And it must occur that anyone left over in your house will come and bow down to him for the payment of money and a round loaf of bread, and will certainly say: “Attach me, please, to one of the priestly offices to eat a piece of bread.”’”​—1 Sam. 2:27-36.

Even then God allowed some of Eli’s descendants to serve as underpriests. But they experienced the decline of worship at the temple during the reign of the kings, when the priesthood did not receive proper support from the people.​—2 Chron. 29:3, 6; 33:7; 34:8-11.