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?"
Then the messenger said, "I have just come from the battle-field."
Eli's heart beat fast. "Tell me," he cried with trembling voice, "what has happened there?"