2:12 以利的兩個兒子是惡人，不認識耶和華。
2:13 這二祭司待百姓是這樣的規矩：凡有人獻祭，正煮肉的時候，祭司的僕人就來，手拿三齒的叉子，
2:14 將叉子往罐裡，或鼎裡，或釜裡，或鍋裡一插，插上來的肉，祭司都取了去。凡上到示羅的以色列人，他們都是這樣看待。
2:15 又在未燒脂油以前，祭司的僕人就來對獻祭的人說：「將肉給祭司，叫他烤吧。他不要煮過的，要生的。」
2:16 獻祭的人若說：「必須先燒脂油，然後你可以隨意取肉。」僕人就說：「你立時給我，不然我便搶去。」
2:17 如此，這二少年人的罪在耶和華面前甚重了，因為他們藐視耶和華的祭物（或譯：他們使人厭棄給耶和華獻祭）。
2:18 那時，撒母耳還是孩子，穿著細麻布的以弗得，侍立在耶和華面前。
2:19 他母親每年為他做一件小外袍，同著丈夫上來獻年祭的時候帶來給他。
2:20 以利為以利加拿和他的妻祝福，說：「願耶和華由這婦人再賜你後裔，代替你從耶和華求來的孩子。」他們就回本鄉去了。
2:21 耶和華眷顧哈拿，她就懷孕生了三個兒子，兩個女兒。那孩子撒母耳在耶和華面前漸漸長大。
2:22 以利年甚老邁，聽見他兩個兒子待以色列眾人的事，又聽見他們與會幕門前伺候的婦人苟合，
2:23 他就對他們說：「你們為何行這樣的事呢？我從這眾百姓聽見你們的惡行。
2:24 我兒啊，不可這樣！我聽見你們的風聲不好，你們使耶和華的百姓犯了罪。
2:25 人若得罪人，有士師審判他；人若得罪耶和華，誰能為他祈求呢？」然而他們還是不聽父親的話，因為耶和華想要殺他們。
12 Eli’s sons were scoundrels; they had no regard for the Lord. 13 Now it was the practice of the priests that, whenever any of the people offered a sacrifice, the priest’s servant would come with a three-pronged fork in his hand while the meat was being boiled 14 and would plunge the fork into the pan or kettle or caldron or pot. Whatever the fork brought up the priest would take for himself. This is how they treated all the Israelites who came to Shiloh. 15 But even before the fat was burned, the priest’s servant would come and say to the person who was sacrificing, “Give the priest some meat to roast; he won’t accept boiled meat from you, but only raw.”
16 If the person said to him, “Let the fat be burned first, and then take whatever you want,” the servant would answer, “No, hand it over now; if you don’t, I’ll take it by force.”
17 This sin of the young men was very great in the Lord’s sight, for they[b] were treating the Lord’s offering with contempt.
18 But Samuel was ministering before the Lord—a boy wearing a linen ephod. 19 Each year his mother made him a little robe and took it to him when she went up with her husband to offer the annual sacrifice. 20 Eli would bless Elkanah and his wife, saying, “May the Lord give you children by this woman to take the place of the one she prayed for and gave to[c] the Lord.” Then they would go home. 21 And the Lord was gracious to Hannah; she gave birth to three sons and two daughters. Meanwhile, the boy Samuel grew up in the presence of the Lord.
22 Now Eli, who was very old, heard about everything his sons were doing to all Israel and how they slept with the women who served at the entrance to the tent of meeting. 23 So he said to them, “Why do you do such things? I hear from all the people about these wicked deeds of yours. 24 No, my sons; the report I hear spreading among the Lord’s people is not good. 25 If one person sins against another, God[d] may mediate for the offender; but if anyone sins against the Lord, who will intercede for them?” His sons, however, did not listen to their father’s rebuke, for it was the Lord’s will to put them to death.
26 And the boy Samuel continued to grow in stature and in favor with the Lord and with people.
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撒母耳成為拿細耳人和以利一家人一起服事上帝，然而以利的兩個兒子不受教，不尊重上帝的祭物！不僅如此，還亂搞男女關係，以利勸他們，他們竟然不聽！在這事看來好像是人不守規矩，其實背後有上帝的心意：「然而他們還是不聽父親的話，因為耶和華想要殺他們。」
然而撒母耳在這樣的環境中，她的父母還是將撒母耳放在以利那裡，只是「他母親每年為他做一件小外袍，同著丈夫上來獻年祭的時候帶來給他」。而已利也為以利加拿和他的妻祝福，說：「願耶和華由這婦人再賜你後裔，代替你從耶和華求來的孩子。」他們就回本鄉去了。耶和華眷顧哈拿，她就懷孕生了三個兒子，兩個女兒。可見上帝喜悅他們奉獻撒母耳！
然而撒母耳漸漸長大，卻蒙上帝賜福：「耶和華與人越發喜愛他」！這樣的形容詞也在主耶穌身上，路加福音2章52節說；「耶穌的智慧和身量（或譯：年紀），並上帝和人喜愛他的心，都一齊增長。」
願上帝也將這樣的福分賜給我們的兒女們，讓它們如主耶穌：「智慧和身量（或譯：年紀），並上帝和人喜愛他的心，都一齊增長。」
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