A third time, even, the voice called. A third time Samuel ran to Eli's
bedside.
"Samuel," Eli said, when the lad came a third time, "it may be it is the
voice of the Lord. Go back to thy bed; and if it speaks again, say,
'Speak, Lord, for thy servant heareth.'"
Samuel obeyed; and a fourth time the voice called.
Then Samuel answered as Eli bade him. And the voice then said, "Lo, I am
about to punish Eli and his sons; for the sons are wicked and Eli
punishes them not."
Now, these sons were priests in the temple with their father, and Eli
knew full well that they were wicked men. Still, because they were his
own sons, and he loved them, he had not driven them forth from the
temple.
Poor old Eli was sad when Samuel told him what the voice had said to
him; but he bowed his head and said, "It is the voice of God that hath
spoken. Let him do with me what seemeth to him wise and good."
Then came a great battle between the Philistines and the Israelites; and
in this battle the Israelites were beaten, and the two sons of Eli
slain.
Eli was too old to go himself into the battle, and so he sat at the gate
of the city and waited with the people for news of the battle.
At last a man came running. His clothes were rent, and there was dust
upon his head, and from this the people knew that he brought sad news
only.
Then they set up a weeping and wailing; and old Eli, whose eyes were dim
with age, said, "What is this noise I hear? Why do the people cry?"