For You do not delightin sacrifice,otherwise I would giveit; You are not pleasedwith burntoffering.
Whyhave you despisedthe wordof the LORDby doingevilin His sight?You have struckdownUriahthe Hittitewith the sword,have takenhis wifeto be your wife,and have killedhim with the swordof the sonsof Ammon.
Sacrificeand mealofferingYou have not desired;My earsYou have opened;Burntofferingand sinofferingYou have not required.
"I do not reproveyou for your sacrifices,And your burntofferingsare continuallybeforeMe.
Behold,You desiretruthin the innermostbeing,And in the hiddenpartYou will make me knowwisdom.
My mouthshall tellof Your righteousness[And] of Your salvationalldaylong; For I do not knowthe sum[of them].
"If,however, a manactspresumptuouslytowardhis neighbor,so as to killhim craftily,you are to takehim [even] from My altar,that he may die.
The sacrificeof the wickedis an abominationto the LORD,But the prayerof the uprightis His delight.
The sacrificeof the wickedis an abomination,Howmuchmorewhenhe bringsit with evilintent!
"You shall speakallthesewordsto them, but they will not listento you; and you shall callto them, but they will not answeryou.
For I delightin loyaltyratherthansacrifice,And in the knowledgeof Godratherthanburntofferings.
Also ifonepersonsinsunintentionally,then he shall offera one yearoldfemalegoatfor a sinoffering.
Moreover, you shall not takeransomfor the lifeof a murdererwhois guiltyof death,but he shall surelybe putto death.
"Ifa manis foundlyingwith a marriedwoman,then bothof them shall die,the manwho laywith the woman,and the woman;thus you shall purgethe evilfrom Israel.
Samuelsaid,"Has the LORDas much delightin burntofferingsand sacrificesAs in obeyingthe voiceof the LORD?Behold,to obeyis betterthansacrifice,[And] to heedthanthe fatof rams.
