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.
Read it in contextSaul's Disobedience and Rejection as King
Start reading at 1 Samuel 15:1 (1 Samuel 15:1 to 1 Samuel 15:35).
The entire chapter details God's command to Saul, Saul's partial obedience and subsequent disobedience, Samuel's confrontation, and Saul's ultimate rejection as king.
15:1Samuel also said unto Saul, The LORD sent me to anoint thee to be king over his people, over Israel: now therefore hearken thou unto the voice of the words of the LORD.
15:2Thus saith the LORD of hosts, I remember that which Amalek did to Israel, how he laid wait for him in the way, when he came up from Egypt.
15:3Now go and smite Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and spare them not; but slay both man and woman, infant and suckling, ox and sheep, camel and ass.
15:4And Saul gathered the people together, and numbered them in Telaim, two hundred thousand footmen, and ten thousand men of Judah.
15:5And Saul came to a city of Amalek, and laid wait in the valley.
15:6And Saul said unto the Kenites, Go, depart, get you down from among the Amalekites, lest I destroy you with them: for ye shewed kindness to all the children of Israel, when they came up out of Egypt. So the Kenites departed from among the Amalekites.
15:7And Saul smote the Amalekites from Havilah until thou comest to Shur, that is over against Egypt.
15:8And he took Agag the king of the Amalekites alive, and utterly destroyed all the people with the edge of the sword.
15:9But Saul and the people spared Agag, and the best of the sheep, and of the oxen, and of the fatlings, and the lambs, and all that was good, and would not utterly destroy them: but every thing that was vile and refuse, that they destroyed utterly.
15:10Then came the word of the LORD unto Samuel, saying,
15:11It repenteth me that I have set up Saul to be king: for he is turned back from following me, and hath not performed my commandments. And it grieved Samuel; and he cried unto the LORD all night.
15:12And when Samuel rose early to meet Saul in the morning, it was told Samuel, saying, Saul came to Carmel, and, behold, he set him up a place, and is gone about, and passed on, and gone down to Gilgal.
15:13And Samuel came to Saul: and Saul said unto him, Blessed be thou of the LORD: I have performed the commandment of the LORD.
15:14And Samuel said, What meaneth then this bleating of the sheep in mine ears, and the lowing of the oxen which I hear?
15:15And Saul said, They have brought them from the Amalekites: for the people spared the best of the sheep and of the oxen, to sacrifice unto the LORD thy God; and the rest we have utterly destroyed.
15:16Then Samuel said unto Saul, Stay, and I will tell thee what the LORD hath said to me this night. And he said unto him, Say on.
15:17And Samuel said, When thou wast little in thine own sight, wast thou not made the head of the tribes of Israel, and the LORD anointed thee king over Israel?
15:18And the LORD sent thee on a journey, and said, Go and utterly destroy the sinners the Amalekites, and fight against them until they be consumed.
15:19Wherefore then didst thou not obey the voice of the LORD, but didst fly upon the spoil, and didst evil in the sight of the LORD?
15:20And Saul said unto Samuel, Yea, I have obeyed the voice of the LORD, and have gone the way which the LORD sent me, and have brought Agag the king of Amalek, and have utterly destroyed the Amalekites.
15:21But the people took of the spoil, sheep and oxen, the chief of the things which should have been utterly destroyed, to sacrifice unto the LORD thy God in Gilgal.
15:22And 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.
15:23For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the LORD, he hath also rejected thee from being king.
15:24And Saul said unto Samuel, I have sinned: for I have transgressed the commandment of the LORD, and thy words: because I feared the people, and obeyed their voice.
15:25Now therefore, I pray thee, pardon my sin, and turn again with me, that I may worship the LORD.
15:26And Samuel said unto Saul, I will not return with thee: for thou hast rejected the word of the LORD, and the LORD hath rejected thee from being king over Israel.
15:27And as Samuel turned about to go away, he laid hold upon the skirt of his mantle, and it rent.
15:28And Samuel said unto him, The LORD hath rent the kingdom of Israel from thee this day, and hath given it to a neighbour of thine, that is better than thou.
15:29And also the Strength of Israel will not lie nor repent: for he is not a man, that he should repent.
15:30Then he said, I have sinned: yet honour me now, I pray thee, before the elders of my people, and before Israel, and turn again with me, that I may worship the LORD thy God.
15:31So Samuel turned again after Saul; and Saul worshipped the LORD.
15:32Then said Samuel, Bring ye hither to me Agag the king of the Amalekites. And Agag came unto him delicately. And Agag said, Surely the bitterness of death is past.
15:33And Samuel said, As thy sword hath made women childless, so shall thy mother be childless among women. And Samuel hewed Agag in pieces before the LORD in Gilgal.
15:34Then Samuel went to Ramah; and Saul went up to his house to Gibeah of Saul.
15:35And Samuel came no more to see Saul until the day of his death: nevertheless Samuel mourned for Saul: and the LORD repented that he had made Saul king over Israel.
Study content, not yet reviewed.
Who
Who wrote the book? Tradition associates Samuel with the earlier material and Nathan and Gad with its continuation. Samuel dies during the narrative, so he did not write the complete account; the final compiler is unknown. Biblical references: 1 Samuel 25:1; 1 Chronicles 29:29. Historical source: Babylonian Talmud, Bava Batra 14b–15a (record of Jewish attribution, not contemporary proof). traditionally held
Who was present or being addressed in this passage? In the surrounding chapter context (1 Samuel 15:1–15:35): Samuel delivers the LORD's command and judgment to Saul; Saul and Israel's army are involved in the campaign against Amalek. stated in the text
Who was the book written to? Israelite readers considering the rise of the monarchy and the transition from Saul to David. A more exact first readership cannot be established. Biblical references: 1 Samuel 8:4; 1 Samuel 16:13; 1 Samuel 31:6. book background
What
What is the main event or theme? The main theme of this verse, within the broader context, is Samuel's prophetic declaration to King Saul that obedience to the LORD's direct command is far more valuable and pleasing to God than religious sacrifices performed in disobedience. This statement comes as Samuel confronts Saul for failing to utterly destroy the Amalekites and all their possessions as commanded by God, despite Saul's claim that the spared spoil was for sacrifice to the LORD.
What is God revealing? God is revealing that His primary desire is for His people to obey His voice and commands, rather than to merely perform religious rituals or sacrifices as a substitute for obedience. He values a heart of submission and faithfulness over outward acts of worship that stem from disobedience or self-will. God's word is to be followed precisely, not selectively.
What is the literary style? The literary style is narrative history, specifically a prophetic confrontation and rebuke delivered by Samuel to King Saul. It includes direct speech and rhetorical questions to emphasize the theological point.
When
When was it written? The book of 1 Samuel was written between approximately 1000 and 930 B.C.
When does the event take place? The events described in this passage occurred during the reign of King Saul, approximately between 1100 and 1010 B.C.
Where
Where did it happen? The specific confrontation between Samuel and Saul, including the declaration in verse 22, took place in Gilgal. Earlier events in the passage occurred in Telaim (where Saul gathered his army), a city of Amalek, and the region from Havilah to Shur (where Saul fought the Amalekites). Saul also went to Carmel before coming to Gilgal to meet Samuel.
Where was the author located? The book of 1 Samuel was written in Israel.
Where does the context start?
This passage sits in Saul's Disobedience and Rejection as King (1 Samuel 15:1 to 1 Samuel 15:35).
Start reading at 1 Samuel 15:1. The entire chapter details God's command to Saul, Saul's partial obedience and subsequent disobedience, Samuel's confrontation, and Saul's ultimate rejection as king.
How
How does it fit the broader context? This verse is the climax of Samuel's rebuke of King Saul, marking a pivotal moment in Saul's reign. It clearly articulates the reason for God's rejection of Saul as king: his disobedience to God's explicit command regarding the Amalekites. This event sets the stage for the LORD to seek out a new king, ultimately leading to the anointing of David. stated in the text
How does it point to Christ? This passage points to Christ by highlighting the supreme importance of perfect obedience to God's will. While Saul failed in obedience, Jesus Christ perfectly fulfilled all of God's commands, living a life of complete submission to the Father's will, even unto death on the cross (Philippians 2:8). His perfect obedience is the true 'sacrifice' that pleases God and atones for sin, making all other sacrifices obsolete (Hebrews 10:4-10). Unlike Saul, whose kingdom was rent from him due to disobedience, Christ's kingdom is eternal and founded on His unwavering faithfulness. interpretation
How do I apply it today? Today, this passage reminds believers that God values genuine obedience from the heart more than outward religious practices or rituals. It challenges us to examine our motives and ensure that our worship and service are rooted in a sincere desire to follow God's commands, rather than merely performing duties or seeking to appease God through self-chosen acts. True faith is demonstrated through obedience to God's revealed will. interpretation
Cited: 1 Samuel 15:1, 1 Samuel 15:3, 1 Samuel 15:8-9, 1 Samuel 15:11, 1 Samuel 15:13, 1 Samuel 15:15, 1 Samuel 15:17-19, 1 Samuel 15:22, 1 Samuel 15:23, 1 Samuel 15:24, 1 Samuel 15:26, 1 Samuel 15:28, 1 Samuel 15:33, 1 Samuel 15:35, Philippians 2:8, Hebrews 10:4-10, 1 Chronicles 29:29
Who wrote it, and how we know
Samuel, with Nathan and Gad (traditional)From early tradition
What Scripture saysThe book does not name its author. Chronicles refers to written records of Samuel, Nathan, and Gad. 1 Chronicles 29:29
Early traditionJewish tradition credits Samuel, with Nathan and Gad continuing after his death.
What is debatedSamuel dies partway through the account, so he cannot have written all of it. The final form is later.
Cross references from CrossReferences-org (CC BY 4.0).
Macro-Structure
See how this passage fits the chapter and the book.
Macro-Structure of 1 Samuel 15
Prefilled outline, not yet reviewed.
First Samuel follows the transition from the judges to kingship and the rise of David during Saul's reign. It records Samuel's death before the book ends; attributing every line to Samuel would therefore exceed the narrative's evidence. Local headings and stanza divisions are editorial reading aids adapted from public-domain BSB headings; verse boundaries and Scripture links use the KJV. Connections describe the surrounding book movement.
Connection to the wholeThis opening unit introduces the chapter’s movement. The establishment of kingship is followed by Saul's failures, and the LORD's rejection of his kingship prepares the choice of David.
Connection to the wholeThe establishment of kingship is followed by Saul's failures, and the LORD's rejection of his kingship prepares the choice of David.
Connection to the wholeThis unit closes the chapter’s selected reading divisions. The establishment of kingship is followed by Saul's failures, and the LORD's rejection of his kingship prepares the choice of David.
interpretation
Suggested literary divisions. Headings summarize the passage; they are not part of the biblical text.
Macro-Structure of 1 Samuel
Prefilled outline, not yet reviewed.
First Samuel follows the transition from the judges to kingship and the rise of David during Saul's reign. It records Samuel's death before the book ends; attributing every line to Samuel would therefore exceed the narrative's evidence.
Connection to the wholeSamuel's upbringing and calling stand beside the failures of Eli's house and the ark narrative, leading to Israel's return to the LORD.
Connection to the wholeThe establishment of kingship is followed by Saul's failures, and the LORD's rejection of his kingship prepares the choice of David.