SEV Biblia, Chapter 25:3
Y se allegó el pueblo a Baal-peor; y el furor del SEÑOR se encendió contra Israel.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Numbers 25:3
Verse 3. Israel joined himself unto Baal-peor] The same as the Priapus of the Romans, and worshipped with the same obscene rites as we have frequently had occasion to remark. The joining to Baal-peor, mentioned here, was probably what St. Paul had in view when he said, 2 Cor. vi. 14: Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers. And this joining, though done even in a matrimonial way, was nevertheless fornication, (see Rev. ii. 14,) as no marriage between an Israelite and a Midianite could be legitimate, according to the law of God. See the propositions at the close of the preceding chapter.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 3. And Israel joined himself unto Baalpeor , etc.] The name of an idol; one of the Baals, Baal being a general name for an idol; and, to distinguish this from other Baals or idols, it was called Peor, either from its opening its mouth in prophecy, as Ainsworth; or from some obscene posture and action used in the worship of it, being, as it is by many thought to be, the same with Priapus; or rather from the mountain Peor, where it was worshipped, as Jupiter is called Jupiter Olympius, Capitolinus, etc. from the mountains where he had a temple, or was worshipped; or from the name of some great personage, called Lord Peor, who was deified after his death; hence these Israelites are said to “eat the sacrifices of the dead”, ( <19A628> Psalm 106:28). Mr. Bedford takes him to be Mizraim the son of Ham, the Osiris of the Egyptians, and the Priapus of other Heathens: and Father Calmet is of opinion that he is the same with Orus, Osiris, and Adonis; and that Pe is only a prepositive article, and that Or is the name, and no other than Orus; but such a criticism the word will not bear: this idol, the chief god of the Moabites, was, in all probability, the same with Chemosh, who is expressly called the abomination of Moab, ( 1 Kings 11:7) of whom (see Gill on “ Jeremiah 48:7”) so Chemosh and Peor are thought to be the same by our English poet f401 : to him the Israelites joined themselves, forsook the true God in a great measure, and were initiated into the rites of this deity, and constantly attended the worship of it, and cleaved unto it with their hearts and directions, and joined with their harlots in all parts of service performed unto it; (see Gill on “ Hosea 9:10”), and the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel ; for no sin is more provoking to God than idolatry, that being so directly opposite to his nature, honour, and glory, as well as to his will and worship; and hereby the end of Balaam and Balak was, in a great measure, answered, and Balaam obtained that by his evil counsel which he could not by all his conjuring; this was seen by the plague sent among them; (see Gill on “ Numbers 24:14”).
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 1-5 - The friendship of the wicked is more dangerous than their enmity; for none can prevail against God's people if they are not overcome by their inbred lusts; nor can any enchantment hurt them, but the enticements of worldly interests and pleasures. Here is the sin of Israel, to whic they are enticed by the daughters of Moab and Midian. Those are ou worst enemies who draw us to sin, for that is the greatest mischief an man can do us. Israel's sin did that which all Balaam's enchantment could not do; it set God against them. Diseases are the fruits of God' anger, and the just punishments of prevailing sins; one infectio follows the other. Ringleaders in sin ought to be made examples of justice.
Original Hebrew
ויצמד 6775 ישׂראל 3478 לבעל פעור 1187 ויחר 2734 אף 639 יהוה 3068 בישׂראל׃ 3478
