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.
What does 1 Samuel 15:22 mean?
Repentance in God is not a change of mind, as it is in us, but a change of method. The change was in Saul; "He is turned back from following me." Hereby he made God his enemy.
Key themes
Read with
Keep this verse inside 1 Samuel 15:20-23 and alongside a few nearby related passages.
Commentary on 1 Samuel 15:22
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. 1 Samuel 15:22 . To what purpose shall frankincense be brought unto me from Sabah? Or the rich aromatic reed from a far country? Your burnt-offerings are not acceptable, Nor your sacrifices pleasant unto me. Jeremiah 6:20 . Blaney. For I desired mercy and not sacrifice; And the knowledge of God more than burnt-offerings.
Context in 1 Samuel 15
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1 Samuel 15 belongs to the middle movement of the book, especially the section often described as Saul’s rise and failure. First Samuel traces the fall of Eli’s house, the ministry of Samuel, the failure of Saul, and the painful emergence of David. Read this chapter with the wider themes of leadership, anointing, and obedience in view so the individual verses keep their proper weight.
Related topics
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What Scripture teaches about obeying God, the relationship between faith and obedience, and the blessings that follow faithfulness.
A collection of passages on hope under pressure, future inheritance, resurrection expectation, and confidence in God’s final faithfulness.
Passages on godly leadership, servant leadership, the responsibilities of leaders, and examples of leadership in Scripture.
Glossary
- Samuel Person
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Heard of God. The peculiar circumstances connected with his birth are recorded in 1 Sam. 1:20 .