11. When Elkanah returned home to Ramah, the child remained in the service of the Lord under the priest Eli.
12. Now the sons of Eli were wicked; they had respect neither for the Lord
13. nor for the priests’ duties toward the people. When someone offered a sacrifice, the priest’s servant would come with a three-pronged fork, while the meat was still boiling,
14. and would thrust it into the basin, kettle, caldron, or pot. Whatever the fork brought up, the priest would take for himself. They treated all the Israelites who came to the sanctuary at Shiloh in this way.
15. In fact, even before the fat was burned, the priest’s servant would come and say to the one offering the sacrifice, “Give me some meat to roast for the priest. He will not accept boiled meat from you, only raw meat.”
16. And if this one protested, “Let the fat be burned first, then take whatever you wish,” he would reply, “No, give it to me now, or else I will take it by force.”
17. Thus the young men sinned grievously in the presence of the Lord, treating the offerings to the Lord with disdain.
18. Meanwhile the boy Samuel, wearing a linen ephod, was serving in the presence of the Lord.
19. His mother used to make a little garment for him, which she would bring him each time she went up with her husband to offer the customary sacrifice.
20. And Eli would bless Elkanah and his wife, as they were leaving for home. He would say, “May the Lord repay you with children from this woman for the gift she has made to the Lord!”
21. The Lord favored Hannah so that she conceived and gave birth to three more sons and two daughters, while young Samuel grew up in the service of the Lord.
22. When Eli was very old, he kept hearing how his sons were treating all Israel, and that they were behaving promiscuously with the women serving at the entry of the meeting tent.
23. So he said to them: “Why are you doing such things? I hear from everyone that your behavior is depraved.
24. Stop this, my sons! The report that I hear the Lord’s people spreading is not good.
25. If someone sins against another, anyone can intercede for the sinner with the Lord; but if anyone sins against the Lord, who can intercede for the sinner?” But they disregarded their father’s warning, since the Lord wanted them dead.