1 Samuel 15:20-24

15:20 Then Saul said to Samuel, “But I have obeyed ¹  the Lord! I went on the campaign ²  the Lord sent me on. I brought back King Agag of the Amalekites after exterminating the Amalekites. 15:21 But the army took from the plunder some of the sheep and cattle – the best of what was to be slaughtered – to sacrifice to the Lord your God in Gilgal.”

15:22 Then Samuel said,

“Does the Lord take pleasure in burnt offerings and sacrifices

as much as he does in obedience? ³ 

Certainly, ⁴  obedience ⁵  is better than sacrifice;

paying attention is better than ⁶  the fat of rams.

15:23 For rebellion is like the sin of divination,

and presumption is like the evil of idolatry.

Because you have rejected the word of the Lord,

he has rejected you as ⁷  king.”

15:24 Then Saul said to Samuel, “I have sinned, for I have disobeyed what the Lord commanded ⁸  and what you said as well. ⁹  For I was afraid of the army, and I followed their wishes. ¹⁰ 

[15:20]  ¹ tn Heb “listened to the voice of the Lord.”

[15:20]  ² tn Heb “journey.”

[15:22]  ³ tn Heb “as [in] listening to the voice of the Lord.”

[15:22]  ⁴ tn Heb “look.”

[15:22]  ⁵ tn Heb “listening.”

[15:22]  ⁶ tn The expression “is better” is understood here by ellipsis (see the immediately preceding statement).

[15:23]  ⁷ tn Or “from [being].”

[15:24]  ⁸ tn Heb “the mouth of the Lord.”

[15:24]  ⁹ tn Heb “and your words.”

[15:24]  ¹⁰ tn Heb “and I listened to their voice.”