Hearing a devastating prophecy of doom from a close, trusted source brings a harsh reality into sharp focus. Samuel reveals the complete, tragic fate awaiting Eli’s household. Although Eli is already aware of the divine decree, hearing it again from Samuel makes him realize that he is entirely powerless to influence his sons at this point [ביאור שטיינזלץ]. Samuel shares every single detail of the vision, keeping nothing hidden from his mentor [מצודת דוד, מלבי״ם]. Interestingly, even though Samuel is completely transparent, the conditional curse Eli had placed upon him earlier, warning of punishment if he concealed anything, still leaves an impact. This shows that the curse of a wise person carries weight and can cause harm even when the conditions for it are not met [רד״ק].
Faced with this terrible news, Eli responds with a profound acceptance of God's will. The primary approach among commentators is that Eli submits completely to the divine judgment. He recognizes God as the ultimate Master of all things, a sovereign King whose commands are absolute and beyond human questioning.
At the same time, some see a subtle attempt by Eli to find comfort in the situation. By referring to God using His specific name associated with mercy, Eli tries to reassure himself that a compassionate God will ultimately bring about good rather than evil [אברבנאל]. Furthermore, Eli actually finds a glimmer of hope in the specific details of this prophecy compared to an earlier warning he received. Because the new decree specifies that his family's sins cannot be forgiven through animal sacrifices and grain offerings, Eli deduces that there is still a path to forgiveness through other means, such as studying Torah and performing acts of kindness [חומת אנך].
In stark contrast, another perspective argues that Eli harbors no illusions and fully understands the absolute severity of the decree. Usually, God desires people to repent so that a harsh judgment can be canceled, meaning the punishment itself is not truly what He wants. However, because this specific decree against Eli's family is sealed with a divine oath, carrying out the punishment is exactly what God intends to do. Eli realizes that the judgment is final and will happen with absolute certainty, leaving no room for rescue or recovery [מלבי״ם].