²⁰Then Saul said to Samuel, “I have listened to the voice of Yahweh, and I have gone on the way that Yahweh sent me! I brought Agag the king of Amalek, and the Amalekites I have utterly destroyed. ²¹The troops took from the plunder, sheep and cattle, the best of the things devoted to destruction, to sacrifice to Yahweh your God at Gilgal.”

²²Then Samuel said,

“Is there as much delight for Yahweh in burnt offerings and sacrifices

as there is in obeying^j Yahweh?

Look! To obey^k is better than sacrifice;

to give heed than the fat of rams.

²³For rebellion is like the sin of divination;

arrogance is like iniquity and idolatry.

Because you have rejected the word of Yahweh,

he has rejected you from being king!”

²⁴Then Saul said to Samuel, “I have sinned because I have transgressed the commandment of Yahweh^l and your words, for I feared the troops and I listened to their voice. ²⁵So then, please pardon my sin and return with me so that I can worship^m Yahweh.” ²⁶But Samuel said to Saul, “I will not return with you, for you have rejected the word of Yahweh, and he has rejected you from being king over Israel!”

²⁷As Samuel turned around to go, heⁿ caught hold of the hem of his robe, and it tore. ²⁸Then Samuel said to him, “Yahweh has torn the kingdom of Israel from you today and has given it to your neighbor who is better than you.^o

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

jLiterally “listening to the voice of”
kLiterally “Listening”
lLiterally “the mouth of Yahweh”
mLiterally “so that I can bow down to”
nThat is, Saul
oLiterally “the better than you”