1 Samuel 15:22

KJV1611 – Modern English

And Samuel said, Does the LORD have 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.

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

וַיֹּ֣אמֶר שְׁמוּאֵ֗ל הַחֵ֤פֶץ לַֽיהוָה֙ בְּעֹל֣וֹת וּזְבָחִ֔ים כִּשְׁמֹ֖עַ בְּק֣וֹל יְהוָ֑ה הִנֵּ֤ה שְׁמֹ֙עַ֙ מִזֶּ֣בַח ט֔וֹב לְהַקְשִׁ֖יב מֵחֵ֥לֶב אֵילֽ͏ִים׃

Transliteration

And wayyōʾmer Šᵊmûʾēl, haḥēpeṣ to YHWH in bᵊʿōlôṯ and ûzᵊḇāḥîm as kišmōaʿ in bᵊqôl YHWH? hinnēh šᵊmōaʿ from mizzéḇaḥ ṭôḇ, to lᵊhaqšîḇ from mēḥēleḇ ʾêlîm.

Grammar Details

• *wayyōʾmer*: waw-consecutive + qal imperfect, 3rd masculine singular - and he said
• *Šᵊmûʾēl*: proper noun, masculine - Samuel
• *haḥēpeṣ*: article + noun, masculine singular - the delight/pleasure
• *YHWH*: proper noun, divine name - Yahweh/LORD
• *bᵊʿōlôṯ*: preposition + noun, feminine plural - in burnt offerings
• *ûzᵊḇāḥîm*: waw-conjunctive + noun, masculine plural - and sacrifices
• *kišmōaʿ*: preposition + qal infinitive construct - as to obey/hear
• *bᵊqôl*: preposition + noun, masculine singular construct - to the voice of
• *hinnēh*: demonstrative particle - behold/look
• *šᵊmōaʿ*: qal infinitive absolute - to obey/hear
• *mizzéḇaḥ*: preposition + noun, masculine singular - than sacrifice
• *ṭôḇ*: adjective, masculine singular - good/better
• *lᵊhaqšîḇ*: preposition + hiphil infinitive construct - to heed/pay attention
• *mēḥēleḇ*: preposition + noun, masculine singular construct - than fat of
• *ʾêlîm*: noun, masculine plural - rams

Word Meanings

• *haḥēpeṣ*: delight/pleasure/desire
• *bᵊʿōlôṯ*: in burnt offerings/whole offerings
• *ûzᵊḇāḥîm*: and sacrifices/offerings
• *kišmōaʿ*: as obeying/listening to
• *hinnēh*: behold/look/see
• *šᵊmōaʿ*: to obey/listen
• *mizzéḇaḥ*: than sacrifice/offering
• *ṭôḇ*: good/better/pleasing
• *lᵊhaqšîḇ*: to heed/pay attention/listen attentively
• *mēḥēleḇ*: than fat of/best portions of
• *ʾêlîm*: rams/male sheep

Other Translations

• Linguistic Bible Translation from Source Texts

  Then Samuel said, 'Does the LORD delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams.'

• King James Version 1769 (Standard Version)

  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.

• American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

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

• King James Version with Strong's Numbers

  And Samuel{H8050} said{H559}{(H8799)}, Hath the LORD{H3068} as great delight{H2656} in burnt offerings{H5930} and sacrifices{H2077}, as in obeying{H8085}{(H8800)} the voice{H6963} of the LORD{H3068}? Behold, to obey{H8085}{(H8800)} is better{H2896} than sacrifice{H2077}, and to hearken{H7181}{(H8687)} than the fat{H2459} of rams{H352}.

• Coverdale Bible (1535)

  Samuel saide: Hath the LORDE pleasure in sacrifices and burntofferynges, as in obeynge the voyce of the LORDE? Beholde, obedience is better then offerynge, and to herken is better then the fat of rammes.

• Geneva Bible (1560)

  And Samuel saide, Hath the Lord as great pleasure in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as when the voyce of the Lord is obeyed? Beholde, to obey is better then sacrifice, and to hearken is better then the fatte of rammes.

• Bishops' Bible (1568)

  And Samuel sayde: Hath the Lorde as great pleasure in burnt sacrifices and offerynges, as when the voyce of the Lorde is obeyed? Beholde, to obey, is better then sacrifice: and to hearken, is better then the fat of rammes.

• Authorized King James Version (1611)

  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.

• Webster's Bible (1833)

  Samuel said, Has Yahweh as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of Yahweh? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to listen than the fat of rams.

• Young's Literal Translation (1862/1898)

  And Samuel saith, `Hath Jehovah had delight in burnt-offerings and sacrifices as `in' hearkening to the voice of Jehovah? lo, hearkening than sacrifice is better; to give attention than fat of rams;

• American Standard Version (1901)

  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.

• American Standard Version (1901)

  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.

• Bible in Basic English (1941)

  And Samuel said, Has the Lord as much delight in offerings and burned offerings as in the doing of his orders? Truly, to do his pleasure is better than to make offerings, and to give ear to him than the fat of sheep.

• World English Bible (2000)

  Samuel said, "Has Yahweh as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of Yahweh? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to listen than the fat of rams.

• NET Bible® (New English Translation)

  Then Samuel said,“Does the LORD take pleasure in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as he does in obedience? Certainly, obedience is better than sacrifice; paying attention is better than the fat of rams.

Referenced Verses

• Hos 6:6 : 6 For I desired mercy, and not sacrifice; and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings.
• Ps 51:16-17 : 16 For you do not desire sacrifice, or I would give it; you do not delight in burnt offering. 17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.
• Matt 9:13 : 13 But go and learn what this means, I desire mercy, and not sacrifice: for I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.
• Prov 21:3 : 3 To do justice and judgment is more acceptable to the LORD than sacrifice.
• Mark 12:33 : 33 And to love Him with all the heart, with all the understanding, with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love one's neighbor as oneself, is more than all the whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.
• Amos 5:21-24 : 21 I hate, I despise your feast days, and I will not delight in your solemn assemblies. 22 Though you offer me burnt offerings and your grain offerings, I will not accept them; nor will I regard the peace offerings of your fat beasts. 23 Take away from me the noise of your songs; for I will not hear the melody of your lutes. 24 But let judgment run down like waters, and righteousness like a mighty stream.
• Mic 6:6-8 : 6 With what shall I come before the LORD, and bow myself before the High God? Shall I come before Him with burnt offerings, with calves a year old? 7 Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams, or ten thousand rivers of oil? Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? 8 He has shown you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you, but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?
• Jer 7:22-23 : 22 For I did not speak to your fathers, nor command them in the day that I brought them out of the land of Egypt, concerning burnt offerings or sacrifices: 23 But this thing I commanded them, saying, Obey my voice, and I will be your God, and you shall be my people: and walk in all the ways that I have commanded you, that it may be well with you.
• Matt 12:7 : 7 But if you had known what this means, I desire mercy and not sacrifice, you would not have condemned the innocent.
• Ps 40:6-8 : 6 Sacrifice and offering You did not desire; my ears You have opened: burnt offering and sin offering You have not required. 7 Then I said, Behold, I come: in the scroll of the book it is written of me, 8 I delight to do Your will, O my God: yes, Your law is within my heart.
• Ps 50:8-9 : 8 I will not reprove you for your sacrifices or your burnt offerings, which are ever before Me. 9 I will take no bull from your house, nor goats from your folds.
• Heb 10:4-9 : 4 For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and goats could take away sins. 5 Therefore, when he comes into the world, he says, Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but a body you have prepared for me: 6 In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin you had no pleasure. 7 Then I said, Behold, I have come (in the volume of the book it is written of me) to do your will, O God. 8 Previously saying, Sacrifice and offering, burnt offerings, and offerings for sin you did not desire, nor had pleasure in them (which are offered according to the law), 9 Then he said, Behold, I have come to do your will, O God. He takes away the first that he may establish the second. 10 By that will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
• Eccl 5:1 : 1 Keep your foot when you go to the house of God, and be more ready to hear than to offer the sacrifice of fools, for they do not know that they do evil.
• Isa 1:11-17 : 11 To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices to me? says the LORD: I am full of the burnt offerings of rams, and the fat of fed animals; and I delight not in the blood of oxen, or of lambs, or of goats. 12 When you come to appear before me, who has required this at your hand, to trample my courts? 13 Bring no more vain offerings; incense is an abomination to me; the new moons and sabbaths, the calling of assemblies, I cannot endure; it is iniquity, even the solemn meeting. 14 Your new moons and your appointed feasts my soul hates: they are a trouble to me; I am weary to bear them. 15 And when you spread out your hands, I will hide my eyes from you: indeed, when you make many prayers, I will not hear: your hands are full of blood. 16 Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean; put away the evil of your doings from before my eyes; cease to do evil; 17 Learn to do well; seek justice, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow.
• Matt 23:23 : 23 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for you pay tithe of mint and anise and cumin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, justice, mercy, and faith: these you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone.
• Jer 26:13 : 13 Therefore now amend your ways and your deeds, and obey the voice of the LORD your God; and the LORD will relent of the evil that he has pronounced against you.
• Jer 11:7 : 7 For I earnestly protested to your fathers in the day that I brought them up out of the land of Egypt, even to this day, rising early and protesting, saying, Obey my voice.
• Matt 5:24 : 24 Leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way; first be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.
• Exod 19:5 : 5 Now therefore, if you will indeed obey my voice and keep my covenant, then you shall be a special treasure to me above all people; for all the earth is mine:
• Jer 11:4 : 4 Which I commanded your fathers in the day that I brought them out of the land of Egypt, from the iron furnace, saying, Obey my voice, and do them, according to all that I command you; so shall you be my people, and I will be your God: