“Has the Lord ^kas great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices,

as in obeying the voice of the Lord?

Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice,

and to listen than the fat of rams.

6  ^cIn sacrifice and offering you have not delighted,

but you have given me an open ear.¹

Burnt offering and sin offering

you have not required.

8  ^yNot for your sacrifices do I rebuke you;

your burnt offerings are continually before me.

9  I will not accept a bull from your house

or goats from your folds.

10  For ^zevery beast of the forest is mine,

the cattle on a thousand hills.

11  ^aI know all the birds of the hills,

and all that moves in the field is mine.

12  “If I were hungry, I would not tell you,

for ^bthe world and its fullness are mine.

13  Do I eat the flesh of bulls

or drink the blood of goats?

16  For ^xyou will not delight in sacrifice, or I would give it;

you will not be pleased with a burnt offering.

8  ⁱThe sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord,

^jbut the prayer of the upright is acceptable to him.

11  ^q“What to me is the multitude of your sacrifices?

says the Lord;

I have had enough of burnt offerings of rams

and the fat of well-fed beasts;

I do not delight in the blood of bulls,

or of lambs, or of goats.

3  ^d“He who slaughters an ox is like one who kills a man;

he who sacrifices a lamb, like one who breaks a dog’s neck;

he who presents a grain offering, like one who offers ^epig’s blood;

he who makes a memorial offering of frankincense, like one who blesses an idol.

These have chosen their own ways,

and their soul delights in their abominations;

20  ^qWhat use to me is frankincense that comes from Sheba,

or sweet cane from a distant land?

Your burnt offerings are ^rnot acceptable,

nor your sacrifices pleasing to me.

6  For ^eI desire steadfast love¹ and not sacrifice,

the knowledge of God ^frather than burnt offerings.

13  As for my sacrificial offerings,

they sacrifice meat and eat it,

but ^jthe Lord does not accept them.

Now he will ^kremember their iniquity

and punish their sins;

^lthey shall return to Egypt.

4  They shall not pour drink offerings of wine to the Lord,

and their ^rsacrifices shall not please him.

It shall be like ^smourners’ bread to them;

all who eat of it shall be defiled;

for their bread shall be for their hunger only;

it shall not come to the house of the Lord.

22  Even though you offer me your burnt offerings and grain offerings,

^lI will not accept them;

and the peace offerings of your fattened animals,

I will not look upon them.

^q“Sacrifices and offerings ^ryou have not desired,

but a body have you prepared for me;

6  in burnt offerings and sin offerings

you have taken no pleasure.