17. And the sin of the young men was very great before the Lord: for men abhorred the offering of the Lord.
18. But Samuel ministered before the Lord, being a child, girded with a linen ephod.
19. Moreover his mother made him a little robe, and brought it to him from year to year, when she came up with her husband to offer the yearly sacrifice.
20. And Eli blessed Elkanah and his wife, and said, The Lord give thee seed of this woman for the loan which was lent to the Lord. And they went unto their own home.
21. And the Lord visited Hannah, and she conceived, and bare three sons and two daughters. And the child Samuel grew before the Lord.
22. Now Eli was very old; and he heard all that his sons did unto all Israel, and how that they lay with the women that did service at the door of the tent of meeting.
23. And he said unto them, Why do ye such things? for I hear of your evil dealings from all this people.
24. Nay, my sons; for it is no good report that I hear: ye make the Lord'S people to transgress.
25. If one man sin against another, God shall judge him: but if a man sin against the Lord, who shall entreat for him? Notwithstanding they hearkened not unto the voice of their father, because the Lord would slay them.
26. And the child Samuel grew on, and was in favour both with the Lord, and also with men.
27. And there came a man of God unto Eli, and said unto him, Thus saith the Lord, Did I reveal myself unto the house of thy father, when they were in Egypt in bondage to Pharaoh's house?
28. and did I choose him out of all the tribes of Israel to be my priest, to go up unto mine altar to burn incense, to wear an ephod before me? and did I give unto the house of thy father all the offerings of the children of Israel made by fire?
29. Wherefore kick ye at my sacrifice and at mine offering, which I have commanded in my habitation; and honourest thy sons above me, to make yourselves fat with the chiefest of all the offerings of Israel my people?
30. Therefore the Lord, the God of Israel, saith, I said indeed that thy house, and the house of thy father, should walk before me for ever: but now the Lord saith, Be it far from me; for them that honour me I will honour, and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed.
31. Behold, the days come, that I will cut off thine arm, and the arm of thy father's house, that there shall not be an old man in thine house.
32. And thou shalt behold the affliction of my habitation, in all the wealth which God shall give Israel: and there shall not be an old man in thine house for ever.
33. And the man of thine, whom I shall not cut off from mine altar, shall be to consume thine eyes, and to grieve thine heart: and all the increase of thine house shall die in the flower of their age.
34. And this shall be the sign unto thee, that shall come upon thy two sons, on Hophni and Phinehas; in one day they shall die both of them.