This shall be the sign to you, that shall come on your two sons, on Hophni and Phinehas: in one day they shall die both of them.
Some time later, when Samuel was probably twelve or thirteen years of age, God revealed to Samuel what previously he had made known to Eli through the prophet (3:1-14). In spite of his many weaknesses, Eli was humble enough to accept God’s announced judgment as a just punishment (15-18).