שמואל א פרק ג

“The sun rises and the sun sets” (Ecclesiastes 1:5) – Rabbi Abba bar Kahana said: Do we not know that the sun rises and the sun sets? The meaning is, however, that before the Holy One blessed be He causes the sun of a righteous person to set, he causes the sun of his righteous counterpart to rise. The day that Rabbi Akiva died, Rabbeinu [Yehuda HaNasi] was born, and they applied this verse in his regard: “The sun rises and the sun sets.” On the day that Rabbeinu died, Rav Ada bar Ahava was born, and they applied this verse in his regard: “The sun rises and the sun sets.” On the day that Rav Ada bar Ahava died, Rabbi Avun was born, and they applied this verse in his regard: “The sun rises and the sun sets.” On the day that Rabbi Avun died, his son Rabbi Avun was born. On the day that Rabbi Avun died, Abba Hoshaya of Teriya was born. On the day Abba Hoshaya died, Rabbi Hoshaya was born, and they applied this verse in his regard: “The sun rises and the sun sets.”
Before He caused Moses’ sun to set, He caused Joshua’s sun to rise, as it is stated: “The Lord said to Moses: Take you Joshua, the son of Nun […and lay your hands upon him]” (Numbers 27:18). Before Joshua’s sun set, the sun of Otniel ben Kenaz rose, as it is stated: “Otniel son of Kenaz…captured it” (Joshua 15:17). Before Eli’s sun set, Samuel’s sun rose: “The lamp of God was not yet extinguished, and Samuel was lying in the Sanctuary of the Lord” (I Samuel 3:3). Rabbi Yoḥanan said: Like a calf without blemish. Before the Holy One blessed be He caused Sarah’s sun to set, Rebecca’s sun rose. First, “behold, Milka, she too has borne children” (Genesis 22:20), and only then: “Sarah’s lifetime was one hundred years….”

The Gemara cites a similar statement: Rabbi Abbahu says: With regard to the curse of a Sage, even if it is stated conditionally, it comes to realization. From where do we derive this? It is derived from an incident involving Eli the High Priest, as Eli said to Samuel, after the latter had received a prophetic vision with regard to Eli, that his sons do not follow his path: “Therefore may God do to you, and more also, if you hide any matter from me of all the matters that He spoke unto you” (I Samuel 3:17). And even though it is written immediately thereafter: “And Samuel told him all the matters, and did not hide from him” (I Samuel 3:18), it is written at the time of Samuel’s death: “And his sons did not follow in his ways” (I Samuel 8:3), indicating that God did to Samuel as he prophesied with regard to Eli, and his own sons did not follow his path. Despite the fact that Eli stated the curse conditionally, Samuel was affected by the curse.