And they called the people unto the sacrifices of their
gods,
&c.] That is, the daughters of Moab and Midian, with whom the
children of Israel carried on an unlawful correspondence, invited
them, their gallants, to come and partake of the feasts which
attended the sacrifices of their idols; for part of what was
offered to idols a feast was kept with, to which great numbers
were invited, and which was observed with all the circumstances
of joy and pleasure imaginable, and which was very ensnaring,
especially to young people; and the children of Israel being so
much enamoured with the beauty of the Moabitish women, and so
strong were their lusts and passions, that they could not refuse
the invitation:
and the people did eat:
of the things sacrificed to idols, and so became guilty of
idolatry, even by so doing, and then when they had eaten and
drank, and were merry, they were led on to other acts of
idolatry:
and bowed down to their gods:
which was a plain and open act of idolatry, whereby they
testified their faith in their divinity, their reverence of them,
and their homage and obedience to them: Jarchi says, when the
evil concupiscence or lust was strong in them, and they solicited
the daughters of Moab to hearken to them, and comply with them,
they used to take the image of Peor out of their bosom, and said,
worship this, signifying that on that condition they would
gratify them; and thus whoredom led them on to idolatry, and they
committed the one for the sake of being indulged in the other.