Joshua 22:17

17 Is the iniquity of Pe`or too little for us, from which we have not cleansed ourselves to this day, although there came a plague on the congregation of the LORD,

Joshua 22:17 Meaning and Commentary

Joshua 22:17

[Is] the iniquity of Peor too little for us
The worshipping of that idol, when in the plains of Moab; the history of which, see in ( Numbers 25:2 Numbers 25:3 ) , was that so small a sin, that another must be added to it, or a greater committed? since building an altar seemed designed not for a single action of idolatrous worship, but for the continuance of it, whereas the sin of Peor was only committed at one time, and not continued in:

from which we are not cleansed until this day;
not cleared from the shame and disgrace of it, or the guilt of it expiated or removed; but it might be expected, as in the case of the golden calf, that God would still at times punish for it, when provoked by new crimes; or the sense is, that there were those among them that were infected with the same contagion, and whose inclinations were to commit the same, or like sin of idolatry:

although there was a plague in congregation of the Lord;
of which twenty four thousand died, ( Numbers 25:9 ) .

Joshua 22:17 In-Context

15 They came to the children of Re'uven, and to the children of Gad, and to the half-tribe of Menashsheh, to the land of Gil`ad, and they spoke with them, saying,
16 Thus says the whole congregation of the LORD, What trespass is this that you have committed against the God of Yisra'el, to turn away this day from following the LORD, in that you have built you an altar, to rebel this day against the LORD?
17 Is the iniquity of Pe`or too little for us, from which we have not cleansed ourselves to this day, although there came a plague on the congregation of the LORD,
18 that you must turn away this day from following the LORD? and it will be, seeing you rebel today against the LORD, that tomorrow he will be angry with the whole congregation of Yisra'el.
19 However, if the land of your possession be unclean, then pass over to the land of the possession of the LORD, in which the LORD's tent dwells, and take possession among us: but don't rebel against the LORD, nor rebel against us, in building you an altar besides the altar of the LORD our God.
The Hebrew Names Version is in the public domain.