1 Samuel 2:12-25

12Eli’s sons were wicked men; they did not respect the Lord

13or the priests’ share of the sacrifices from the people. When anyone offered a sacrifice, the priest’s servant would come with a three-pronged meat fork while the meat was boiling

14and plunge it into the container, kettle, cauldron, or cooking pot. The priest would claim for himself whatever the meat fork brought up. This is the way they treated all the Israelites who came there to Shiloh.

15Even before the fat was burned, the priest’s servant would come and say to the one who was sacrificing, “Give the priest some meat to roast, because he won’t accept boiled meat from you — only raw.”

16If that person said to him, “The fat must be burned first; then you can take whatever you want for yourself,” the servant would reply, “No, I insist that you hand it over right now. If you don’t, I’ll take it by force!”

17So the servants’ sin was very severe in the presence of the Lord, because the men treated the Lord’s offering with contempt.

18Samuel served in the Lord’s presence—this mere boy was dressed in the linen ephod.

19Each year his mother made him a little robe and took it to him when she went with her husband to offer the annual sacrifice.

20Eli would bless Elkanah and his wife: “May the Lord give you children by this woman in place of the one she has given to the Lord.” Then they would go home.

21The Lord paid attention to Hannah’s need, and she conceived and gave birth to three sons and two daughters. Meanwhile, the boy Samuel grew up in the presence of the Lord.

22Now Eli was very old. He heard about everything his sons were doing to all Israel and how they were sleeping with the women who served at the entrance to the tent of meeting.

23He said to them, “Why are you doing these things? I have heard about your evil actions from all these people.

24No, my sons, the news I hear the Lord’s people spreading is not good.

25If one person sins against another, God can intercede for him, but if a person sins against the Lord, who can intercede for him?” But they would not listen to their father, since the Lord intended to kill them.