¹⁸ But Samuel was ministering^(A) before the Lord—a boy wearing a linen ephod.^{(B) 19} Each year his mother made him a little robe and took it to him when she went up with her husband to offer the annual^(C) sacrifice. ²⁰ Eli would bless Elkanah and his wife, saying, “May the Lord give you children by this woman to take the place of the one she prayed^(D) for and gave to^[a] the Lord.” Then they would go home. ²¹ And the Lord was gracious to Hannah;^(E) she gave birth to three sons and two daughters. Meanwhile, the boy Samuel grew^(F) up in the presence of the Lord.

²² Now Eli, who was very old, heard about everything^(G) his sons were doing to all Israel and how they slept with the women^(H) who served at the entrance to the tent of meeting. ²³ So he said to them, “Why do you do such things? I hear from all the people about these wicked deeds of yours. ²⁴ No, my sons; the report I hear spreading among the Lord’s people is not good. ²⁵ If one person sins against another, God^[b] may mediate for the offender; but if anyone sins against the Lord, who will^(I) intercede^(J) for them?” His sons, however, did not listen to their father’s rebuke, for it was the Lord’s will to put them to death.

²⁶ And the boy Samuel continued to grow^(K) in stature and in favor with the Lord and with people.^(L)