Joshua 22:17

Iniquity of Peor. See Num. 25:1-9; Deut. 4:3. The original of the word here translated “iniquity” is ‘awon, which often conveys the idea of the “guilt” of wrongdoing.

It is thought to come from the word ‘awah, meaning “to bow down,” “to be perverse.” The English word “wrong,” that is, that which is wrought out of course, gives a similar idea of evil, and is found as the translation of ‘awah in Esther 1:16. Hence ‘awon is that which is out of line with right and propriety, which involves both guilt and punishment.

Not cleansed. Literally, “not cleansed from us.” Just what circumstance the author referred to by this statement cannot be definitely known, but the shame, the disgrace, the infamy of the iniquity of Peor must have still remained, and perhaps some tokens of the divine displeasure still continued to linger among the congregation. Twenty-four thousand are reported to have died on that occasion, and it is possible some of the children of those unholy unions were in the camp. No doubt many of the relatives still felt keenly the loss of those 24,000, and broken homes and fatherless children were evidence of the disaster. It may also imply that some measure of that corrupt leaven still remained among them, that the infection was not wholly cured, and that though suppressed for the present, it was still secretly working and was likely to break out again with fresh violence, as is intimated in the words of ch. 24:14, 23. Sin leaves its marks both upon the individual who sins and upon those who are influenced by his sin.