1 Samuel 15:22

 1 Samuel 15:22

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.

a. NASB 1995: Samuel said, “Has the LORD as much delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices As in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice,

And to heed than the fat of rams.  [New American Standard Bible 1995 (NASB1995) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.]

b. NKJV: So Samuel said: “Has 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 heed than the fat of rams.  [Scripture quotations marked "NKJV" are taken from the New King James Version®, Copyright© 1982, Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved.]

c. Classic Amplified Bible: Samuel said, Has the Lord as great a 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.  [Amplified Bible, Classic Edition (AMPC)

Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation]

d. The Rubin Edition, The Early Prophets: 1 & 2 Samuel, Rabbinic Commentary: Samuel said. Does HASHEM delight in elevation-offerings and feast-offerings as in  obedience to the voice of HASHEM? Behold, to obey is b3tt3er than a choice offering, to be attentive than the fat of rams.  [THE ARTSCROLL SERIES/RUBIN EDITION THE PROPHETS: SAMUEL Ⓒ Copyright 2002 by MESORAH PUBLICATIONS, Ltd.]

e. ESV: And Samuel said, “Has 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 listen than the fat of rams.  [Scripture quotations are from the Holy Bible, English Standard Version, copyright © 2001, 2007, 2011, 2016 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.]

f. Unless otherwise stated, all Greek and Hebrew definitions are from Blue Letter Bible

1. “And Samuel said, Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? 

a. [And] Samuel [Strong: 8050 Shᵉmûwʼêl, sehm-oo-ale'; from the passive participle of H8085 and H410; heard of God; Shemuël, the name of three Israelites:—Samuel, Shemuel.]

b. said [Strong: 559 ʼâmar, aw-mar'; a primitive root; to say (used with great latitude):—answer, appoint, avouch, bid, boast self, call, certify, challenge, charge, (at the, give) command(-ment), commune, consider, declare, demand, × desire, determine, × expressly, × indeed, × intend, name, × plainly, promise, publish, report, require, say, speak (against, of), × still, × suppose, talk, tell, term, × that is, × think, use (speech), utter, × verily, × yet.]

c. [Hath the] LORD 3068 Yᵉhôvâh, yeh-ho-vaw'; from H1961; (the) self-Existent or Eternal; Jeho-vah, Jewish national name of God:—Jehovah, the Lord.]

d. [as] great delight [Strong: 2656 chêphets, khay'-fets; from H2654; pleasure; hence (abstractly) desire; concretely, a valuable thing; hence (by extension) a matter (as something in mind):—acceptable, delight(-some), desire, things desired, matter, pleasant(-ure), purpose, willingly.]

e. [in] burnt offerings [Strong: 5930 ʻôlâh, o-law'; or עוֹלָה ʻôwlâh; feminine active participle of H5927; a step or (collectively, stairs, as ascending); usually a holocaust (as going up in smoke):—ascent, burnt offering (sacrifice), go up to.]

f. [and] sacrifices [Strong: 2077 zebach, zeh'-bakh; from H2076; properly, a slaughter, i.e. the flesh of an animal; by implication, a sacrifice (the victim or the act):—offer(-ing), sacrifice.]

g. [as] obeying [Strong: 8085 shâmaʻ, shaw-mah'; a primitive root; to hear intelligently (often with implication of attention, obedience, etc.; causatively, to tell, etc.):—× attentively, call (gather) together, × carefully, × certainly, consent, consider, be content, declare, × diligently, discern, give ear, (cause to, let, make to) hear(-ken, tell), × indeed, listen, make (a) noise, (be) obedient, obey, perceive, (make a) proclaim(-ation), publish, regard, report, shew (forth), (make a) sound, × surely, tell, understand, whosoever (heareth), witness.]

h. [the] voice [Strong: 6963 qôwl, kole; or קֹל qôl; from an unused root meaning to call aloud; a voice or sound:—+ aloud, bleating, crackling, cry (+ out), fame, lightness, lowing, noise, + hold peace, (pro-) claim, proclamation, + sing, sound, + spark, thunder(-ing), voice, + yell.]

i. [of the] LORD 3068 Yᵉhôvâh, yeh-ho-vaw'; from H1961; (the) self-Existent or Eternal; Jeho-vah, Jewish national name of God:—Jehovah, the Lord.]

2. “...Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams.”

a. Behold [Strong: 2009 hinnêh, hin-nay'; prolongation for H2005; lo!:—behold, lo, see.]

b. [to] obey [Strong: 8085 shâmaʻ, shaw-mah'; a primitive root; to hear intelligently (often with implication of attention, obedience, etc.; causatively, to tell, etc.):—× attentively, call (gather) together, × carefully, × certainly, consent, consider, be content, declare, × diligently, discern, give ear, (cause to, let, make to) hear(-ken, tell), × indeed, listen, make (a) noise, (be) obedient, obey, perceive, (make a) proclaim(-ation), publish, regard, report, shew (forth), (make a) sound, × surely, tell, understand, whosoever (heareth), witness.]

c. [is] better [Strong: 2896 ṭôwb, tobe; from H2895; good (as an adjective) in the widest sense; used likewise as a noun, both in the masculine and the feminine, the singular and the plural (good, a good or good thing, a good man or woman; the good, goods or good things, good men or women), also as an adverb (well):—beautiful, best, better, bountiful, cheerful, at ease, × fair (word), (be in) favour, fine, glad, good (deed, -lier, -liest, -ly, -ness, -s), graciously, joyful, kindly, kindness, liketh (best), loving, merry, × most, pleasant, pleaseth, pleasure, precious, prosperity, ready, sweet, wealth, welfare, (be) well(-favoured).]

d. [than] sacrifice [Strong: 2077 zebach, zeh'-bakh; from H2076; properly, a slaughter, i.e. the flesh of an animal; by implication, a sacrifice (the victim or the act):—offer(-ing), sacrifice.]

e. [and to] hearken [Strong: 7181 qâshab, kaw-shab'; a primitive root; to prick up the ears, i.e. hearken:—attend, (cause to) hear(-ken), give heed, incline, mark (well), regard.]

f. [than the] fat [Strong: 2459 cheleb, kheh'-leb; or חֵלֶב chêleb; from an unused root meaning to be fat; fat, whether literally or figuratively; hence, the richest or choice part:—× best, fat(-ness), × finest, grease, marrow.]

g. [of] rams [Strong: 352 ʼayil, ah'-yil; from the same as H193; properly, strength; hence, anything strong; specifically a chief (politically); also a ram (from his strength); a pilaster (as a strong support); an oak or other strong tree:—mighty (man), lintel, oak, post, ram, tree.]