1 Samuel 15:22

KJV

And Samuel said, Hath 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 hearken than the fat of rams.

KJV (with Strong's)

And Samuel {H8050} said {H559}, Hath the LORD {H3068} as great delight {H2656} in burnt offerings {H5930} and sacrifices {H2077}, as in obeying {H8085} the voice {H6963} of the LORD {H3068}? Behold, to obey {H8085} is better {H2896} than sacrifice {H2077}, and to hearken {H7181} than the fat {H2459} of rams {H352}.

Complete Jewish Bible

Sh'mu'el said, "Does ADONAI take as much pleasure in burnt offerings and sacrifices as in obeying what ADONAI says? Surely obeying is better than sacrifice, and heeding orders than the fat of rams.

Berean Standard Bible

But Samuel declared: “Does the LORD delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obedience to His voice? Behold, obedience is better than sacrifice, and attentiveness is better than the fat of rams.

American Standard Version

And Samuel said, Hath Jehovah as great delight in burnt-offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of Jehovah? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams.

Commentary

### SUMMARY
Samuel's poignant declaration in 1 Samuel 15:22 serves as a pivotal rebuke to King Saul, articulating a foundational principle of divine expectation: God values sincere, heartfelt obedience to His specific commands far above any external religious ritual or sacrifice, no matter how grand or costly. This verse underscores that true devotion is demonstrated not by outward performance, but by a submitted will that aligns with God's voice, revealing the Lord's desire for a relationship built on trust and faithful adherence rather than mere ceremonial compliance.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** This powerful pronouncement by the prophet Samuel is delivered at a critical turning point in Saul's reign, following his incomplete obedience to God's explicit command regarding the Amalekites. In [1 Samuel 15:1-3](/1_samuel/15-1 "1 Samuel 15:1-3 - God's Command to Saul Regarding Amalek"), the Lord, through Samuel, commanded Saul to utterly destroy the Amalekites—men, women, children, infants, oxen, sheep, camels, and donkeys—as retribution for their ancient hostility against Israel ([Exodus 17:8-16](/exodus/17-8 "Exodus 17:8-16 - Amalek's Attack on Israel")). However, Saul spared King Agag and the best of the livestock, rationalizing his actions by claiming he intended to offer them as sacrifices to the Lord ([1 Samuel 15:9](/1_samuel/15-9 "1 Samuel 15:9 - Saul's Partial Obedience")). Samuel's words in verse 22 directly confront this attempt to substitute partial obedience with religious ritual, exposing the hollowness of Saul's devotion and setting the stage for his ultimate rejection as king ([1 Samuel 15:23](/1_samuel/15-23 "1 Samuel 15:23 - Samuel Declares Saul's Rejection")).

* **Historical & Cultural Context:** The command to utterly destroy the Amalekites, known as the *herem* or "devotion to destruction," was a specific divine judgment against a people who had shown persistent enmity towards God's chosen nation. This practice, while jarring to modern sensibilities, was understood within the ancient Near Eastern context as a form of holy war, where spoils and even lives were consecrated to the deity. Israel's sacrificial system, established in the Mosaic Law, was central to their worship, providing a means of atonement, thanksgiving, and communion with God. However, the prophets consistently emphasized that the *spirit* behind the sacrifice was paramount, not merely the act itself. Saul's actions demonstrate a misunderstanding of this principle, prioritizing his own perceived piety and the desires of his people over the clear, direct command of God, a common pitfall for kings and leaders in the ancient world.

* **Key Themes:** The verse powerfully articulates several enduring theological themes. Foremost is the supremacy of **obedience over ritual**, highlighting that God values a submitted heart and faithful adherence to His will more than external religious observances or material offerings. This challenges the notion that one can compensate for disobedience with intensified worship. It also speaks to the **nature of true worship**, revealing it not as a series of prescribed actions but as an internal disposition of alignment with God's desires, expressed through a life of faithful response. Furthermore, the passage illuminates **God's character** as One who desires a relationship built on trust, intimacy, and responsive submission, rather than mere performance or transactional piety. Finally, it underscores the **gravity and consequences of disobedience**, demonstrating that even seemingly small acts of defiance, especially by those in leadership, can lead to severe divine judgment, as evidenced by Saul's rejection from kingship.

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS

#### Key Word Analysis
* **Obey (Hebrew, _shama'_):** This verb is central to the verse and carries a rich semantic range in Hebrew. It means more than simply "to hear"; it encompasses "to listen attentively," "to understand," and crucially, "to respond" or "to act upon what is heard." It implies a deep, responsive listening that leads to action. In this context, Samuel emphasizes that God desires a *responsive* hearing of His voice, a hearing that translates directly into faithful execution of His commands, rather than a superficial or selective hearing.
* **Sacrifice (Hebrew, _zebach_ / _olah_):** The KJV uses "burnt offerings and sacrifices," encompassing various types of offerings prescribed by the Mosaic Law. *Olah* (burnt offering) was entirely consumed on the altar, symbolizing complete devotion, while *zebach* (sacrifice) could refer to a broader category, including peace offerings where portions were eaten by the worshiper. Samuel's contrast with "obeying" highlights that even these divinely instituted, costly, and outwardly pious acts are secondary to the fundamental requirement of obedience. The "fat of rams" refers to the choicest, most valuable parts of the sacrificial animal, considered the best offering to God. By juxtaposing this with "to hearken," Samuel underscores that even the peak of ceremonial devotion pales in comparison to a simple, sincere act of obedience to God's specific command.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"And Samuel said, Hath the LORD [as great] delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD?"**: Samuel opens with a rhetorical question, designed to challenge Saul's faulty premise. The implied answer is a resounding "No." God's "delight" (Hebrew, *chaphets*) is not primarily in the external acts of worship themselves, but in the heart attitude of submission and obedience that such acts are meant to express. The question directly confronts Saul's attempt to justify his partial obedience by claiming he saved the best of the livestock for sacrifice.
* **"Behold, to obey [is] better than sacrifice,"**: This clause provides the direct, unequivocal answer to the rhetorical question. The Hebrew word for "better" (*tov*) signifies superiority in quality and value. Samuel asserts a divine hierarchy: obedience to God's specific command holds a higher value and elicits greater divine pleasure than any ritualistic offering, no matter how perfectly performed or how costly the sacrifice.
* **"[and] to hearken than the fat of rams."**: This second parallel clause reinforces and amplifies the first, using a specific, highly valued type of offering ("the fat of rams") to underscore the point. "To hearken" is another translation of *shama*, emphasizing attentive listening that leads to action. The choicest part of the sacrifice, representing the peak of ritualistic devotion, is explicitly declared inferior to the simple act of listening and responding to God's voice. This parallelism creates a powerful, memorable maxim.

#### Literary Devices
The verse is rich in **Rhetorical Question**, beginning with "Hath the LORD [as great] delight...?" This device is used not to seek information, but to make a forceful assertion, compelling Saul (and the reader) to consider the obvious answer: God's delight is *not* primarily in ritual for its own sake. The verse also employs striking **Parallelism**, particularly in the second half: "to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams." This poetic structure uses synonymous or antithetical phrases to reinforce the central message, making it more impactful and memorable. Furthermore, there is clear **Contrast** between "burnt offerings and sacrifices" (representing external ritual) and "obeying the voice of the LORD" (representing internal disposition and action). This stark juxtaposition highlights the fundamental difference in what God truly desires. The "fat of rams" serves as a **Metonymy**, where a part (the choicest fat) stands for the whole (the entire sacrificial system), further emphasizing that even the most valued aspects of ritual are subordinate to obedience.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
1 Samuel 15:22 establishes a timeless theological principle that resonates throughout the biblical narrative: God prioritizes the heart's disposition and faithful obedience over mere external religious performance. This prophetic declaration anticipates and aligns with the consistent message of later prophets who decried ritualism devoid of righteousness, justice, and true devotion. It challenges the human tendency to substitute genuine submission with outward displays of piety, reminding us that God seeks a relationship characterized by responsive trust rather than transactional worship. This verse serves as a crucial corrective, emphasizing that divine pleasure is found not in the quantity or costliness of offerings, but in the sincerity of a heart that truly desires to hear and obey God's voice.

* [Psalm 51:16-17](/psalms/51-16 "Psalm 51:16-17 - A Broken and Contrite Heart")
* [Hosea 6:6](/hosea/6-6 "Hosea 6:6 - Mercy and Knowledge of God")
* [Micah 6:6-8](/micah/6-6 "Micah 6:6-8 - What the Lord Requires")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
1 Samuel 15:22 serves as a profound and enduring challenge to believers across all generations. It compels us to examine the authenticity of our faith and worship, asking whether our religious practices are truly expressions of a submitted heart or merely outward displays that might mask a deeper disobedience or lack of genuine devotion. In a world where external religiosity can often be mistaken for true spirituality, this verse reminds us that God is not impressed by the grandeur of our offerings, the frequency of our attendance, or the eloquence of our prayers if they are not rooted in a sincere desire to hear and obey His voice. True worship is a lifestyle of faithful response to God's revealed will, prioritizing His commands in every area of our lives—our ethics, our relationships, our finances, and our daily choices—over any self-serving religious performance. It calls us to cultivate a sensitive ear to the Holy Spirit's leading and to act decisively on what we hear, understanding that partial obedience is, in God's eyes, disobedience.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **In what areas of my life might I be tempted to offer "sacrifice" (religious activity, good deeds, outward piety) as a substitute for genuine "obedience" to a specific command or conviction from God?**
* **How can I cultivate a heart that is more attuned to "hearkening" to God's voice, rather than just "hearing" it passively?**
* **What does this verse teach me about God's character and what truly delights Him in my relationship with Him?**
* **Considering Saul's fate, what are the potential consequences of prioritizing my own reasoning or desires over God's clear instructions?**

### FAQ
**Does this verse mean that sacrifices and worship rituals are bad or unnecessary?**

Answer: Not at all. This verse does not negate the value or necessity of sacrifices and worship rituals as prescribed by God. In fact, the sacrificial system was divinely instituted and crucial for Israel's covenant relationship with God. The point of 1 Samuel 15:22 is not to abolish ritual, but to establish its proper place and priority. Samuel is correcting Saul's *misuse* of ritual as a cover for disobedience. God delights in worship that flows from a heart of obedience and true devotion. The problem arises when the external act becomes a substitute for, or an excuse for neglecting, the internal disposition of obedience. The prophets consistently emphasized that God desired "mercy, and not sacrifice; and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings" ([Hosea 6:6](/hosea/6-6 "Hosea 6:6 - Mercy and Knowledge of God")), not because sacrifice was inherently bad, but because it was meaningless without the heart behind it.

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
1 Samuel 15:22 finds its ultimate and most profound fulfillment in the person and work of Jesus Christ. While Saul failed in obedience, attempting to substitute it with ritual, Jesus perfectly embodied the principle that "to obey is better than sacrifice." His entire life was one of perfect, unwavering obedience to the Father's will, even unto death on a cross ([Philippians 2:8](/philippians/2-8 "Philippians 2:8 - Christ's Obedience Unto Death")). He declared, "My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me and to finish His work" ([John 4:34](/john/4-34 "John 4:34 - Jesus' Food is Doing God's Will")), demonstrating a life lived in complete submission. Furthermore, Jesus Himself became the ultimate "sacrifice," the [Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world](/john/1-29 "John 1:29 - Jesus, the Lamb of God"), but His sacrifice was not a ritualistic act performed in defiance of God's will, but the supreme act of obedience, fulfilling the Father's redemptive plan ([Hebrews 10:5-10](/hebrews/10-5 "Hebrews 10:5-10 - Christ's Obedience and Sacrifice")). Thus, in Christ, we see perfect obedience *and* the perfect sacrifice converge, providing the only means for humanity to be reconciled to a God who delights in obedience. His obedience secures our salvation, allowing us to enter into a relationship where our own "sacrifices" of praise and service are acceptable to God because they are offered through Him, in the spirit of His perfect obedience ([Romans 12:1](/romans/12-1 "Romans 12:1 - Living Sacrifices")).

Note: Commentary is generated by AI with a directive for Biblical fidelity. Always rely on the Holy Spirit for discernment. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

Cross-References

Hosea 6:6

For I desired mercy, and not sacrifice; and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings.

Psalms 51:16

For thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give [it]: thou delightest not in burnt offering.

Psalms 51:17

The sacrifices of God [are] a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.

Proverbs 21:3

¶ To do justice and judgment [is] more acceptable to the LORD than sacrifice.

Amos 5:21

¶ I hate, I despise your feast days, and I will not smell in your solemn assemblies.

Amos 5:24

But let judgment run down as waters, and righteousness as a mighty stream.

Mark 12:33

And to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love [his] neighbour as himself, is more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.