וְאֶת־נְב֞וֹ וְאֶת־בַּ֧עַל מְע֛וֹן מֽוּסַבֹּ֥ת שֵׁ֖ם וְאֶת־שִׂבְמָ֑ה וַיִּקְרְא֣וּ בְשֵׁמֹ֔ת אֶת־שְׁמ֥וֹת הֶעָרִ֖ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר בָּנֽוּ׃
Nébo, Baal-Meôn (qui changèrent de nom) et Sibma. Ils remplacèrent par d’autres noms les noms des villes qu’ils rebâtirent.
Rav Hirsch
V. 3. ויצמד וגו׳. Es gab verschiedene בעלים, vergötterte Gewalten. So einen בעל צפון, einen Mitternachtgott der Wüste (Schmot 14, 1). Dem gegenüber einen בעל מעון (Bamidbar 32, 38) einen Gott der Wohnstätten und einen בעל ברית (Richter 8, 33) des Zusammenhaltens der Menschen. Es gab auch einen בעל זבוב (Kön. II, 1, 2) einen Fliegengott, wahrscheinlich einen Gott der Fäulnis, vergl. זבובי מות (Pred. 10, 1), den man in Krankheiten über Leben und Tod interpellierte, und es gab auch einen בעל פעור, einen Gott der Schamlosigkeit, dem durch scheulose Hervorkehrung des Viehischsten gehuldigt wurde. Daher Hosea 9, 10 באו בעל פעור וינזרו לבשת, sie kommen nach Baalpeor und "weihten sich der Schande." – ”צמד“ siehe Kap. 19, 15. Der Peorkult ist eine Illustration jenes Darwinismus, der seinen Triumph darin feiert, daß der Mensch zum Tier hinabsteigt und sich seines göttlichen Adels entkleidet, sich nur als ein höheres "Vieh" begreifen lernt. ויחר אף וגו׳. Damit war aber die allererste Vorbedingung in Israel vernichtet, auf welcher seine Zukunft vor Gott beruht. Es war damit Gottes Zorn wider Israel hervorgerufen, der das Leben der unwürdig Gewordenen mit Vernichtung "trifft" und מגפה (vergl. Kap. 17, 11 u. 12).
Rabbeinu Bahya
עטרות ודיבון. These districts had been part of the lands of Sichon, the king of the Emorites. Some of the nine locations mentioned here used to be centers of idolatry such as Nevo and Baal Meon. We find that at least Nevo is mentioned in that context in Isaiah 46,1 when he describes these idols as collapsing. In Onkelos’ translation of this verse we find that he uses the word בית repeatedly. Presumably, this refers to the temples to these deities which had stood in those locations. Our sages in Shabbat 115 also refer to places where idolatry was practiced with the prefix בי, i.e. “house of.”
When the members of the tribe of Reuven rebuilt these towns they also renamed them to remove their stigma. This is the meaning of מוסבות שם in verse 38, i.e. the Torah tells us that these places had acquired new names. The names of the idolatry which had been practiced there should not be remembered.
When our sages said in Berachot 8 that each one of us should endeavor to complete reviewing the Torah portion read each week together with the congregation by reading the Hebrew text twice and the Targum once, even “Attarot and Divon,” they meant that it is in order to mention the original names of these locations. But for this statement by the sages we might have reasoned that seeing the Targum is only a translation of these names which we had already read twice in Hebrew it would be inappropriate to repeat the names of these centers of idolatry a third time in Aramaic.
When the members of the tribe of Reuven rebuilt these towns they also renamed them to remove their stigma. This is the meaning of מוסבות שם in verse 38, i.e. the Torah tells us that these places had acquired new names. The names of the idolatry which had been practiced there should not be remembered.
When our sages said in Berachot 8 that each one of us should endeavor to complete reviewing the Torah portion read each week together with the congregation by reading the Hebrew text twice and the Targum once, even “Attarot and Divon,” they meant that it is in order to mention the original names of these locations. But for this statement by the sages we might have reasoned that seeing the Targum is only a translation of these names which we had already read twice in Hebrew it would be inappropriate to repeat the names of these centers of idolatry a third time in Aramaic.
Chizkuni
ואבדתם את שמם, “you must abolish their names, even.” (Compare Numbers 32,38, their names had been changed)
Haamek Sheilah
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and until Nebo and Baal Meon For in the ancient days, before they came into Israel’s hands, they were called Nebo and Baal Meon after their pagan deities, (lit. their abominations), for it was the custom of the heathens to call their pagan deities after their cities until that day. But when they came into Israel’s hands, they changed their names, as it is written (Num. 32:38): “Nebo and Baal Meon their names being changed,” i.e., Israel changed their names, but Sibmah, since it was not named for their pagan deities, they did not change its name. In Megillah (unknown) it is explained that Nebo and Baal Meon are names of pagan deities.