22 Now Eli was very old and he had heard all about what his sons were doing to the Israeli people, and also that they were sleeping around with the women who worked at the sacred tent entrance. 23 “Why are you two doing all these things that I keep hearing about—these evil things affecting all those people?” he asked them. 24 “No, my sons. The reports that I keep hearing Yahweh’s people passing on aren’t good! 25 If someone sins against a person, then God will mediate for him, but if someone sins against Yahweh, who will speak up for that person?” But they wouldn’t listen to their father’s advice because Yahweh wanted to put them to death.

26 Meanwhile the boy Shemuel was growing up, and his good behaviour pleased both Yahweh and the people.[ref]