1 Samuel 2:1-3, 12-17, 26-27, 29-31, 34-35

Hannah prayed: “The LORD has filled my heart with joy; I feel very strong in the LORD. I can laugh at my enemies; I am glad because you have helped me! “There is no one holy like the LORD. There is no God but you; there is no Rock like our God. “Don’t continue bragging, don’t speak proud words. The LORD is a God who knows everything, and he judges what people do.

Now Eli’s sons were evil men; they did not care about the LORD. This is what the priests would normally do to the people: Every time someone brought a sacrifice, the meat would be cooked in a pot. The priest’s servant would then come carrying a fork that had three prongs. He would plunge the fork into the pot or the kettle. Whatever the fork brought out of the pot belonged to the priest. But this is how they treated all the Israelites who came to Shiloh to offer sacrifices. Even before the fat was burned, the priest’s servant would come to the person offering sacrifices and say, “Give the priest some meat to roast. He won’t accept boiled meat from you, only raw meat.” If the one who offered the sacrifice said, “Let the fat be burned up first as usual, and then take anything you want,” the priest’s servant would answer, “No, give me the meat now. If you don’t, I’ll take it by force.” The LORD saw that the sin of the servants was very great because they did not show respect for the offerings made to the LORD.

The boy Samuel grew physically. He pleased the LORD and the people. A man of God came to Eli and said, “This is what the LORD says: ‘I clearly showed myself to the family of your ancestor Aaron when they were slaves to the king of Egypt.

So why don’t you respect the sacrifices and gifts? You honor your sons more than me. You grow fat on the best parts of the meat the Israelites bring to me.’ “So the LORD, the God of Israel, says: ‘I promised that your family and your ancestor’s family would serve me always.’ But now the LORD says: ‘This must stop! I will honor those who honor me, but I will dishonor those who ignore me. The time is coming when I will destroy the descendants of both you and your ancestors. No man will grow old in your family.

“ ‘I will give you a sign. Both your sons, Hophni and Phinehas, will die on the same day. I will choose a loyal priest for myself who will listen to me and do what I want. I will make his family continue, and he will always serve before my appointed king.