So I thought, 'The Philistines are going to attack me here in Gilgal, and I have not tried to win the LORD's favor.' So I felt I had to offer a sacrifice."

"That was a foolish thing to do," Samuel answered. "You have not obeyed the command the LORD your God gave you. If you had obeyed, he would have let you and your descendants rule over Israel forever.

"Bring the ephod here," Saul said to Ahijah the priest. (On that day Ahijah was carrying it in front of the people of Israel.)

But my men did not kill the best sheep and cattle that they captured; instead, they brought them here to Gilgal to offer as a sacrifice to the LORD your God."

Samuel said, "Which does the LORD prefer: obedience or offerings and sacrifices? It is better to obey him than to sacrifice the best sheep to him.

There you are to offer your sacrifices that are to be burned and your other sacrifices, your tithes and your offerings, the gifts that you promise to the LORD, your freewill offerings, and the first-born of your cattle and sheep.

On one occasion he went to Gibeon to offer sacrifices because that was where the most famous altar was. He had offered hundreds of burnt offerings there in the past.

Be patient and wait for the LORD to act; don't be worried about those who prosper or those who succeed in their evil plans.

The LORD is pleased when good people pray, but hates the sacrifices that the wicked bring him.

Don't take it on yourself to repay a wrong. Trust the LORD and he will make it right.

Do what is right and fair; that pleases the LORD more than bringing him sacrifices.

The LORD hates it when wicked people offer him sacrifices, especially if they do it from evil motives.

"The people do as they please. It's all the same to them whether they kill a bull as a sacrifice or sacrifice a human being; whether they sacrifice a lamb or break a dog's neck; whether they present a grain offering or offer pigs' blood; whether they offer incense or pray to an idol. They take pleasure in disgusting ways of worship.