1 Samuel

1 Samuel 15:18–23

18and sent you on a mission, saying, ‘Go and devote to destruction the sinful Amalekites. Fight against them until you have wiped them out.’ 19So why did you not obey the LORD? Why did you rush upon the plunder and do evil in the sight of the LORD?”

20“But I did obey the LORD,” Saul replied. “I went on the mission that the LORD gave me. I brought back Agag king of Amalek and devoted the Amalekites to destruction. 21The troops took sheep and cattle from the plunder, the best of the things devoted to destruction, in order to sacrifice them to the LORD your God at Gilgal.”

22But 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.

23For rebellion is like the sin of divination,

and arrogance is like the wickedness of idolatry.

Because you have rejected the word of the LORD,

He has rejected you as king.”

Read all of 1 Samuel 15

Word by word

Each English word or phrase beside the Hebrew it translates, in the order of the English. Choose a number to open that word’s study.

1 Samuel 15:18

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
and sentוַיִּשְׁלָחֲךָ֥way·yiš·lā·ḥă·ḵāConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular; second person masculine singularH7971 send
you on a missionבְּדָ֑רֶךְbə·ḏā·reḵPreposition-b; Noun - common singularH1870 way, road, distance, journey, manner
sayingוַיֹּ֗אמֶרway·yō·merConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularH559 utter, say
Goלֵ֣ךְlêḵVerb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singularH1980 go, come, walk
and devote to destructionוְהַחֲרַמְתָּ֞הwə·ha·ḥă·ram·tāhConjunctive waw; Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singularH2763 ban, devote, exterminate
the sinfulהַֽחַטָּאִים֙ha·ḥaṭ·ṭā·’îmArticle; Adjective - masculine pluralH2400 sinful
Amalekitesעֲמָלֵ֔ק‘ă·mā·lêqNoun - proper - masculine singularH6002 Amalek
Fightוְנִלְחַמְתָּ֣wə·nil·ḥam·tāConjunctive waw; Verb - Nifal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singularH3898 fight, do battle
against themב֔וֹḇōwPreposition; third person masculine singular
untilעַ֥ד‘aḏPrepositionH5704 as far as, even to, up to, until, while
you have wiped them outכַּלּוֹתָ֖םkal·lō·w·ṯāmVerb - Piel - Infinitive construct; third person masculine pluralH3615 be complete, at an end, finished, accomplished, spent

1 Samuel 15:19

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
So whyוְלָ֥מָּהwə·lām·māhConjunctive waw; InterrogativeH4100 what? how? aught
did you notלֹא־lō-Adverb - Negative particleH3808 not
obeyשָׁמַ֖עְתָּšā·ma‘·tāVerb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine singularH8085 hear
the LORDיְהוָ֑הYah·wehNoun - proper - masculine singularH3068 Yahweh
Why did you rushוַתַּ֙עַט֙wat·ta·‘aṭConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - second person masculine singularH5860 scream, shriek
uponאֶל־’el-PrepositionH413 motion to
the plunderהַשָּׁלָ֔לhaš·šā·lālArticle; Noun - masculine singularH7998 prey, spoil, plunder, booty
and doוַתַּ֥עַשׂwat·ta·‘aśConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - second person masculine singularH6213 do, make
evilהָרַ֖עhā·ra‘Article; Adjective - masculine singularH7451 bad, evil
in the sightבְּעֵינֵ֥יbə·‘ê·nêPreposition-b; Noun - cdcH5869 eye
of the LORDיְהוָֽה׃סYah·wehNoun - proper - masculine singularH3068 Yahweh

1 Samuel 15:20

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
But I did obeyשָׁמַ֙עְתִּי֙šā·ma‘·tîVerb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singularH8085 hear
the LORDיְהוָ֔הYah·wehNoun - proper - masculine singularH3068 Yahweh
Saulשָׁא֜וּלšā·’ūlNoun - proper - masculine singularH7586 Shaul
repliedוַיֹּ֨אמֶרway·yō·merConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularH559 utter, say
I wentוָאֵלֵ֕ךְwā·’ê·lêḵConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - first person common singularH1980 go, come, walk
on the missionבַּדֶּ֖רֶךְbad·de·reḵPreposition-b, Article; Noun - common singularH1870 way, road, distance, journey, manner
thatאֲשֶׁר־’ă·šer-Pronoun - relativeH834 particle of relation
the LORDיְהוָ֑הYah·wehNoun - proper - masculine singularH3068 Yahweh
gave meשְׁלָחַ֣נִיšə·lā·ḥa·nîVerb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular; first person common singularH7971 send
I brought backוָאָבִ֗יאwā·’ā·ḇîConjunctive waw; Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - first person common singularH935 come in, come, go in, go
Agagאֲגַג֙’ă·ḡaḡNoun - proper - masculine singularH90 Agag
kingמֶ֣לֶךְme·leḵNoun - masculine singular constructH4428 king
of Amalekעֲמָלֵ֔ק‘ă·mā·lêqNoun - proper - masculine singularH6002 Amalek
and devotedהֶחֱרַֽמְתִּי׃he·ḥĕ·ram·tîVerb - Hifil - Perfect - first person common singularH2763 ban, devote, exterminate
the Amalekitesעֲמָלֵ֖ק‘ă·mā·lêqNoun - proper - masculine singularH6002 Amalek

1 Samuel 15:21

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
The troopsהָעָ֧םhā·‘āmArticle; Noun - masculine singularH5971 people
tookוַיִּקַּ֨חway·yiq·qaḥConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularH3947 take
sheepצֹ֥אןṣōnNoun - common singularH6629 small cattle, sheep and goats, flock, flocks
and cattleוּבָקָ֖רū·ḇā·qārConjunctive waw; Noun - masculine singularH1241 cattle, herd, ox
from the plunderמֵהַשָּׁלָ֛לmê·haš·šā·lālPreposition-m, Article; Noun - masculine singularH7998 prey, spoil, plunder, booty
the best ofרֵאשִׁ֣יתrê·šîṯNoun - feminine singular constructH7225 beginning, chief
the things devoted to destructionהַחֵ֑רֶםha·ḥê·remArticle; Noun - masculine singularH2764 devoted thing
in order to sacrificeלִזְבֹּ֛חַliz·bō·aḥPreposition-l; Verb - Qal - Infinitive constructH2076 slaughter for sacrifice
to the LORDלַֽיהוָ֥הYah·wehPreposition-l; Noun - proper - masculine singularH3068 Yahweh
your Godאֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ’ĕ·lō·he·ḵāNoun - masculine plural construct; second person masculine singularH430 God
at Gilgalבַּגִּלְגָּֽל׃bag·gil·gālPreposition-b, Article; Noun - proper - feminine singularH1537 Gilgal

1 Samuel 15:22

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
But Samuelשְׁמוּאֵ֗לšə·mū·’êlNoun - proper - masculine singularH8050 Samuel
declaredוַיֹּ֣אמֶרway·yō·merConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularH559 utter, say
Does the LORDלַֽיהוָה֙Yah·wehPreposition-l; Noun - proper - masculine singularH3068 Yahweh
delightהַחֵ֤פֶץha·ḥê·p̄eṣArticle; Noun - masculine singularH2656 delight, pleasure
in burnt offeringsבְּעֹל֣וֹתbə·‘ō·lō·wṯPreposition-b; Noun - feminine pluralH5930 whole burnt-offering
and sacrificesוּזְבָחִ֔יםū·zə·ḇā·ḥîmConjunctive waw; Noun - masculine pluralH2077 sacrifice
as much as in obedienceכִּשְׁמֹ֖עַkiš·mō·a‘Preposition-k; Verb - Qal - Infinitive constructH8085 hear
toבְּק֣וֹלbə·qō·wlPreposition-b; Noun - masculine singular constructH6963 sound, voice
Beholdהִנֵּ֤הhin·nêhInterjectionH2009 lo! behold!
obedienceשְׁמֹ֙עַ֙šə·mō·a‘Verb - Qal - Infinitive constructH8085 hear
is betterט֔וֹבṭō·wḇAdjective - masculine singularH2896 pleasant, agreeable, good
than sacrificeמִזֶּ֣בַחmiz·ze·ḇaḥPreposition-m; Noun - masculine singularH2077 sacrifice
attentivenessלְהַקְשִׁ֖יבlə·haq·šîḇPreposition-l; Verb - Hifil - Infinitive constructH7181 incline, attend
is better than the fatמֵחֵ֥לֶבmê·ḥê·leḇPreposition-m; Noun - masculine singular constructH2459 fat
of ramsאֵילִֽים׃’ê·lîmNoun - masculine pluralH352 ram

1 Samuel 15:23

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
Forכִּ֤יkîConjunctionH3588 burning, branding
rebellionמֶ֔רִיme·rîNoun - masculine singularH4805 rebellion
is like the sinחַטַּאת־ḥaṭ·ṭaṯ-Noun - feminine singular constructH2403 offence, penalty, occasion
of divinationקֶ֙סֶם֙qe·semNoun - masculine singularH7081 divination
and arroganceהַפְצַ֑רhap̄·ṣarVerb - Hifil - Infinitive absoluteH6484 push, press
is like the wickednessוְאָ֥וֶןwə·’ā·wenConjunctive waw; Noun - masculine singularH205 trouble, sorrow, wickedness
of idolatryוּתְרָפִ֖יםū·ṯə·rā·p̄îmConjunctive waw; Noun - masculine pluralH8655 Teraphim
Becauseיַ֗עַןya·‘anAdverbH3282 purpose, intention
you have rejectedמָאַ֙סְתָּ֙mā·’as·tāVerb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine singularH3988 reject
the wordדְּבַ֣רdə·ḇarNoun - masculine singular constructH1697 speech, word
of the LORDיְהוָ֔הYah·wehNoun - proper - masculine singularH3068 Yahweh
He has rejected youוַיִּמְאָסְךָ֖way·yim·’ā·sə·ḵāConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular; second person masculine singularH3988 reject
as kingמִמֶּֽלֶךְ׃סmim·me·leḵPreposition-m; Noun - masculine singularH4428 king

Cross-references

Other passages that speak to the same thing. Point at one to read it.

1 Samuel 15:18 Proverbs 10:29 · Job 31:3 · Genesis 13:13 · Genesis 15:16 · Numbers 16:38

1 Samuel 15:19 1 Samuel 14:32

1 Samuel 15:20 1 Samuel 15:13 · Romans 10:3 · Matthew 19:20

1 Samuel 15:21 1 Samuel 15:15 · Exodus 32:22–23

1 Samuel 15:22 Hosea 6:6 · Psalm 51:16–17 · Proverbs 21:3 · Amos 5:21–24 · Mark 12:33 · Matthew 9:13 · Micah 6:6–8 · Jeremiah 7:22–23 · Psalm 40:6–8 · Ecclesiastes 5:1 · Isaiah 1:11–17 · Matthew 12:7

1 Samuel 15:23 Jeremiah 28:16 · 1 Samuel 13:14 · Leviticus 20:6 · Galatians 5:20 · Jeremiah 29:32 · Deuteronomy 18:10–11 · 2 Corinthians 6:16 · Ezekiel 2:5–8 · Genesis 31:34 · Exodus 22:18 · Joshua 22:16–19 · Genesis 31:19

Cross-references from OpenBible.info, used under CC BY 4.0. The best-supported references for each verse are shown.

Scripture text: Berean Standard Bible.