Contradictions and Paradoxes in 1 Samuel 15:14

Check out Contradictions Catalog of 1 Samuel 15:14 for the comprehensive list of verses that contradicts 1 Samuel 15:14. Some key contradictions and paradoxes are described below.

According to the author of 1 Samuel, Samuel was surprised because he could hear sheep and cows when there shouldn't have been any. He was expecting the animals to be gone, so hearing them made him ask why they were still there.

1 Samuel 15:14: And Samuel said, What [meaneth] then this bleating of the sheep in mine ears, and the lowing of the oxen which I hear?

Contradiction with 1 Samuel 15:22

This verse emphasizes obedience over sacrifice, contradicting Saul's justification for sparing animals in 1 Samuel 15:14.

1 Samuel 15:22: And Samuel said, Hath the LORD [as great] delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey [is] better than sacrifice, [and] to hearken than the fat of rams.

Contradiction with Hosea 6:6

Highlights the value of mercy and knowledge of God over burnt offerings, which contradicts the implication in 1 Samuel 15:14 that sacrifices justify sparing animals.

Hosea 6:6: For I desired mercy, and not sacrifice; and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings.

Contradiction with Isaiah 1:11

Questions the value of sacrifices, which conflicts with the justification of having animals for sacrifice as in 1 Samuel 15:14.

Isaiah 1:11: To what purpose [is] the multitude of your sacrifices unto me? saith the LORD: I am full of the burnt offerings of rams, and the fat of fed beasts; and I delight not in the blood of bullocks, or of lambs, or of he goats. [he goats: Heb. great he goats]

Contradiction with Proverbs 21:3

States that doing justice and judgment is more acceptable than sacrifice, contradicting Saul's reasoning in 1 Samuel 15:14.

Proverbs 21:3: To do justice and judgment [is] more acceptable to the LORD than sacrifice.

Paradox #1

The contradiction in this verse arises because earlier in the chapter, it is mentioned that Saul was commanded to completely destroy the Amalekites and all their possessions. However, Samuel later hears the sound of livestock suggesting that not everything was destroyed as commanded, showing Saul's disobedience to God's instructions. This highlights an inconsistency in following divine orders.

Paradox #2

The potential contradiction in 1 Samuel 15:14 could involve the issue of obedience to divine commands versus the moral implications of those commands. In the broader story, there is an order given to destroy everything, but Saul does not fully comply, raising questions about whether absolute obedience is always morally justifiable, especially when it involves acts that are harsh or destructive. This can create tension between following orders and acting with compassion or restraint.

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