And the priest's custom with the people was
Not what was according to the will and law of God, but which the
sons of Eli had introduced; and in which they were followed by
the rest of the priests, and so it became an established custom,
and had the force of a law, statute, or judgment, as the word
signifies:
[that] when any man offered sacrifice;
not any sort of sacrifice, for if it was a burnt offering, it was
wholly consumed by fire, and in that the following custom could
not take place; and if it was a sin offering, that was eaten by
the priests, and so there was no need of taking such a method as
after related; but a peace offering, part of which belonged to
the Lord, the fat that was burnt, and the breast and shoulder to
the priest, and the rest to the owner, who made a feast of it for
his family and friends:
the priest's servant came while the flesh was in
seething;
that is, while those parts were boiling for the owner and his
family; which was done in some part of the tabernacle, as
afterwards in the temple:
with a flesh hook of three teeth in his hand;
with a three forked instrument, with which he was sent by order
of the priest that slew the sacrifice, and offered it, to whom
belonged the parts before mentioned, allowed him by the law; but
not content with these, he sent his servant, while the rest were
boiling, with such an instrument as here described, to draw up
more out of the boiling pot.