²⁰“But I did obey the Lord!” Saul answered. ^j“I went on the mission the Lord gave me: I brought back Agag, king of Amalek, and I completely destroyed the Amalekites. ²¹The troops took sheep and cattle from the plunder—the best of what was set apart for destruction—to sacrifice to the Lord your God at Gilgal.” ^k

²²Then Samuel said:

Does the Lord ^ltake pleasure in burnt offerings and sacrifices

as much as in obeying the Lord?

Look: to obey is better than sacrifice,

to pay attention is better than the fat of rams. ^m

²³For rebellion is like the sin of divination, ⁿ

and defiance is like wickedness ^oand idolatry.

Because you have rejected the word of the Lord,

He has rejected you as king. ^p

²⁴Saul answered Samuel, “I have sinned. ^qI have transgressed the Lord’s command ^rand your words. Because I was afraid of the people, I obeyed them. ²⁵Now therefore, please forgive my sin ^sand return with me so I can worship the Lord.”

²⁶Samuel replied to Saul, “I will not return with you. Because you rejected the word of the Lord, ^tthe Lord has rejected you from being king over Israel.” ²⁷When Samuel turned to go, Saul grabbed the hem of his robe, and it tore. ²⁸Samuel said to him, “The Lord has torn the kingship of Israel away from you today ^uand has given it to your neighbor who is better than you. ^v

Read in Logos

1 Samuel 15:22: “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.”

Footnotes

j15:20 answered Samuel

Cross references

k15:21 Ex 32:22–23
l15:22 Ps 40:6–8; 51:16–17; Is 1:11–15; Mc 6:6–8
m15:22 Heb 10:5–7
n15:23 Dt 18:10
o15:23 Gn 31:19, 34
p15:23 1Sm 8:7
q15:24 Nm 22:34; 2Sm 12:13; Ps 51:3–4
r15:24 Pr 29:25; Is 51:12–13
s15:25 Ex 10:17
t15:26 1Sm 13:14; 16:1
u15:28 1Sm 28:17–18
v15:27–28 1Kg 11:30–36