They that sanctify themselves, and purify themselves in the gardens behind one [tree] in the midst, eating swine's flesh, and the abomination, and the mouse, shall be consumed together, saith the LORD.
Ver. 17. In the gardens.] Where these idolaters had set up altars, offered sacrifices, and had their ponds, wherein, when they were about to sacrifice, heathen like, they washed and purified themselves one after another, and not together, which they held to be the best way of purifying. This they did also, not apart and in private, but in the midst, ut hoc mode oculos in nudis lavantium, praesertim muliercularum, corporibus pascerent, that they might feed their eyes with the sight of those parts which nature would have hid; for your pagan superstitions were ofttimes contrary to natural honesty. a
Behind one tree in the midst.] Or, as others render it, After; or, Behind Ahad, which was the name of a Syrian idol, representing the sun, as Macrobius telleth us, calling him Adad. b
a Donec me flumine vivo Abluero. - Virg. Qui noctem in flumine purgas. - Pers.; i.e., nocturnam Venerem.
b Saturnal., lib. i. cap. 23.