# Where is “To obey is better than sacrifice” in the Bible?

> “To obey is better than sacrifice” is 1 Samuel 15:22.

Source: https://www.lumin.faith/is-it-in-the-bible/to-obey-is-better-than-sacrifice
By Andrew Kittridge · November 10, 2026

The prophet Samuel says it to King Saul.

## The verse

> Samuel said, “Does Yahweh delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the voice of Yahweh? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to listen is better than the fat of rams.
>
> — [1 Samuel 15:22](https://www.lumin.faith/read/1-samuel/15#22) (Lumin Translation)

These exact words are in the Lumin Translation, a modern English Bible.

## What it means there

Saul had kept the best animals from a battle, against God’s command, and said they were for sacrifice. Samuel answers that God wants to be listened to more than he wants offerings.

## Common questions

### Where is “To obey is better than sacrifice” in the Bible?

“To obey is better than sacrifice” is 1 Samuel 15:22. These exact words are in the Lumin Translation, a modern English Bible. The prophet Samuel says it to King Saul.

### Is “To obey is better than sacrifice” in the Bible?

Yes. It is 1 Samuel 15:22. In the Lumin Translation, 1 Samuel 15:22 reads: “Samuel said, “Does Yahweh delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the voice of Yahweh? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to listen is better than the fat of rams.”

### Who said “To obey is better than sacrifice”?

The prophet Samuel says it to King Saul.

### What does “To obey is better than sacrifice” mean in the Bible?

Saul had kept the best animals from a battle, against God’s command, and said they were for sacrifice. Samuel answers that God wants to be listened to more than he wants offerings.

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