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Selected Verse: 1 Samuel 15:22 - Strong Concordance

Verse	Translation	Text
1Sa 15:22	Strong Concordance	And Samuel [08050] said [0559], Hath the LORD [03068] as great delight [02656] in burnt offerings [05930] and sacrifices [02077], as in obeying [08085] the voice [06963] of the LORD [03068]? Behold, to obey [08085] is better [02896] than sacrifice [02077], and to hearken [07181] than the fat [02459] of rams [0352].
	King James	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.

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Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834]
Hath the Lord ... - A grand example of the moral and spiritual teaching of the prophets (see the marginal references). The tension of Samuel's spirit, as he is about to pronounce the sentence of rejection, produces a lyrical turn of thought and language.

Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834]

Hath the Lord ... - A grand example of the moral and spiritual teaching of the prophets (see the marginal references). The tension of Samuel's spirit, as he is about to pronounce the sentence of rejection, produces a lyrical turn of thought and language.

Commentary on the Old Testament, by Carl Friedrich Keil and Franz Delitzsch [1857-78]
Without entering, therefore, into any discussion of the meaning of the ban, as Saul only wanted to cover over his own wrong-doings by giving this turn to the affair, Samuel put a stop to any further excuses, by saying, "Hath Jehovah delight in burnt-offerings and slain-offerings as in hearkening to the voice of Jehovah? (i.e., in obedience to His word.) Behold, hearing (obeying) is better than slain-offerings, attending better than fat of rams." By saying this, Samuel did not reject sacrifices as worthless; he did not say that God took no pleasure in burnt-offerings and slain-offerings, but simply compared sacrifice with obedience to the command of God, and pronounced the latter of greater worth than the former. "It was as much as to say that the sum and substance of divine worship consisted in obedience, with which it should always begin, and that sacrifices were, so to speak, simple appendices, the force and worth of which were not so great as of obedience to the precepts of God" (Calvin). But it necessarily follows that sacrifices without obedience to the commandments of God are utterly worthless; in fact, are displeasing to God, as Psa 50:8., Isa 1:11., Isa 66:3, Jer 6:20, and all the prophets, distinctly affirm. There was no necessity, however, to carry out this truth any further. To tear off the cloak of hypocrisy, with which Saul hoped to cover his disobedience, it was quite enough to affirm that God's first demand was obedience, and that observing His word was better than sacrifice; because, as the Berleb. Bible puts it, "in sacrifices a man offers only the strange flesh of irrational animals, whereas in obedience he offers his own will, which is rational or spiritual worship" (Rom 12:8). This spiritual worship was shadowed forth in the sacrificial worship of the Old Testament. In the sacrificial animal the Israelite was to give up and sanctify his own person and life to the Lord. (For an examination of the meaning of the different sacrifices, see Pent. pp. 505ff., and Keil's Bibl Archol. 41ff.) But if this were the design of the sacrifices, it was clear enough that God did not desire the animal sacrifice in itself, but first and chiefly obedience to His own word. In Sa1 15:22, טּוב is not to be connected as an adjective with זבח, "more than good sacrifice," as the Sept. and Thenius render it; it is rather to be taken as a predicate, "better than slain-offerings," and מזּבח is placed first simply for the sake of emphasis. Any contrast between good and bad sacrifices, such as the former construction would introduce into the words, is not only foreign to the context, but also opposed to the parallelism. For אילים חלב does not mean fat rams, but the fat of rams; the fat portions taken from the ram, which were placed upon the altar in the case of the slain-offerings, and for which חלב is the technical expression (compare Lev 3:9, Lev 3:16, with Lev 3:4, Lev 3:11, etc.). "For," continued Samuel (Sa1 15:23), "rebellion is the sin of soothsaying, and opposition is heathenism and idolatry." מרי and הפצר are the subjects, and synonymous in their meaning. קסם חטּאת, the sin of soothsaying, i.e., of divination in connection with the worship of idolatrous and demoniacal powers. In the second clause idols are mentioned instead of idolatry, and compared to resistance, but without any particle of comparison. Opposition is keeping idols and teraphim, i.e., it is like worshipping idols and teraphim. און, nothingness, then an idol or image (vid., Isa 66:3; Hos 4:15; Hos 10:5, Hos 10:8). On the teraphim as domestic and oracular deities, see at Gen 31:19. Opposition to God is compared by Samuel to soothsaying and oracles, because idolatry was manifested in both of them. All conscious disobedience is actually idolatry, because it makes self-will, the human I, into a god. So that all manifest opposition to the word and commandment of God is, like idolatry, a rejection of the true God. "Because thou hast rejected the word of Jehovah, He hath rejected thee, that thou mayst be no longer king." ממּלך = מלך מהיוה (Sa1 15:26), away from being king.

Commentary on the Old Testament, by Carl Friedrich Keil and Franz Delitzsch [1857-78]

Without entering, therefore, into any discussion of the meaning of the ban, as Saul only wanted to cover over his own wrong-doings by giving this turn to the affair, Samuel put a stop to any further excuses, by saying, "Hath Jehovah delight in burnt-offerings and slain-offerings as in hearkening to the voice of Jehovah? (i.e., in obedience to His word.) Behold, hearing (obeying) is better than slain-offerings, attending better than fat of rams." By saying this, Samuel did not reject sacrifices as worthless; he did not say that God took no pleasure in burnt-offerings and slain-offerings, but simply compared sacrifice with obedience to the command of God, and pronounced the latter of greater worth than the former. "It was as much as to say that the sum and substance of divine worship consisted in obedience, with which it should always begin, and that sacrifices were, so to speak, simple appendices, the force and worth of which were not so great as of obedience to the precepts of God" (Calvin). But it necessarily follows that sacrifices without obedience to the commandments of God are utterly worthless; in fact, are displeasing to God, as Psa 50:8., Isa 1:11., Isa 66:3, Jer 6:20, and all the prophets, distinctly affirm. There was no necessity, however, to carry out this truth any further. To tear off the cloak of hypocrisy, with which Saul hoped to cover his disobedience, it was quite enough to affirm that God's first demand was obedience, and that observing His word was better than sacrifice; because, as the Berleb. Bible puts it, "in sacrifices a man offers only the strange flesh of irrational animals, whereas in obedience he offers his own will, which is rational or spiritual worship" (Rom 12:8). This spiritual worship was shadowed forth in the sacrificial worship of the Old Testament. In the sacrificial animal the Israelite was to give up and sanctify his own person and life to the Lord. (For an examination of the meaning of the different sacrifices, see Pent. pp. 505ff., and Keil's Bibl Archol. 41ff.) But if this were the design of the sacrifices, it was clear enough that God did not desire the animal sacrifice in itself, but first and chiefly obedience to His own word. In Sa1 15:22, טּוב is not to be connected as an adjective with זבח, "more than good sacrifice," as the Sept. and Thenius render it; it is rather to be taken as a predicate, "better than slain-offerings," and מזּבח is placed first simply for the sake of emphasis. Any contrast between good and bad sacrifices, such as the former construction would introduce into the words, is not only foreign to the context, but also opposed to the parallelism. For אילים חלב does not mean fat rams, but the fat of rams; the fat portions taken from the ram, which were placed upon the altar in the case of the slain-offerings, and for which חלב is the technical expression (compare Lev 3:9, Lev 3:16, with Lev 3:4, Lev 3:11, etc.). "For," continued Samuel (Sa1 15:23), "rebellion is the sin of soothsaying, and opposition is heathenism and idolatry." מרי and הפצר are the subjects, and synonymous in their meaning. קסם חטּאת, the sin of soothsaying, i.e., of divination in connection with the worship of idolatrous and demoniacal powers. In the second clause idols are mentioned instead of idolatry, and compared to resistance, but without any particle of comparison. Opposition is keeping idols and teraphim, i.e., it is like worshipping idols and teraphim. און, nothingness, then an idol or image (vid., Isa 66:3; Hos 4:15; Hos 10:5, Hos 10:8). On the teraphim as domestic and oracular deities, see at Gen 31:19. Opposition to God is compared by Samuel to soothsaying and oracles, because idolatry was manifested in both of them. All conscious disobedience is actually idolatry, because it makes self-will, the human I, into a god. So that all manifest opposition to the word and commandment of God is, like idolatry, a rejection of the true God. "Because thou hast rejected the word of Jehovah, He hath rejected thee, that thou mayst be no longer king." ממּלך = מלך מהיוה (Sa1 15:26), away from being king.

Explanatory Notes on the Whole Bible, by John Wesley [1754-65]
Sacrifice - Because obedience to God is a moral duty, constantly and indispensably necessary; but sacrifice is but a ceremonial institution, sometimes unnecessary, as it was in the wilderness: and sometimes sinful, when it is offered by a polluted hand, or in an irregular manner. Therefore thy gross disobedience to God's express command, is not to be compensated with sacrifice. Hearken - That is, to obey. Fat - Then the choicest part of all the sacrifice.

Adam Clarke Commentary on the Whole Bible - Published 1810-1826
Hath the Lord as great delight, etc. - This was a very proper answer to, and refutation of Saul's excuse. Is not obedience to the will of God the end of all religion, of its rites, ceremonies, and sacrifices?

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²⁶ And Samuel [08050] said [0559] unto Saul [07586], I will not return [07725] with thee: for thou hast rejected [03988] the word [01697] of the LORD [03068], and the LORD [03068] hath rejected [03988] thee from being king [04428] over Israel [03478].

¹⁹ And Laban [03837] went [01980] to shear [01494] his sheep [06629]: and Rachel [07354] had stolen [01589] the images [08655] that were her father's [01].

⁸ The high places [01116] also of Aven [0206], the sin [02403] of Israel [03478], shall be destroyed [08045]: the thorn [06975] and the thistle [01863] shall come up [05927] on their altars [04196]; and they shall say [0559] to the mountains [02022], Cover [03680] us; and to the hills [01389], Fall [05307] on us.

⁵ The inhabitants [07934] of Samaria [08111] shall fear [01481] because of the calves [05697] of Bethaven [01007]: for the people [05971] thereof shall mourn [056] over it, and the priests [03649] thereof that rejoiced [01523] on it, for the glory [03519] thereof, because it is departed [01540] from it.

¹⁵ Though thou, Israel [03478], play the harlot [02181], yet let not Judah [03063] offend [0816]; and come [0935] not ye unto Gilgal [01537], neither go ye up [05927] to Bethaven [01007], nor swear [07650], The LORD [03068] liveth [02416].

³ He that killeth [07819] an ox [07794] is as if he slew [05221] a man [0376]; he that sacrificeth [02076] a lamb [07716], as if he cut off [06202] a dog's [03611] neck [06202]; he that offereth [05927] an oblation [04503], as if he offered swine's [02386] blood [01818]; he that burneth [02142] incense [03828], as if he blessed [01288] an idol [0205]. Yea, they have chosen [0977] their own ways [01870], and their soul [05315] delighteth [02654] in their abominations [08251].

²³ For rebellion [04805] is as the sin [02403] of witchcraft [07081], and stubbornness [06484] is as iniquity [0205] and idolatry [08655]. Because thou hast rejected [03988] the word [01697] of the LORD [03068], he hath also rejected [03988] thee from being king [04428].

¹¹ And the priest [03548] shall burn [06999] it upon the altar [04196]: it is the food [03899] of the offering made by fire [0801] unto the LORD [03068].

⁴ And the two [08147] kidneys [03629], and the fat [02459] that is on them, which is by the flanks [03689], and the caul [03508] above the liver [03516], with the kidneys [03629], it shall he take away [05493].

¹⁶ And the priest [03548] shall burn [06999] them upon the altar [04196]: it is the food [03899] of the offering made by fire [0801] for a sweet [05207] savour [07381]: all the fat [02459] is the LORD'S [03068].

⁹ And he shall offer [07126] of the sacrifice [02077] of the peace offering [08002] an offering made by fire [0801] unto the LORD [03068]; the fat [02459] thereof, and the whole [08549] rump [0451], it shall he take off [05493] hard [05980] by the backbone [06096]; and the fat [02459] that covereth [03680] the inwards [07130], and all the fat [02459] that is upon the inwards [07130],

²² And Samuel [08050] said [0559], Hath the LORD [03068] as great delight [02656] in burnt offerings [05930] and sacrifices [02077], as in obeying [08085] the voice [06963] of the LORD [03068]? Behold, to obey [08085] is better [02896] than sacrifice [02077], and to hearken [07181] than the fat [02459] of rams [0352].

⁸ Or [1535] he that exhorteth [3870], on [1722] exhortation [3874]: he that giveth [3330], let him do it with [1722] simplicity [572]; he that ruleth [4291], with [1722] diligence [4710]; he that sheweth mercy [1653], with [1722] cheerfulness [2432].

²⁰ To what purpose cometh [0935] there to me incense [03828] from Sheba [07614], and the sweet [02896] cane [07070] from a far [04801] country [0776]? your burnt offerings [05930] are not acceptable [07522], nor your sacrifices [02077] sweet [06149] unto me.

¹¹ To what [04100] purpose is the multitude [07230] of your sacrifices [02077] unto me? saith [0559] the LORD [03068]: I am full [07646] of the burnt offerings [05930] of rams [0352], and the fat [02459] of fed beasts [04806]; and I delight [02654] not in the blood [01818] of bullocks [06499], or of lambs [03532], or of he goats [06260].

⁸ I will not reprove [03198] thee for thy sacrifices [02077] or thy burnt offerings [05930], to have been continually [08548] before me.