6:6a–b

Notice the parallel parts that are similar in meaning:

6a For I desire mercy, not sacrifice,

6b and the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings.

For: In this verse, the LORD explained to the people of Israel what he wanted from them. He told them the reason for his frustration and the motive for his discipline. The Hebrew text and some English versions indicate explicitly that this verse is an explanation or reason. For example:

For I desire steadfast love…. (New Revised Standard Version)

Some versions rely on the context to clarify the relationship between the previous verses and this one. They do not indicate the relationship explicitly. For example:

I want your constant love, not your animal sacrifices. (Good News Translation)

Use a natural way in your language to indicate that this verse tells the reason for the LORD’s feelings and actions in the previous verses.

I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings: In these lines, the LORD told the people of Israel what was important to him. He wanted them to faithfully love him and one another. He also wanted them to show by their attitudes and actions that they truly knew him. Otherwise, he would not accept their sacrifices and burnt offerings.

It is implied from the previous context that the people did not show that they truly knew him. It is also implied that the kind of sacrifices and burnt offerings that the LORD rejected were mere rituals. He did not want the people to offer sacrifices at all, if the sacrifices were not accompanied by a loving relationship with him.

You may want to add a footnote that cross-references 1 Samuel 15:22 and Psalm 51:16–19. These verses have similar ideas.

mercy: The Hebrew word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as mercy is the same word that it translates as “loving devotion” in 4:1c. See the note on that verse for the different aspects of meaning. Here it may refer particularly to faithful love for God that results in a concern for others. Translate this term in a way that fits naturally in the context.

the knowledge of God: See the notes on 4:1d and 5:4c, where this phrase has the same meaning.

God: The Hebrew word here is elohim and not Yahweh. Versions indicate this by translating this word as God and not as “LORD.”

sacrifice…burnt offerings: The parallel terms sacrifice and burnt offerings refer to animal sacrifices that the people offered to God.

The word sacrifice is the general word for an offering to God. The phrase burnt offerings refers to animals that were completely burned as offerings to God.

General Comment on 6:6a–b

In some languages, it may be more natural to reorder and/or combine the parallel parts in these two lines. For example:

It is not your animal sacrifices that I care about. What I want is for you to know me, your God, and to show love to me and others.

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