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Eli was high priest at the time that Hannah and her husband Elkanah dedicated Samuel to the service of the Lord.  This was during the time of the judges in Israel.  Eli had two sons, Hophni and Phinehas.  Both of them served in the priesthood.  However, they were evil men.  First, the Scriptures refers to them as sons of Belial and states that they knew not the LORD.  Second, they abused the sacrifices and took more for themselves than the Law permitted.  Third, they committed fornication with the women that assembled at the door of the congregation (I Sam. 2:22).  Eli rebuked them for their sin, but he did not restrain them (stop them from serving in the priesthood).
A man of God (unnamed) came to Eli and prophesied against him because he permitted his sons to do evil things without restraining them.  The prophet predicted that Eli’s house would be cut off.  The sign would be that Hophni and Phinehas would be killed in the same day.  Samuel’s first prophecy (I Sam. 3:1-10) confirmed the previous prophecy from the man of God.  God revealed His judgment against Eli and his house through Samuel.
Eli’s failure involved at least four things.  First, he rebuked his sons, but he did not restrain them.  Eli rebuked his sons, but they did not listen to him.  Eli should have removed them from the priesthood. Did his familial ties keep him from doing the right thing?  Eli’s failure to restrain his sons was detrimental to their spiritual relationship with God.  While he may have thought he could preserve his familial ties, he sacrificed something greater–their souls. Second, Eli failed to honor God.  Part of the indictment against Eli was that he honored his sons before God (I Sam. 2:29).  God said through the prophet, “Them that honour me I will honour, and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed” (I Sam. 2:30).  Eli failed to honor God and God no longer honored him.  To honor is to hold in high esteem, to value or to favor.  Eli showed more respect for his evil sons that he did a holy God!  Third, Eli failed to uphold God’s Word.  Eli knew the law of God, but he did not uphold it.  To uphold it, he had to defend righteousness and put away evil even if it meant putting his own sons out of the priesthood.  To know what is right and fail to do it is sin.  Eli’s sons caused others to devalue righteousness and elevate and normalize evil.  They were supposed to be the spiritual leaders of Israel.  To whom much is given, much is required.  Fourth, Eli failed to put God first.  When it comes to family or God, God must come first.  When it comes to a job or God, God must come first.  God does not accept second place in our hearts.  When we put other things ahead of God we make an idol out them.  When Eli honored his sons above God, he made an idol out of his own family.
Eli’s failure cost him his sons, his reputation, and his family’s future service in the priesthood. When you or I fail God, we lose.  That’s a huge lesson.