12The sons of Eli were worthless men; they did not know the LORD.13This was the justice of the priests with the people: whenever a man who offered a sacrifice came, the priest's youth would come while the flesh was boiling, with the three-toothed fork in his hand.14He would strike it into the basin or the pot or the caldron or the pot; whatever the fork brought up, the priest would take for himself in it. Thus they would do for all Israel who came there to Shiloh.15Even before they burned the fat, the priest's youth would come and say to the man who was sacrificing, "Give flesh to roast for the priest; he will not take boiled flesh from you, only what is alive."16The man said to him, "They must first burn the fat today; then take for yourself whatever your soul desires." Yet he would reply, "No, you must give it now; if not, I will take it by force."17The sin of the youths was very great before the LORD, because the men spurned the offering of the LORD.18Samuel was ministering before the LORD, a youth girded with a linen ephod.19His mother would make him a small robe and bring it up to him year after year when she came up with her husband to offer the annual sacrifice.20Eli would bless Elkanah and his wife and say, "May the LORD give you offspring from this woman in place of the petition she asked of the LORD." Then they would return to their place.21The LORD had taken note of Hannah; she conceived and bore three sons and two daughters. And the youth Samuel grew up with the LORD.22Eli was very old and heard everything his sons were doing to all Israel, and what they lay with the women who served at the entrance of the tent of meeting.23He said to them, "Why do you do such things as these that I hear—your harmful words—from all these people?"24No, my sons; the report I hear is not pleasant, causing the people of the LORD to transgress.25If one man sins against another, God will intercede for him; but if a man sins against the LORD, who will intercede for him? Nevertheless they would not listen to their father's voice, because the LORD had decided to put them to death.26The youth Samuel continued to grow and was pleasing both to the LORD and to men.