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Wesley's Explanatory Notes

1 Samuel 15:22

Sacrifice — Because obedience to God is a moral duty, constantly and indispensably necessary; but sacrifice is but a ceremonial institution, sometimes unnecessary, as it was in the wilderness: and sometimes sinful, when it is offered by a polluted hand, or in an irregular manner. Therefore thy gross disobedience to God's express command, is not to be compensated with sacrifice. Hearken — That is, to obey. Fat — Then the choicest part of all the sacrifice.

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See also 1 Samuel 15:22 in other biblical comments:

  • Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

    Verse 1 Samuel 15:22. _HATH THE LORD AS GREAT DELIGHT, C._] This was a very proper answer to, and refutation of Saul's excuse. Is not obedience to the will of God the end of all religion, of its rites...

  • Albert Barnes' Bible Commentary

    HATH THE LORD ... - A grand example of the moral and spiritual teaching of the prophets (see the marginal references). The tension of Samuel’s spirit, as he is about to pronounce the sentence of rejec...

  • Annotated Bible by A.C. Gaebelein

    8. WAR WITH AMALEK: SAUL'S DISOBEDIENCE AND REJECTION CHAPTER 15 _ 1. The commission to destroy Amalek (1 Samuel 15:1)_ 2. Saul's disobedience and rejection (1 Samuel 15:10) 3. Saul's confession ...

  • Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

    XV. THE WAR AGAINST AMALEK; SAUL'S DISOBEDIENCE AND DEPOSITION (E). - A section of a secondary narrative; according to the scheme adopted here, the last section of this document was 1 Samuel 3:3 to 1...

  • Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes

    TO OBEY. to hearken to. TO HEARKEN. to give heed....

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    Saul's disobedience and its penalty 11. _It repenteth me_ "God's repentance is the change of His dispensation." In the language of the O. T. God is said to repent when a change in the character and co...

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    With a burst of prophetic inspiration Samuel rends asunder Saul's tissue of excuses, and lays bare his sin. His words are the key-note of the long remonstrance of the prophets in subsequent ages again...

  • Charles Simeon's Horae Homileticae

    DISCOURSE: 299 SAUL’S DISOBEDIENCE AND PUNISHMENT 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 obe...

  • Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

    AND SAMUEL SAID, HATH THE LORD, &C.— The excision of the Amalekites, and the rejection of Saul for omitting to fulfil the commission given to him, have been objected to by free-thinkers. I. With respe...

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    _Samuel Delivers the Lord's Message of Condemnation. 1 Samuel 15:10-23_ 10 Then came the word of the Lord unto Samuel, saying. 11 It repenteth me that I have set up Saul _to be_ king: for he is turne...

  • Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

    _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._...

  • Darby's translation notes (1890)

    15:22 obedience (c-20) Or 'to hearken.'...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    SAUL'S VICTORY OVER AMALEK. HIS DISOBEDIENCE AND REJECTION Amalek had attacked Israel at Rephidim (Exodus 17:8) and opposed their entrance into Canaan (Numbers 14:45 : cp. Deuteronomy 25:7; They are m...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    For the views expressed in this v. cp. Psalms 40:6; Psalms 51:16; Isaiah 1:11.; Jeremiah 6:20;...

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    ISRAEL’S FIRST KING 1 SAMUEL _HELEN POCOCK_ CHAPTER 15 GOD REFUSES SAUL AS KING V1 Samuel said to Saul, ‘The *Lord sent me to *anoint you as king over his people, the *Israelites. Now listen to...

  • Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

    BEHOLD, TO OBEY IS BETTER THAN SACRIFICE. — In this answer it would seem that the Spirit of the Lord descended upon Samuel, and that he here gave utterance to one of those rapt expressions which now a...

  • ETCBC data on Hebrew bible

    וַ יֹּ֣אמֶר שְׁמוּאֵ֗ל הַ חֵ֤פֶץ לַֽ יהוָה֙

  • Expositor's Bible Commentary (Nicoll)

    CHAPTER XXIII. _ DAVID'S EARLY LIFE*_ (* A few paragraphs on the Life of David are reproduced from the author's book “David, King of Israel.") 1 Samuel 15:14. BEFORE we enter at large into the inc...

  • Expositor's Bible Commentary (Nicoll)

    CHAPTER XXI. _ THE FINAL REJECTION OF SAUL_ 1 Samuel 15:1. HERE we find the second portion of God's indictment against Saul, and the reason for his final rejection from the office to which he had be...

  • Frederick Brotherton Meyer's Commentary

    SHALLOW REPENTANCE UNAVAILING 1 Samuel 15:17 Samuel was deeply moved when he heard of Saul's failure, “and he cried unto the Lord all night.” Thus he was prepared to accost the sinful king. Mr. Finne...

  • G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible

    Saul was commissioned by Jehovah through Samuel to smite Amalek, and it was in connection with this that the sin occurred which filled his cup to the brim and caused him to be rejected. His campaign...

  • George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary

    _Rams. Can God be pleased with victims which he has cursed? (Haydock)_...

  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

    (13) And Samuel came to Saul: and Saul said unto him, Blessed be thou of the LORD: I have performed the commandment of the LORD. (14) And Samuel said, What meaneth then this bleating of the sheep in m...

  • Introductory Lectures - Commentary by William Kelly

    We have already seen that the desire and deliberate decision of the people for a king was a direct blow at the government of God in Israel; but the time was come to permit the will of the people to ha...

  • John Darby's Synopsis

    Nevertheless Saul is put to a final proof. Jehovah, by the mouth of Samuel, sends him to smite Amalek, and utterly destroy them and all that belonged to them. They were the cruel and determined enemie...

  • John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

    AND SAMUEL SAID,.... In reply to Saul: HATH THE LORD AS GREAT DELIGHT IN BURNT OFFERINGS AND SACRIFICES, AS IN OBEYING THE VOICE OF THE LORD? no, certainly, the one being merely ceremonial, the other...

  • John Trapp Complete Commentary

    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 r...

  • Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    _Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice_ A most divine admonition this, and inculcated by all the following inspired writers, by David, Solomon, and the prophets; as the reader may see by consulting...

  • KJV Original Language Details

    1 Samuel sendeth Saul to destroy Amalek. 6 Saul fauoureth the Kenites. 8 Hee spareth Agag and the best of the spoile. 10 Samuel denounceth vnto Saul commending and excusing himselfe, Gods reiection...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    And Samuel saith, Hath the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as in obeying the voice of the Lord? A mechanical worship without true loyalty of the heart is not acceptable to Him....

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    Samuel's Reproof...

  • Leslie M. Grant's Commentary on the Bible

    God had a more solemn controversy with the Amalekites than with the Philistines. The mere formal worship typified by the Philistines is empty; but Amalekite "lusts of the flesh" are a deadly enemy tha...

  • Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible

    10-23 Repentance in God is not a change of mind, as it is in us, but a change of method. The change was in Saul; "He is turned back from following me." Hereby he made God his enemy. Samuel spent a wh...

  • Matthew Poole's Concise Commentary On The Bible

    TO OBEY IS BETTER THAN SACRIFICE, because obedience to God is a moral duty, constantly and indispensably necessary; but sacrifice is but a ceremonial institution, sometimes unnecessary, as it was in t...

  • Patchworkid's Personal Study Bible Notes

    1 Samuel 15:22 Samuel H8050 said H559 (H8799) LORD H3068 delight H2656 offerings H5930 sacrifices H2077 obeying H8085

  • Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

    SAMUEL SEEKS SAUL OUT IN ORDER TO GIVE HIM A STERN REBUKE AND DECLARE THAT YHWH HAS WITHDRAWN FROM HIM HIS SUPPORT (1 SAMUEL 15:12). We do not know for sure where Samuel was at this time although the...

  • Sermon Bible Commentary

    1 Samuel 15:22 We can hardly read the history of Saul without some feeling of pity. He was no tyrant, who made himself king and ruled the people against their will. On the contrary, he was chosen by G...

  • Sermon Bible Commentary

    1 Samuel 15 _(with 1 Timothy 1:19)_ The story of Saul is among the saddest which Scripture anywhere contains. I. Notice first the singular elements of nobleness which are to be traced in his natural...

  • Summarized Bible Commentary

    CONTENTS: Saul's incomplete obedience and his rejection as king. CHARACTERS: God, Samuel, Saul, Agag. CONCLUSION: Some judge many things in their lives, but spare one Agag which the Lord has condemn...

  • Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    1 Samuel 15:2. _I remember what Amalek did; Numbers 17:8_; and what he has often repeated, in the effusion of innocent blood. He joined Midian, and the children of the east, in a bloody and unprovoked...

  • The Biblical Illustrator

    _Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice._ OBEDIENCE AND SACRIFICE Saul’s misconduct supplied the occasion for the announcement of an absolute and eternal truth. I. That sacrifice is only circumst...

  • The Biblical Illustrator

    _It repenteth me that I have set up Saul to be king._ SAUL REJECTED The story is graphic and pathetic. This is Saul’s victory and also his defeat. Our defeats are often wrapped up in our victories. S...

  • The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

    1 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 1 SAMUEL 15:1 The Lord finally rejects Saul as king. ⇐ ⇔...

  • The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

    1 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 1 SAMUEL 15:22 The Lord himself does not need SACRIFICES like the gods of other religions. Rather, the people need to bring sacrifices in order to approach the holy God (see...

  • The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary

    CRITICAL AND EXPOSITORY NOTES— 1 Samuel 15:4. “TELAIM.” Most likely the same as _Telem_ (Joshua 15:21; Joshua 15:24), a city lying on the eastern border of Judah, and therefore near the territory of t...

  • The Pulpit Commentaries

    FINAL REJECTION OF SAUL (1 Samuel 15:1.) EXPOSITION DIVINE COMMAND TO PUNISH THE AMALEKITES, AND ITS EXECUTION BY SAUL ...

  • Through The Bible C2000 Serie by Chuck Smith

    Now as we get into chapter fifteen, Samuel came to Saul, and said, The Lord sent me to anoint you to be king over his people, over Israel: now hearken unto the voice of the words of the Lord (1 Samue...

  • Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

    Amos 5:21; Ecclesiastes 5:1; Exodus 19:5; Hebrews 10:4; Hosea 6:6;...

  • Wells of Living Water Commentary

    TO OBEY IS BETTER THAN SACRIFICE 1 Samuel 15:1 INTRODUCTORY WORDS Disobedience is black with the frown of God. Sin is the transgression of the Law. Disobedience is taking one's own way, as against...

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