The Wicked Sons of Eli

¹² Now the sons of Eli were ^(A)corrupt;^{[a] (B)}they did not know the Lord. ¹³ And the priests’ custom with the people was that when any man offered a sacrifice, the priest’s servant would come with a three-pronged fleshhook in his hand while the meat was boiling. ¹⁴ Then he would thrust it into the pan, or kettle, or caldron, or pot; and the priest would take for himself all that the fleshhook brought up. So they did in ^(C)Shiloh to all the Israelites who came there. ¹⁵ Also, before they ^(D)burned the fat, the priest’s servant would come and say to the man who sacrificed, “Give meat for roasting to the priest, for he will not take boiled meat from you, but raw.”

¹⁶ And if the man said to him, “They should really burn the fat first; then you may take as much as your heart desires,” he would then answer him, “No, but you must give it now; and if not, I will take it by force.”

¹⁷ Therefore the sin of the young men was very great ^(E)before the Lord, for men ^(F)abhorred^[b] the offering of the Lord.

Samuel’s Childhood Ministry

^18 (G)But Samuel ministered before the Lord, even as a child, ^(H)wearing a linen ephod. ¹⁹ Moreover his mother used to make him a little robe, and bring it to him year by year when she ^(I)came up with her husband to offer the yearly sacrifice. ²⁰ And Eli ^(J)would bless Elkanah and his wife, and say, “The Lord give you descendants from this woman for the ^[c]loan that was ^(K)given to the Lord.” Then they would go to their own home.

²¹ And the Lord ^(L)visited^[d] Hannah, so that she conceived and bore three sons and two daughters. Meanwhile the child Samuel ^(M)grew before the Lord.

Prophecy Against Eli’s Household

²² Now Eli was very old; and he heard everything his sons did to all Israel, ^[e]and how they lay with ^(N)the women who assembled at the door of the tabernacle of meeting. ²³ So he said to them, “Why do you do such things? For I hear of your evil dealings from all the people. ²⁴ No, my sons! For it is not a good report that I hear. You make the Lord’s people transgress. ²⁵ If one man sins against another, ^(O)God^[f] will judge him. But if a man ^(P)sins against the Lord, who will intercede for him?” Nevertheless they did not heed the voice of their father, ^(Q)because the Lord desired to kill them.

²⁶ And the child Samuel ^(R)grew in stature, and ^(S)in favor both with the Lord and men.

²⁷ Then a ^(T)man of God came to Eli and said to him, “Thus says the Lord: ^(U)‘Did I not clearly reveal Myself to the house of your father when they were in Egypt in Pharaoh’s house? ²⁸ Did I not ^(V)choose him out of all the tribes of Israel to be My priest, to offer upon My altar, to burn incense, and to wear an ephod before Me? And ^(W)did I not give to the house of your father all the offerings of the children of Israel made by fire? ²⁹ Why do you ^(X)kick at My sacrifice and My offering which I have commanded in My ^(Y)dwelling place, and honor your sons more than ^(Z)Me, to make yourselves fat with the best of all the offerings of Israel My people?’ ³⁰ Therefore the Lord God of Israel says: ^(AA)‘I said indeed that your house and the house of your father would walk before Me forever.’ But now the Lord says: ^(AB)‘Far be it from Me; for those who honor Me I will honor, and ^(AC)those who despise Me shall be lightly esteemed. ³¹ Behold, ^(AD)the days are coming that I will cut off your ^[g]arm and the arm of your father’s house, so that there will not be an old man in your house. ³² And you will see an enemy in My dwelling place, despite all the good which God does for Israel. And there shall not be ^(AE)an old man in your house forever. ³³ But any of your men whom I do not cut off from My altar shall consume your eyes and grieve your heart. And all the descendants of your house shall die in the flower of their age. ³⁴ Now this shall be ^(AF)a sign to you that will come upon your two sons, on Hophni and Phinehas: ^(AG)in one day they shall die, both of them. ³⁵ Then ^(AH)I will raise up for Myself a faithful priest who shall do according to what is in My heart and in My mind. ^(AI)I will build him a sure house, and he shall walk before ^(AJ)My anointed forever. ^36 (AK)And it shall come to pass that everyone who is left in your house will come and bow down to him for a piece of silver and a morsel of bread, and say, “Please, ^[h]put me in one of the priestly positions, that I may eat a piece of bread.” ’ ”

Samuel’s First Prophecy

3 Now ^(AL)the boy Samuel ministered to the Lord before Eli. And ^(AM)the word of the Lord was rare in those days; there was no widespread revelation. ² And it came to pass at that time, while Eli was lying down in his place, and when his eyes had begun to grow ^(AN)so dim that he could not see, ³ and before ^(AO)the lamp of God went out in the ^[i]tabernacle of the Lord where the ark of God was, and while Samuel was lying down, ⁴ that the Lord called Samuel. And he answered, “Here I am!” ⁵ So he ran to Eli and said, “Here I am, for you called me.”

And he said, “I did not call; lie down again.” And he went and lay down.

⁶ Then the Lord called yet again, “Samuel!”

So Samuel arose and went to Eli, and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” He answered, “I did not call, my son; lie down again.” ⁷ (Now Samuel ^(AP)did not yet know the Lord, nor was the word of the Lord yet revealed to him.)

⁸ And the Lord called Samuel again the third time. So he arose and went to Eli, and said, “Here I am, for you did call me.”

Then Eli perceived that the Lord had called the boy. ⁹ Therefore Eli said to Samuel, “Go, lie down; and it shall be, if He calls you, that you must say, ^(AQ)‘Speak, Lord, for Your servant hears.’ ” So Samuel went and lay down in his place.

¹⁰ Now the Lord came and stood and called as at other times, “Samuel! Samuel!”

And Samuel answered, “Speak, for Your servant hears.”