1 Samuel 2:18-26 New King James Version (NKJV)

Samuel’s Childhood Ministry

¹⁸ But Samuel ministered before the Lord, even as a child, wearing a linen ephod. ¹⁹ Moreover his mother used to make him a little robe, and bring it to him year by year when she came up with her husband to offer the yearly sacrifice. ²⁰ And Eli would bless Elkanah and his wife, and say, “The Lord give you descendants from this woman for the ^[a]loan that was given to the Lord.” Then they would go to their own home.

²¹ And the Lord visited^[b] Hannah, so that she conceived and bore three sons and two daughters. Meanwhile the child Samuel grew before the Lord.

Prophecy Against Eli’s Household

²² Now Eli was very old; and he heard everything his sons did to all Israel, ^[c]and how they lay with the women who assembled at the door of the tabernacle of meeting. ²³ So he said to them, “Why do you do such things? For I hear of your evil dealings from all the people. ²⁴ No, my sons! For it is not a good report that I hear. You make the Lord’s people transgress. ²⁵ If one man sins against another, God^[d] will judge him. But if a man sins against the Lord, who will intercede for him?” Nevertheless they did not heed the voice of their father, because the Lord desired to kill them.

²⁶ And the child Samuel grew in stature, and in favor both with the Lord and men.

1 Samuel 16:1 New King James Version (NKJV)

David Anointed King

16 Now the Lord said to Samuel, “How long will you mourn for Saul, seeing I have rejected him from reigning over Israel? Fill your horn with oil, and go; I am sending you to Jesse the Bethlehemite. For I have ^[a]provided Myself a king among his sons.”