Matthew Poole and continuators on Jeremiah 11:13

13 For according to the number of thy cities were thy gods, O Judah, and according to the number of the streets of Jerusalem, have ye set up altars to that shameful thing , even altars to burn incense unto Baal .

Not that they had just so many Idols as were Cities in Iudah, or Altars as were streets in Hierusalem, the meaning is, they had very many, and that the people who lived in every City and Street were guilty. What he calls their shame, or the shameful thing, is afterwards expounded Baal, called a shameful thing, because it was what they had reason to be ashamed of, and what would certainly bring them to shame and confusion.

Baal signifieth Lord, and was a common name given to more Idols than one, the Phoenicians used the name Baal, the Chaldeans, Bel. God Hos. 2.16. forbad his people to call him by this name, because so abused to Idolatry. Many think that the Sun was what the Phoenicians worshipped under this name; some say Saturn was he, Manasses who preceded Iosiah, reared up altars for Baalim and made groves and worshipped all the host of Heaven and served them, 2 Chron. 33.3. Learned men say that the Asians called the same Idol Baal, whom those of Europe called Iupiter. It is not improbable which learned men judge. That the Heathens acknowledging one supream being, worshipped him in several Creatures; some mistaking the Sun, Moon, and Stars to be he, others other things: these they called Baalim, Lords, as they called the principal God Baal. The Heathens Idolatry seems to be their Worshipping God in Creatures, and paying a divine homage to Creatures the Sun, Moon, and Stars, and other far inferiour to them, not believing that those creatures were the Divine being, but that the Divine being was in them, and from them would hear their Supplicants and do them good; which though the Heathens might a little be excused in having no Scriptures shewing them the nature of the true God, and how he would be Worshipped: yet to the Jews was inexcusable they having the Oracles of God committed to them, which both shewed them the true nature of God, and let them know that no creature could be any similitude or representation of him, and that his will was that they should pay their homage to him without any similitudes, or representations, exciting them to that homage, fit for nothing but to beget in the minds of people false Conceptions, and apprehensions of the Divine being, which is meerly spiritual; notwithstanding which direction from the Divine Law, the Jews after the manner of the Heathens would pay their homage to God, before the Sun, Moon and Stars, and before Images made with hands, and make Altars to such creatures and images, which was the Idolatry God complains of, and of which he declares a greater abhorrence then almost of any other sin. It is likely that Baal here mentioned was the Sun, because it was near Manasses times who thus highly offended God, and it is probable that though Iosiah had begun a famous reformation, yet a great deal of this leaven was left in the common people, besides that the sins of Manasses, 2 King. 23.26. are reckoned up as the special proximate cause of this wrath of God against Iudah.

Marginal references: chap. 2.28.; Heb. shame.