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21 It was the people who took the sheep and cattle from the spoil that would have been devoted to destruction and brought them back to sacrifice to the Eternal One, your True God, in Gilgal.

22 Samuel: Does the Eternal One delight in sacrifices and burnt offerings
        as much as in perfect obedience to His voice?
    Be certain of this: that obedience is better than sacrifice;
        to heed His voice is better than offering the fat of rams.
23     Rebellion is as much a sin as fortune-telling,
        and willfulness is as wicked as worshiping strange gods.
    Because you have rejected His commands,
        He has rejected you as king.

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21 The soldiers took sheep and cattle from the plunder, the best of what was devoted to God, in order to sacrifice them to the Lord your God at Gilgal.”

22 But Samuel replied:

“Does the Lord delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices
    as much as in obeying the Lord?
To obey is better than sacrifice,(A)
    and to heed is better than the fat of rams.
23 For rebellion is like the sin of divination,(B)
    and arrogance like the evil of idolatry.
Because you have rejected(C) the word of the Lord,
    he has rejected you as king.”

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