But 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.1 Samuel 15:22
Original language and places
Reference data from open datasets, shown as published by their sources. Word-by-word English is a literal guide, not a translation.
Original language (Hebrew)
וַיֹּ֣אמֶר שְׁמוּאֵ֗ל הַחֵ֤פֶץ לַֽיהוָה֙ בְּעֹל֣וֹת וּזְבָחִ֔ים כִּשְׁמֹ֖עַ בְּק֣וֹל יְהוָ֑ה הִנֵּ֤ה שְׁמֹ֙עַ֙ מִזֶּ֣בַח ט֔וֹב לְהַקְשִׁ֖יב מֵחֵ֥לֶב אֵילִֽים׃
- וַיֹּ֣אמֶרvai.Yo.mer“and he said”Conjunction + Verb, qal, sequential imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular · from אָמַר · “to say” · Strong's H0559
- שְׁמוּאֵ֗לshe.mu.'El“Samuel”Noun, proper name of a man · from שְׁמוּאֵל · “Samuel” · Strong's H8050G
- הַחֵ֤פֶץha.Che.fetz“¿ [does] delight”Particle, interrogative + Noun, masculine, singular, absolute · from חֵ֫פֶץ · “pleasure” · Strong's H2656
- לַֽיהוָה֙la.Yah.weh“[belong] to Yahweh”Preposition + Noun, proper name, title · from יהוה · “LORD” · Strong's H3068G
- בְּעֹל֣וֹתbe.'o.Lot“in burnt offerings”Preposition + Noun, feminine, plural, absolute · from עֹלָה · “burnt offering” · Strong's H5930A
- וּזְבָחִ֔יםu.ze.va.Chim“and sacrifices”Conjunction + Noun, masculine, plural, absolute · from זֶ֫בַח · “sacrifice” · Strong's H2077
- כִּשְׁמֹ֖עַkish.Mo.a'“like listening”Preposition + Verb, qal, infinitive construct, common · from שָׁמַע · “obey” · Strong's H8085H
- בְּק֣וֹלbe.Kol“to [the] voice of”Preposition + Noun, masculine, singular, construct · from קוֹל · “voice” · Strong's H6963A
- יְהוָ֑הYah.weh“Yahweh”Noun, proper name, title · from יהוה · “LORD” · Strong's H3068G
- הִנֵּ֤הhi.Neh“here!”Particle, interjection · from הִנֵּה · “behold” · Strong's H2009
- שְׁמֹ֙עַ֙she.Mo.a'“to obey”Verb, qal, infinitive construct, common · from שָׁמַע · “obey” · Strong's H8085H
- מִזֶּ֣בַחmi.Ze.vach“more than sacrifice”Preposition + Noun, masculine, singular, absolute · from זֶ֫בַח · “sacrifice” · Strong's H2077
- ט֔וֹבTov“[is] good”Adjective, masculine, singular, absolute · from טוֹב · “pleasant” · Strong's H2896A
- לְהַקְשִׁ֖יבle.hak.Shiv“to pay attention”Preposition + Verb, hiphil, infinitive construct, common · from קָשַׁב · “to listen” · Strong's H7181
- מֵחֵ֥לֶבme.Che.lev“more than [the] fat of”Preposition + Noun, masculine, singular, construct · from חֵ֫לֶב · “fat” · Strong's H2459
- אֵילִֽים׃'ei.Lim“rams”Noun, masculine, plural, absolute · from אַ֫יִל · “ram” · Strong's H0352A
- Hebrew and Aramaic words: STEP Bible (STEPBible.org), based on work at Tyndale House, Cambridge. CC BY 4.0. Source (version ed476a8)