16
If the man answered, "First let the fat burn to smoke, then take as much as you want," he would say, "No, give it to me now, or I'll take it by force."
17
The sin of these young men was very serious in ADONAI's view, because they treated offerings made to ADONAI with contempt.
18
But Sh'mu'el ministered in the presence of ADONAI, wearing a linen ritual vest even though he was only a child.
19
Each year his mother would make him a little coat and bring it when she came up with her husband to offer the annual sacrifice.
20
'Eli would bless Elkanah and his wife and say, "May ADONAI give you children from this woman because of the boy you have loaned to ADONAI"; then they would go home.
21
So ADONAI took notice of Hannah, and she conceived and bore three more sons and two daughters. Meanwhile, the boy Sh'mu'el grew in the presence of ADONAI.
22
When 'Eli was very old, he heard about everything his sons were doing to all Isra'el, and that they were having sex with the women doing service at the door of the tent of meeting.
23
He asked them, "Why are you doing things like this? I am hearing bad reports about you from all these people.
24
No, my sons, I don't hear ADONAI's people spreading a single good report!
25
If a person commits a sin against another person, the judges can mediate between them. But if a person commits a sin against ADONAI, who can intercede for him?" However, they wouldn't pay attention to what their father said, because ADONAI had decided to kill them.
26
The child Sh'mu'el kept growing and gaining favor both with ADONAI and with people.