18. But Samuel, though he was only a boy, served the lord. He wore a linen garment like that of a priest.
19. Each year his mother made a small coat for him and brought it to him when she came with her husband for the sacrifice.
20. Before they returned home, Eli would bless Elkanah and his wife and say, “May the lord give you other children to take the place of this one she gave to the lord.”
21. And the lord blessed Hannah, and she conceived and gave birth to three sons and two daughters. Meanwhile, Samuel grew up in the presence of the lord.
22. Now Eli was very old, but he was aware of what his sons were doing to the people of Israel. He knew, for instance, that his sons were seducing the young women who assisted at the entrance of the Tabernacle.
23. Eli said to them, “I have been hearing reports from all the people about the wicked things you are doing. Why do you keep sinning?
24. You must stop, my sons! The reports I hear among the lord’s people are not good.