Hosea 9:10

Like grapes. To find grapes and firstripe figs in a wild and uncultivated wilderness is particularly delightful. The Lord expresses the great joy He had toward Israel of old when He took them to Himself (Deut. 32:10). Baal-peor. A reference to the terrible spiritual and literal adultery that Moab enticed Israel to commit, an enticement suggested by the apostate Balaam (see Num. 25:1-5). Separated themselves. From the Heb. nazar, which, in the form here found, means “to dedicate oneself.” Nazar is the root of nazir, Nazirite (see on Num. 6:2). That shame. The Moabitish maidens sacrificed their virginity to this revolting and filthy god; and in this iniquitous business the Israelites, who were to be separated unto God and His service, were involved (Num. 25:6-9). In contrast to the Nazirites, who separated themselves from that which would interfere with their consecration unto God (see Num. 6), these transgressors separated themselves from God and His ways and joined themselves unto shame, thus becoming, so to speak, “Nazirites of shame” (see above under “Separated themselves”). According as they loved. Or, “like that which they loved.” Men tend to become in character like the object of their worship (see on Ps. 115:8). This was true of Israel. Having become degenerate in morals and character, they were regarded by God as being abominable, like the heathen abominations they worshiped.