1 Samuel 8:18

Comforted, Hannah returns home with her husband. In due time, the Lord remembers her, and she conceives and gives birth to a son, whom she names Samuel, meaning "asked of the Lord." True to her vow, once Samuel is weaned, Hannah brings him to the house of the Lord in Shiloh. She presents the young boy to Eli, reminding him of her prayer, and formally gives her son over to the Lord's service. There, the child Samuel begins to minister before the Lord under the care of Eli the priest. 1 Samuel 2: Hannah's Song and Eli's Wicked Sons Hannah offers a beautiful prayer of praise and thanksgiving —a song that rejoices in God's power to reverse human fortunes, exalting the humble, providing for the needy, and bringing down the proud. Her song celebrates the Lord as a God of knowledge and justice who controls life and death, poverty and wealth. It concludes with a prophetic note, looking forward to a time when God will give strength to His king and exalt His anointed one. The narrative then shifts to contrast the faithfulness of the young Samuel with the corruption of Eli's two sons, Hophni and Phinehas. They are described as wicked men who have no regard for the Lord. They abuse their priestly office by taking the best portions of the sacrifices for themselves before the fat is burned for the Lord, and they also commit adultery with the women who serve at the entrance to the tabernacle. Eli, now very old, hears of their evil deeds and gives them a weak rebuke, but he fails to restrain them. A man of God comes to Eli and delivers a prophecy of judgment against his family, announcing that both of his sons will die on the same day and that his priestly line will be cut off from serving God.