ABOMINATION. sin, being the reverse of the divine perfections and law, and the unchangeable object of the divine displeasure, is frequently called abominable, or an abomination, Isa. lxvi. 3 ; Ezek. xvi. 50. Idolatry and Idols are also designated abominations, not only because the worship of idols is, in itself, abominable, but because the ceremonies of idolaters were almost always attended with licentiousness, and infamous and abominable actions. She herds were an abomination to the Egyptians, (Gen. xlvi. 34.) in consequence, probably, of the tyranny which had been exercised over them by the hycassos, or shepherd kings, a horde of marauders, whose occupations were of a pastoral kind, but who made a powerful irruption into Egypt, which they subdued, and ruled for about two centuries and a half. Ever after this time the persons and very name of shepherds were execrated, and held in great abhorrence by the Egyptians. — The Hebrews were to sacrifice the abominations of the Egyptians, (Exod. viii. 26.) that is, those creatures which they venerated as the symbols of deities, and which, therefore, they could not have beheld slain, without the utmost indignation and abhorrence. Indeed their superstition was so strong, that even to kill by accident one of their sacred animals, was not to be expiated but by the death of the offender. Egypt was divided into pairs, each of which had its peculiar representative deity ; in one district a bull, in another a goat, in another a cat, in another a monkey, etc. Undoubtedly, these were strange creatures to receive public worship, to be adored as deities, or as symbols of deity ; the choice of such has in it, certainly, something abominable to human nature and feelings.