Day 96

A Curse on Eli’s House

1 Samuel 3:11–21

That night, God told Samuel what was about to happen to Eli’s family. “I am going to take action in Israel,” the Lord said. “Later, when people hear of it, their ears will tingle.”

“I am about to punish Eli’s family forever. Eli knows about his sons’ wickedness. They are a curse to me and steal my sacrifices. But Eli does nothing, so the sins of Eli’s house will never be washed away.”

Samuel lay there until morning. Then he got up and opened the doors to the Lord’s house. But he was afraid to tell Eli what God had said to him.

“Samuel, my son,” Eli called.

“Here I am.”

“What did the Lord tell you last night? Don’t hide anything from me.” So Samuel told Eli everything he had heard. “This is the Lord,” Eli said. “May he do what seems good to him.”

As Samuel grew, the Lord was with him. Everything he said had meaning. All the tribes of Israel knew of Samuel. “He is a prophet who can be trusted,” they said.

Questions: Why did God curse Eli’s family? How was Samuel different from Eli’s sons?