”

[13:12]  ³ tn Or “I forced myself” (so KJV, NASB, NRSV, CEV); NAB “So in my anxiety I offered”; NIV “I felt compelled.”

[15:22]  ³ tn Heb “as [in] listening to the voice of the Lord.”

[15:22]  ⁴ tn Heb “look.”

[15:22]  ⁵ tn Heb “listening.”

[15:22]  ⁶ tn The expression “is better” is understood here by ellipsis (see the immediately preceding statement).