-
And the boy Samuel continued to grow in stature and in favor with the class="small-caps" >Lord and with people.
-
Prophecy Against the House of Eli
Now a man of God came to Eli and said to him, “This is what the class="small-caps" >Lord says: ‘Did I not clearly reveal myself to your ancestor’s family when they were in Egypt under Pharaoh?
-
I chose your ancestor out of all the tribes of Israel to be my priest, to go up to my altar, to burn incense, and to wear an ephod in my presence. I also gave your ancestor’s family all the food offerings presented by the Israelites.
-
Why do you scorn my sacrifice and offering that I prescribed for my dwelling? Why do you honor your sons more than me by fattening yourselves on the choice parts of every offering made by my people Israel?’
-
“Therefore the class="small-caps" >Lord, the God of Israel, declares: ‘I promised that members of your family would minister before me forever.’ But now the class="small-caps" >Lord declares: ‘Far be it from me! Those who honor me I will honor, but those who despise me will be disdained.
-
The time is coming when I will cut short your strength and the strength of your priestly house, so that no one in it will reach old age,
-
and you will see distress in my dwelling. Although good will be done to Israel, no one in your family line will ever reach old age.
-
Every one of you that I do not cut off from serving at my altar I will spare only to destroy your sight and sap your strength, and all your descendants will die in the prime of life.
-
“‘And what happens to your two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, will be a sign to you—they will both die on the same day.
-
I will raise up for myself a faithful priest, who will do according to what is in my heart and mind. I will firmly establish his priestly house, and they will minister before my anointed one always.
-
Then everyone left in your family line will come and bow down before him for a piece of silver and a loaf of bread and plead, “Appoint me to some priestly office so I can have food to eat.”’”
-
The class="small-caps" >Lord Calls Samuel
The boy Samuel ministered before the class="small-caps" >Lord under Eli. In those days the word of the class="small-caps" >Lord was rare; there were not many visions.
-
One night Eli, whose eyes were becoming so weak that he could barely see, was lying down in his usual place.
-
Then the class="small-caps" >Lord called Samuel. Samuel answered, “Here I am.”
-
And he ran to Eli and said, “Here I am; you called me.” But Eli said, “I did not call; go back and lie down.” So he went and lay down.
-
Again the class="small-caps" >Lord called, “Samuel!” And Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, “Here I am; you called me.” “My son,” Eli said, “I did not call; go back and lie down.”
-
Now Samuel did not yet know the class="small-caps" >Lord: The word of the class="small-caps" >Lord had not yet been revealed to him.
-
A third time the class="small-caps" >Lord called, “Samuel!” And Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, “Here I am; you called me.” Then Eli realized that the class="small-caps" >Lord was calling the boy.
-
So Eli told Samuel, “Go and lie down, and if he calls you, say, ‘Speak, class="small-caps" >Lord, for your servant is listening.’” So Samuel went and lay down in his place.
-
The class="small-caps" >Lord came and stood there, calling as at the other times, “Samuel! Samuel!” Then Samuel said, “Speak, for your servant is listening.”
-
And the class="small-caps" >Lord said to Samuel: “See, I am about to do something in Israel that will make the ears of everyone who hears about it tingle.
-
At that time I will carry out against Eli everything I spoke against his family—from beginning to end.
-
For I told him that I would judge his family forever because of the sin he knew about; his sons blasphemed God, and he failed to restrain them.
-
Therefore I swore to the house of Eli, ‘The guilt of Eli’s house will never be atoned for by sacrifice or offering.’”
-
Samuel lay down until morning and then opened the doors of the house of the class="small-caps" >Lord. He was afraid to tell Eli the vision,
