Therefore I swore an oath to the house of Eli, ‘The sin of the house of Eli can never be forgiven by sacrifice or by grain offering.’”

When Eli heard the outcry, ¹  he said, “What is this commotion?” ²  The man quickly came and told Eli.

Once the bull had been slaughtered, they brought the boy to Eli.

The sons of Eli were wicked men. ¹  They did not recognize the Lord’s authority. ² 

As she continued praying to ¹  the Lord, Eli was watching her mouth.

So he ¹  said to her, “How often do you intend to get drunk? Put away your wine!”

Eli’s eyes had begun to fail, so that he was unable to see well. At that time he was lying down in his place,

However, Eli called Samuel and said, “Samuel, my son!” He replied, “Here I am.”

The ark of God was taken, and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phineas, were killed.

Now Eli was ninety-eight years old and his eyes looked straight ahead; ¹  he was unable to see.

Then the Lord called Samuel a third time. So he got up and went to Eli and said, “Here I am, for you called me!” Eli then realized that it was the Lord who was calling the boy.

On one occasion in Shiloh, after they had finished eating and drinking, Hannah got up. ¹  (Now at the time Eli the priest was sitting in his chair ²  by the doorpost of the Lord’s temple.)

Now Hannah was speaking from her heart. Although her lips were moving, her voice was inaudible. Eli therefore thought she was drunk.

Eli replied, “Go in peace, and may the God of Israel grant the request that you have asked of him.”

Then Elkanah went back home to Ramah. But the boy was serving the Lord under the supervision of ¹  Eli the priest.

Now the boy Samuel continued serving the Lord under Eli’s supervision. ¹  Word from the Lord was rare in those days; revelatory visions were infrequent.

Then he ran to Eli and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” But Eli ¹  said, “I didn’t call you. Go back and lie down.” So he went back and lay down.

On that day I will carry out ¹  against Eli everything that I spoke about his house – from start to finish!

So Samuel lay down until morning. Then he opened the doors of the Lord’s house. But Samuel was afraid to tell Eli about the vision.

The man said to Eli, “I am the one who came from the battle lines! Just today I fled from the battle lines!” Eli ¹  asked, “How did things go, my son?”