I found Israel like grapes in the wilderness. I saw your fathers as the first ripe in the fig tree at its first season; But they came to Baal Peor, and consecrated themselves to the shameful thing, And became abominable like that which they loved.
And separated themselves unto that shame - that is, to Baal-Peor, “whose” name of “Baal, Lord,” he turns into “Bosheth, shame” . Holy Scripture gives disgraceful names to the idols, (as “abominations, nothings, dungy things, vanities, uncleanness,” in order to make people ashamed of them. “To this shame they separated themselves” from God, in order to unite themselves with it. The Nazarite “separated himself from” certain earthly enjoyments, and consecrated himself, for a time or altogether, to God; these “separated themselves from” God, and united, devoted, consecrated themselves “to shame.” “They made themselves, as it were, Nazarites to shame.” Shame was the object of their worship and their God, “and” their “abominations were according as they loved,” i. e., they had as many “abominations” or abominable idols, “as” they had “loves.” They multiplied abominations, “after their heart’s desire;” their abominations were manifold, because their passions were so; and their love being corrupted, they loved nothing but abominations.