Psalms 106:28
in Psalms 106They yoked themselves to Baal of Peor and ate sacrifices offered to lifeless gods.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
They joined themselves also unto Baal-peor, And ate the sacrifices of the dead.
KJV
They joined themselves also unto Baal–peor, and ate the sacrifices of the dead.
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This verse in Psalms 106
Commentary
9 notes on this verseThey joined themselves also unto Baalpeor. Ritualism led on to the adoration of false gods. If we choose a false way of worship we shall, ere long, choose to worship a false god. This abomination of the Moabites was an idol in whose worship women gave up their bodies to the most shameless lust. Think of the people of a holy God coming down to this. And ate the sacrifices of the dead.
This site's exposition
yoked themselves to Baal of Peor
on Psalms 106:28-31
At Peor they yoked themselves to Baal and ate what was offered to lifeless gods. That is Numbers 25: a plague broke out, and it stopped. Phinehas stood and intervened, and verse 31 credits the act to him as righteousness, the words Genesis 15:6 uses of Abram's faith.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
"They were initiated also unto Baalpeor;" that is, were consecrated to the Gentile idol; "and ate the offerings of the dead" [Psalm 106:28].
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
Those that did often partake of the altar of the living God now ate the sacrifices of the dead, of the idols of Moab (that were dead images, or dead men canonized or deified), or sacrifices to the infernal deities on the behalf of their dead friends.
They joined themselves also unto Baalpeor,.... Or to the idol Peor, as the Targum. Baal, which signifies Lord or master, was a common name for an idol in many countries; wherefore, to distinguish one from another, an additional name was used.
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
sacrifices of the dead--that is, of lifeless idols, contrasted with "the living God" (Jer 10:3-10; compare Ps 115:4-7; On the words, joined themselves to Baal-peor--see Nu 25:2, 3, 5. Baal-peor--that is, the possessor of Peor, the mountain on which Chemosh, the idol of Moab, was worshipped, and at the foot of which Israel at the time lay encamped (Nu 23:28).
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase+unbalanced-parens
They joined themselves also unto Baalpeor. Ritualism led on to the adoration of false gods. If we choose a false way of worship we shall, ere long, choose to worship a false god. This abomination of the Moabites was an idol in whose worship women gave up their bodies to the most shameless lust. Think of the people of a holy God coming down to this. And ate the sacrifices of the dead. In the orgies with which the Baalites celebrated their detestable worship Israel joined, partaking even in their sacrifices as earnest inner court worshippers, though the gods were but dead idols. Perhaps they assisted in necromantic rites which were intended to open a correspondence with departed spirits, thus endeavouring to break the seal of God's providence, and burst into the secret chambers which God has shut up. Those who are weary of seeking the living God have often shown a hankering after dark sciences, and have sought after fellowship with demons and spirits. To what strong delusions those are often given up who cast off the fear of God! This remark is as much needed now as in days gone by.
2 more voices on this verse
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
They joined themselves also unto Baalpeor - The Vulgate, Septuagint, and others, have Belphegor; the Syriac and Arabic, the idol Phegor, or Phaaur; the ע ain in the word being pronounced as gh. Ate the sacrifices or the dead - מתים methim, of dead men. Most of the heathen idols were seen, who had been deified after their death; many of whom had been execrated during their life.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
They joined themselves also unto Baal-peor - They joined in their devotions, or, they shared in the rites of idolatrous worship. This occurred when they were in the regions of Moab, and on the very borders of the promised land. Num. 25. Many other instances of a similar kind are passed over by the psalmist, and this seems to have been selected because of its special aggravation, and to show the general character of the nation. Even after their long-continued enjoyment of the favor and protection of God - after he had conducted them safely through the wilderness - after he had brought them to the very border of the land of Canaan, and all his promises were about to be fulfilled, they still showed a disposition to depart from God. Baal-peor was an idol of the Moabites, in whose worship females prostituted themselves. Gesenius, Lexicon. Compare Num 25:1-3. Baal was the name of the idol; Peor was the name of a mountain in Moab, where the idol was worshipped. And ate the sacrifices of the dead - Of false gods, represented as “dead” or having no life, in contradistinction from the true and “living God.” They ate the sacrifices offered to those idols; that is, they participated in their worship. Num 25:2.
The words behind it
6 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַ֭יִּצָּ֣מְדוּ | vaiyitzamedu | and they joined themselves | H6775 → | |
| לְבַ֣עַל | levaal | to Baal | H1187 → | |
| פְּע֑וֹר | peor | Peor | H1187 → | |
| וַ֝יֹּאכְל֗וּ | vaiyokhelu | and they ate | H398 → | 810 times |
| זִבְחֵ֥י | zivchei | sacrifices of | H2077 → | 162 times |
| מֵתִֽים׃ | metim | dead [ones] | H4191 → | 839 times |
וַ֭יִּצָּ֣מְדוּand they joined themselves
vaiyitzameduH6775 →
לְבַ֣עַלto Baal
levaalH1187 →
פְּע֑וֹרPeor
peorH1187 →
וַ֝יֹּאכְל֗וּand they ate
vaiyokheluH398 →810 times
זִבְחֵ֥יsacrifices of
zivcheiH2077 →162 times
מֵתִֽים׃dead [ones]
metimH4191 →839 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Deuteronomy 4:3Your eyes have seen what the LORD did at Baal-peor, for the LORD your God destroyed from among you all who followed Baal of Peor.
it leads to
- Numbers 25:1–9
While Israel was staying in Shittim, the men began to indulge in sexual immorality with the daughters of Moab,
- Psalms 106:28–29
They yoked themselves to Baal of Peor and ate sacrifices offered to lifeless gods.
- Numbers 25:1–9
Through
Hosea 9:10I found Israel like grapes in the wilderness. I saw your fathers as the firstfruits of the fig tree in its first season. But they went to Baal-peor, and consecrated themselves to Shame; so…
it leads to
- Jeremiah 11:13
Your gods are indeed as numerous as your cities, O Judah; the altars of shame you have set up—the altars to burn incense to Baal—are as many as the streets of Jerusalem.’
- Numbers 25:1–18
While Israel was staying in Shittim, the men began to indulge in sexual immorality with the daughters of Moab,
- Hosea 4:14
I will not punish your daughters when they prostitute themselves, nor your daughters-in-law when they commit adultery. For the men themselves go off with prostitutes and offer sacrifices with shrine prostitutes. So a people…
- Ezekiel 20:8
But they rebelled against Me and refused to listen. None of them cast away the abominations before their eyes, and they did not forsake the idols of Egypt. So I resolved to pour out…
- Jeremiah 2:2–3
“Go and proclaim in the hearing of Jerusalem that this is what the LORD says: ‘I remember the devotion of your youth, your love as a bride, how you followed Me in the wilderness,…
- Jeremiah 11:13
Through
Numbers 25:5So Moses told the judges of Israel, “Each of you must kill all of his men who have joined in worshiping Baal of Peor.”
it leads to
- Exodus 18:21
Furthermore, select capable men from among the people—God-fearing, trustworthy men who are averse to dishonest gain. Appoint them over the people as leaders of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties, and of tens.
- Exodus 18:21
About Psalms
This page draws on 9 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes on the Book of Psalms; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Augustine of Hippo, Exposition on Psalm 106; Charles Spurgeon, The Treasury of David, Vol. 5; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.