1 Samuel 15:21-25

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? 1 

Certainly, 2  obedience 3  is better than sacrifice;

paying attention is better than 4  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 5  king.”

15:24 Then Saul said to Samuel, “I have sinned, for I have disobeyed what the Lord commanded 6  and what you said as well. 7  For I was afraid of the army, and I followed their wishes. 8  15:25 Now please forgive my sin! Go back with me so I can worship 9  the Lord.”

1 tn Heb “as [in] listening to the voice of the Lord.”

2 tn Heb “look.”

3 tn Heb “listening.”

4 tn The expression “is better” is understood here by ellipsis (see the immediately preceding statement).

5 tn Or “from [being].”

6 tn Heb “the mouth of the Lord.”

7 tn Heb “and your words.”

8 tn Heb “and I listened to their voice.”

9 tn Following the imperative, the cohortative with the prefixed conjunction indicates purpose/result.