1 Samuel

1 Samuel 15:21–23

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 15:21

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
The troops	הָעָ֧ם	hā·‘ām	Article; Noun - masculine singular	H5971 people
took	וַיִּקַּ֨ח	way·yiq·qaḥ	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H3947 take
sheep	צֹ֥אן	ṣōn	Noun - common singular	H6629 small cattle, sheep and goats, flock, flocks
and cattle	וּבָקָ֖ר	ū·ḇā·qār	Conjunctive waw; Noun - masculine singular	H1241 cattle, herd, ox
from the plunder	מֵהַשָּׁלָ֛ל	mê·haš·šā·lāl	Preposition-m, Article; Noun - masculine singular	H7998 prey, spoil, plunder, booty
the best of	רֵאשִׁ֣ית	rê·šîṯ	Noun - feminine singular construct	H7225 beginning, chief
the things devoted to destruction	הַחֵ֑רֶם	ha·ḥê·rem	Article; Noun - masculine singular	H2764 devoted thing
in order to sacrifice	לִזְבֹּ֛חַ	liz·bō·aḥ	Preposition-l; Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct	H2076 slaughter for sacrifice
to the LORD	לַֽיהוָ֥ה	Yah·weh	Preposition-l; Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3068 Yahweh
your God	אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ	’ĕ·lō·he·ḵā	Noun - masculine plural construct; second person masculine singular	H430 God
at Gilgal	בַּגִּלְגָּֽל׃	bag·gil·gāl	Preposition-b, Article; Noun - proper - feminine singular	H1537 Gilgal

1 Samuel 15:22

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
But Samuel	שְׁמוּאֵ֗ל	šə·mū·’êl	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H8050 Samuel
declared	וַיֹּ֣אמֶר	way·yō·mer	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H559 utter, say
Does the LORD	לַֽיהוָה֙	Yah·weh	Preposition-l; Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3068 Yahweh
delight	הַחֵ֤פֶץ	ha·ḥê·p̄eṣ	Article; Noun - masculine singular	H2656 delight, pleasure
in burnt offerings	בְּעֹל֣וֹת	bə·‘ō·lō·wṯ	Preposition-b; Noun - feminine plural	H5930 whole burnt-offering
and sacrifices	וּזְבָחִ֔ים	ū·zə·ḇā·ḥîm	Conjunctive waw; Noun - masculine plural	H2077 sacrifice
as much as in obedience	כִּשְׁמֹ֖עַ	kiš·mō·a‘	Preposition-k; Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct	H8085 hear
to	בְּק֣וֹל	bə·qō·wl	Preposition-b; Noun - masculine singular construct	H6963 sound, voice
Behold	הִנֵּ֤ה	hin·nêh	Interjection	H2009 lo! behold!
obedience	שְׁמֹ֙עַ֙	šə·mō·a‘	Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct	H8085 hear
is better	ט֔וֹב	ṭō·wḇ	Adjective - masculine singular	H2896 pleasant, agreeable, good
than sacrifice	מִזֶּ֣בַח	miz·ze·ḇaḥ	Preposition-m; Noun - masculine singular	H2077 sacrifice
attentiveness	לְהַקְשִׁ֖יב	lə·haq·šîḇ	Preposition-l; Verb - Hifil - Infinitive construct	H7181 incline, attend
is better than the fat	מֵחֵ֥לֶב	mê·ḥê·leḇ	Preposition-m; Noun - masculine singular construct	H2459 fat
of rams	אֵילִֽים׃	’ê·lîm	Noun - masculine plural	H352 ram

1 Samuel 15:23

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
For	כִּ֤י	kî	Conjunction	H3588 burning, branding
rebellion	מֶ֔רִי	me·rî	Noun - masculine singular	H4805 rebellion
is like the sin	חַטַּאת־	ḥaṭ·ṭaṯ-	Noun - feminine singular construct	H2403 offence, penalty, occasion
of divination	קֶ֙סֶם֙	qe·sem	Noun - masculine singular	H7081 divination
and arrogance	הַפְצַ֑ר	hap̄·ṣar	Verb - Hifil - Infinitive absolute	H6484 push, press
is like the wickedness	וְאָ֥וֶן	wə·’ā·wen	Conjunctive waw; Noun - masculine singular	H205 trouble, sorrow, wickedness
of idolatry	וּתְרָפִ֖ים	ū·ṯə·rā·p̄îm	Conjunctive waw; Noun - masculine plural	H8655 Teraphim
Because	יַ֗עַן	ya·‘an	Adverb	H3282 purpose, intention
you have rejected	מָאַ֙סְתָּ֙	mā·’as·tā	Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine singular	H3988 reject
the word	דְּבַ֣ר	də·ḇar	Noun - masculine singular construct	H1697 speech, word
of the LORD	יְהוָ֔ה	Yah·weh	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3068 Yahweh
He has rejected you	וַיִּמְאָסְךָ֖	way·yim·’ā·sə·ḵā	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular; second person masculine singular	H3988 reject
as king	מִמֶּֽלֶךְ׃ס	mim·me·leḵ	Preposition-m; Noun - masculine singular	H4428 king

Cross-references

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

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.