Contradiction with 1 Samuel 15:22
Emphasizes that obedience is more important than sacrifice, contrasting the strict sacrificial ordinance in Leviticus 17:9.
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
States that God desires mercy, not sacrifice, suggesting a focus beyond ritualistic offerings.
Hosea 6:6: For I desired mercy, and not sacrifice; and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings.
Contradiction with Matthew 9:13
Reiterates Hosea's sentiment, where Jesus teaches the preference for mercy over sacrifice.
Matthew 9:13: But go ye and learn what [that] meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.
Contradiction with Isaiah 1:11
Questions the value of sacrifices without righteousness, contrasting the unconditional directive to sacrifice in Leviticus 17:9.
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 Amos 5:21-22
Indicates God's displeasure with empty ritual sacrifices, emphasizing justice and righteousness over the physical act of sacrifice.
Amos 5:21-22: I hate, I despise your feast days, and I will not smell in your solemn assemblies. [in...: or, your holy days]
Contradiction with Psalm 51:16-17
Highlights a contrite heart valued over burnt offerings, differing from the sacrificial requirements stated in Leviticus 17:9.
Psalm 51:16-17: For thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give [it]: thou delightest not in burnt offering. [else...: or, that I should]
Contradiction with Jeremiah 7:22-23
Claims God did not speak of sacrifices when bringing Israel out of Egypt, focusing on obedience over ritual practices.
Jeremiah 7:22-23: For I spake not unto your fathers, nor commanded them in the day that I brought them out of the land of Egypt, concerning burnt offerings or sacrifices: [concerning: Heb. concerning the matter of]
Contradiction with Micah 6:6-8
Prioritizes acting justly over ritual sacrifices, presenting a broader moral imperative in contrast to Leviticus 17:9.
Micah 6:6-8: Wherewith shall I come before the LORD, [and] bow myself before the high God? shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves of a year old? [of a...: Heb. sons of a year?]
Paradox #1
The potential contradiction with Leviticus 17:9 could relate to differing practices and rules about sacrifices in other parts of the Bible, such as in Deuteronomy or in the narratives of the early Israelites where sacrifices are sometimes depicted as being made in various places rather than a central location. This could create an inconsistency in understanding where and how sacrifices were supposed to be performed according to different texts and traditions.
Paradox #2
Leviticus 17:9 talks about the requirement for sacrifices to be brought to a specific location, which was the Tabernacle, and later the Temple in Jerusalem. The moral inconsistency may arise from the view that if God is everywhere, it might seem contradictory to demand worship and sacrifices only at a specific place. This could be seen as conflicting with the idea of God being universally accessible to all people, regardless of location.