18. But the boy Samuel served the Lord. He wore a sacred linen apron.
19. Each year his mother made him a little robe. She took it to him when she went up to Shiloh with her husband. She did it when her husband went to offer the yearly sacrifice.
20. Eli would bless Elkanah and his wife. He would say, "May the Lord give you children by this woman. May they take the place of the boy she prayed for and gave to him." Then they would go home.
21. The Lord was gracious to Hannah. She became pregnant. Over a period of years she had three more sons and two daughters. During that whole time the boy Samuel grew up serving the Lord.
22. Eli was very old. He kept hearing about everything his sons were doing to all of the people of Israel. He also heard how they were having sex with the women who served at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting.
23. So Eli said to his sons, "Why are you doing those things? All of the people are telling me about the evil things you are doing.
24. No, my sons. The report I hear isn't good. And it's spreading among the Lord's people.
25. If a man sins against someone else, God can help that sinner. But if a man sins against the Lord, who can help him?" In spite of what their father Eli said, his sons didn't pay any attention to his warning. That's because the Lord had already decided to put them to death.
26. The boy Samuel continued to grow stronger. He also became more and more pleasing to the Lord and to people.
27. A man of God came to Eli. He told him, "The Lord says, 'I made myself clearly known to your relatives who lived long ago. I did it when they were in Egypt under Pharaoh.
28. I chose your father Aaron to be my priest. I chose him out of all of the tribes of Israel. I told him to go up to my altar. I told him to burn incense. I chose him to wear a linen apron when he served me. I also gave his family all of the offerings that are made with fire by the people of Israel.
29. " 'Why do all of you laugh at my sacrifices and offerings? I require them to be brought to the house where I live. Why do you honor your sons more than me? Why do you fatten yourselves on the best parts of every offering that is made by my people Israel?'
30. "The Lord is the God of Israel. He announced, 'I promised that your family and the family of Aaron would serve me as priests forever.' "But now the Lord announces, 'I will not let that happen! I will honor those who honor me. But I will turn away from those who look down on me.
31. The time is coming when I will cut your life short. I will also cut short the lives of those in your family. No man in your family line will grow old.
32. " 'You will see nothing but trouble in the house where I live. Good things will still happen to Israel. But no man in your family line will ever grow old.
33. A member of your family will serve me at my altar. But what he does will bring tears to your eyes. Your heart will be sad. And the rest of the men in your family line will die while they are still young.
34. " 'Something is going to happen to your two sons Hophni and Phinehas. When it does, it will show you that what I am saying is true. They will both die on the same day.
35. " 'I will raise up for myself a faithful priest. He will do what my heart and mind want him to do. I will make his family line very secure. They will always serve as priests to my anointed king.