2 Chronicles 20

Introduction

Second Chronicles 20 recounts an episode found nowhere else in Scripture. A coalition of Moabites, Ammonites, and Meunites invades Judah from the southeast, and King Jehoshaphat -- the reforming king who sent teachers throughout the land (2 Chronicles 17:7-9) and appointed righteous judges (2 Chronicles 19:4-11) -- is suddenly faced with a military threat he cannot overcome by human strength. The chapter centers on the nature of faith: a king who prays instead of strategizing, a Levitical prophet who declares that the battle belongs to God, an army that marches with singers at its front, and an enemy coalition that destroys itself without Judah drawing a sword.

The chapter is structured around the Chronicler's key theological verb דָּרַשׁ ("to seek"). When the crisis comes, Jehoshaphat "sets his face to seek the LORD" (v. 3), and all Judah gathers "to seek the LORD" (v. 4). The prayer that follows deliberately echoes Solomon's dedication prayer in 2 Chronicles 6:28-31, appealing to the promises God made at the temple's founding. The result is deliverance and blessing: three days of plunder and a place renamed the "Valley of Blessing." Yet the chapter ends with a sharp coda: Jehoshaphat, the same king who trusted God against the Transjordanian coalition, later enters a commercial alliance with the wicked Ahaziah of Israel, and God destroys the venture through a prophetic word. The juxtaposition is deliberate: the Chronicler shows that even a faithful king can stumble when he looks to human partnerships rather than to God.

The Threat and Jehoshaphat's Prayer (vv. 1-13)

¹ After this, the Moabites and Ammonites, together with some of the Meunites, came to make war against Jehoshaphat. ² Then some men came and told Jehoshaphat, "A vast army is coming against you from Edom, from beyond the Sea; they are already in Hazazon-tamar" (that is, En-gedi).

³ Jehoshaphat was alarmed and set his face to seek the LORD. And he proclaimed a fast throughout Judah. ⁴ So the people of Judah gathered to seek the LORD, and indeed, they came from all the cities of Judah to seek Him.

⁵ Then Jehoshaphat stood in the assembly of Judah and Jerusalem in the house of the LORD in front of the new courtyard ⁶ and said, "O LORD, God of our fathers, are You not the God who is in heaven, and do You not rule over all the kingdoms of the nations? Power and might are in Your hand, and no one can stand against You.

⁷ Our God, did You not drive out the inhabitants of this land before Your people Israel and give it forever to the descendants of Abraham Your friend? ⁸ They have lived in the land and have built in it a sanctuary for Your Name, saying, ⁹ 'If disaster comes upon us -- whether sword or judgment, plague or famine -- we will stand before this temple and before You, for Your Name is in this temple. We will cry out to You in our distress, and You will hear us and save us.'

¹⁰ And now, here are the men of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir, whom You did not let Israel invade when they came out of the land of Egypt. So Israel turned away from them and did not destroy them. ¹¹ See how they are repaying us by coming to drive us out of the possession that You gave us as an inheritance.

¹² Our God, will You not judge them? For we are powerless before this vast army that comes against us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are upon You."

¹³ Meanwhile all the men of Judah, with their wives and children and little ones, were standing before the LORD.

¹ After this, the Moabites and the Ammonites, along with some of the Meunites, came to wage war against Jehoshaphat. ² Messengers came and reported to Jehoshaphat, "A great multitude is advancing against you from beyond the Sea, from Edom -- they are already at Hazazon-tamar" (which is En-gedi).

³ Jehoshaphat was afraid, and he resolved to seek the LORD. He proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah. ⁴ So the people of Judah assembled to seek the LORD; indeed, they came from every city in Judah to seek him.

⁵ Then Jehoshaphat stood in the assembly of Judah and Jerusalem, in the house of the LORD, before the new courtyard, ⁶ and he said, "O LORD, God of our ancestors, are you not God in heaven? Do you not rule over all the kingdoms of the nations? In your hand are power and might, so that none can withstand you.

⁷ Are you not our God, who drove out the inhabitants of this land before your people Israel and gave it forever to the offspring of Abraham, your beloved? ⁸ They settled in it and built you a sanctuary in it for your name, saying, ⁹ 'If disaster comes upon us -- sword, judgment, pestilence, or famine -- we will stand before this house and before you, for your name dwells in this house, and we will cry out to you in our distress, and you will hear and deliver us.'

¹⁰ Now look -- the people of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir, whom you did not allow Israel to invade when they came from the land of Egypt, so that they turned aside from them and did not destroy them -- ¹¹ see how they repay us by coming to drive us out of the possession you gave us to inherit!

¹² O our God, will you not execute judgment on them? For we have no strength to face this great multitude that is coming against us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you."

¹³ All of Judah stood before the LORD, including their little children, their wives, and their sons.

Notes

The chapter opens with a coalition invasion from the southeast. The identification of the third group has long been debated. The Hebrew text reads מֵהָעַמּוֹנִים ("from the Ammonites"), which would be redundant since Ammonites are already named. Most scholars and several ancient versions emend this to מֵהַמְּעוּנִים ("from the Meunites"), a people group from the region of Mount Seir mentioned in 2 Chronicles 26:7. Most English translations follow this reading. The attackers approach from "beyond the Sea" -- that is, the Dead Sea -- through the wilderness of Judah by way of Hazazon-tamar, identified parenthetically as En-gedi, the oasis on the western shore of the Dead Sea. This placed the enemy dangerously close to Jerusalem, only about thirty miles away.

Jehoshaphat's response is characteristic of the Chronicler's theology. The Hebrew says he וַיִּרָא ("was afraid") -- the text does not hide his fear -- but then immediately states that he וַיִּתֵּן אֶת פָּנָיו לִדְרוֹשׁ ("set his face to seek") the LORD. The phrase "set his face" conveys deliberate resolve. Fear is not the opposite of faith; Jehoshaphat's faith is shown in what he does with his fear. He turns it into a reason to seek God. He also proclaims a national fast, a traditional expression of humility and dependence (Joel 1:14; Jonah 3:5).

Jehoshaphat's prayer in verses 5-12 is a carefully structured theological argument. It begins with God's sovereignty ("you rule over all the kingdoms of the nations"), moves to God's past faithfulness (driving out the Canaanites and giving the land to Abraham's descendants), appeals to God's own promises (quoting the theology of Solomon's temple dedication prayer from 2 Chronicles 6:28-30), presents the specific injustice (the invaders are nations Israel spared at God's command -- see Deuteronomy 2:4-19), and concludes with a confession of total dependence.

The phrase אַבְרָהָם אֹהַבְךָ ("Abraham your beloved/friend") in verse 7 is striking. The Hebrew אֹהֵב means "one who loves" or "beloved," and calling Abraham God's "friend" is a rare and intimate designation. It appears also in Isaiah 41:8 ("Abraham my friend") and is picked up in the New Testament in James 2:23 ("Abraham was called the friend of God"). The term underscores the covenant relationship between God and Abraham and, by extension, Abraham's descendants -- a relationship Jehoshaphat now invokes as the basis for his appeal.

The climax of the prayer is verse 12: "We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you." The Hebrew is stark: כִּי אֵין בָּנוּ כֹּחַ ("for there is no strength in us"). This is not false modesty but a genuine recognition of helplessness. The final clause -- עָלֶיךָ עֵינֵינוּ ("upon you are our eyes") -- is a concise expression of dependent faith. It has long served as a model prayer for believers facing overwhelming circumstances.

Verse 13 provides a vivid scene: not just the warriors but the entire community -- women, children, even infants -- stand before the LORD. The Chronicler emphasizes that this is a whole-nation crisis requiring whole-nation dependence on God.

Jahaziel's Prophecy (vv. 14-19)

¹⁴ Then the Spirit of the LORD came upon Jahaziel son of Zechariah, the son of Benaiah, the son of Jeiel, the son of Mattaniah, a Levite from Asaph's descendants, as he stood in the midst of the assembly. ¹⁵ And he said, "Listen, all you people of Judah and Jerusalem! Listen, King Jehoshaphat! This is what the LORD says: 'Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army, for the battle does not belong to you, but to God. ¹⁶ Tomorrow you are to march down against them. You will see them coming up the Ascent of Ziz, and you will find them at the end of the valley facing the Wilderness of Jeruel. ¹⁷ You need not fight this battle. Take up your positions, stand firm, and see the salvation of the LORD on your behalf, O Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid or discouraged. Go out and face them tomorrow, for the LORD is with you.'"

¹⁸ Then Jehoshaphat bowed facedown, and all the people of Judah and Jerusalem fell down before the LORD to worship Him. ¹⁹ And the Levites from the Kohathites and Korahites stood up to praise the LORD, the God of Israel, shouting in a very loud voice.

¹⁴ Then the Spirit of the LORD came upon Jahaziel son of Zechariah, son of Benaiah, son of Jeiel, son of Mattaniah -- a Levite of the sons of Asaph -- in the midst of the assembly. ¹⁵ He said, "Pay attention, all Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem, and you, King Jehoshaphat! Thus says the LORD to you: 'Do not be afraid and do not be dismayed before this great multitude, for the battle is not yours but God's. ¹⁶ Tomorrow, go down against them. They will be coming up by the Ascent of Ziz, and you will find them at the end of the wadi, facing the Wilderness of Jeruel. ¹⁷ You will not need to fight in this battle. Take your positions, stand still, and see the deliverance of the LORD on your behalf, O Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid and do not be dismayed. Go out to meet them tomorrow, and the LORD will be with you.'"

¹⁸ Jehoshaphat bowed with his face to the ground, and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem fell before the LORD, worshipping the LORD. ¹⁹ Then Levites of the Kohathites and the Korahites rose to praise the LORD, the God of Israel, with an exceedingly loud voice.

Notes

The Spirit of the LORD comes upon Jahaziel, whose genealogy is traced through five generations back to Mattaniah, and who is identified as a Levite of the line of Asaph. This is significant: Asaph was one of the three chief musicians appointed by David for temple worship (1 Chronicles 25:1-2), and his descendants were also associated with prophetic activity. The Chronicler frequently presents Levitical musicians as prophets (cf. 1 Chronicles 25:1, where Asaph, Heman, and Jeduthun "prophesied with lyres, harps, and cymbals"). The full genealogy authenticates Jahaziel's credentials. He is not a self-appointed speaker but a man with a documented place in the temple service.

Jahaziel's oracle in verses 15-17 deliberately echoes the language of the Exodus. The command "do not be afraid and do not be dismayed" (אַל תִּירְאוּ וְאַל תֵּחַתּוּ) is repeated twice for emphasis. The clearest echo is in verse 17: "Stand still and see the deliverance of the LORD." This closely parallels Moses' words at the Red Sea in Exodus 14:13: "Stand firm and see the salvation of the LORD, which he will accomplish for you today." The Hebrew word יְשׁוּעָה ("salvation/deliverance") is the same in both passages. The Chronicler casts Jehoshaphat's crisis as a new Exodus moment: just as God fought for Israel at the Sea, so he will fight for Judah now.

The phrase כִּי לֹא לָכֶם הַמִּלְחָמָה כִּי לֵאלֹהִים ("for the battle is not yours but God's") is a concise statement of holy war theology. In the ancient Near Eastern context, holy war meant that the deity was the true warrior; the human army's role was to trust, obey, and witness. The Chronicler presses this idea to its furthest point: Judah will not fight at all.

The response is immediate and embodied. Jehoshaphat וַיִּקֹּד אַפַּיִם אָרְצָה ("bowed with his face to the ground") -- a posture of complete submission and reverence. The entire assembly follows. Then the Levites -- specifically the Kohathites and Korahites, two major Levitical clans responsible for temple worship -- rise to praise God with a loud voice before the battle has even begun. This praise in advance of deliverance is an act of faith: they celebrate the victory before it happens, trusting the prophetic word.

Interpretations

The phrase "the battle is not yours but God's" has been understood differently across Christian traditions. In the Reformed tradition, this passage is often read as illustrating the doctrine of divine sovereignty -- God alone accomplishes the deliverance, and human effort contributes nothing to salvation (understood both militarily and spiritually). Arminian interpreters emphasize the human response of faith and obedience that precedes God's action -- Jehoshaphat had to pray, fast, and march out in trust before God acted. Both traditions agree that the passage calls for radical dependence on God; the debate centers on whether that dependence is itself enabled by prior grace (Reformed) or freely exercised by the believer (Arminian).

The March of Praise and Victory (vv. 20-28)

²⁰ Early in the morning they got up and left for the Wilderness of Tekoa. As they set out, Jehoshaphat stood up and said, "Hear me, O people of Judah and Jerusalem. Believe in the LORD your God, and you will be upheld; believe in His prophets, and you will succeed."

²¹ Then Jehoshaphat consulted with the people and appointed those who would sing to the LORD and praise the splendor of His holiness. As they went out before the army, they were singing: "Give thanks to the LORD, for His loving devotion endures forever."

²² The moment they began their shouts and praises, the LORD set ambushes against the men of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir who had come against Judah, and they were defeated. ²³ The Ammonites and Moabites rose up against the inhabitants of Mount Seir, devoting them to destruction. And when they had finished off the inhabitants of Seir, they helped to destroy one another.

²⁴ When the men of Judah came to a place overlooking the wilderness, they looked for the vast army, but there were only corpses lying on the ground; no one had escaped. ²⁵ Then Jehoshaphat and his people went to carry off the plunder, and they found on the bodies an abundance of goods and valuables -- more than they could carry away. They were gathering the plunder for three days because there was so much.

²⁶ On the fourth day they assembled in the Valley of Beracah, where they blessed the LORD. Therefore that place is called the Valley of Beracah to this day.

²⁷ Then all the men of Judah and Jerusalem, with Jehoshaphat at their head, returned joyfully to Jerusalem, for the LORD had made them rejoice over their enemies. ²⁸ So they entered Jerusalem and went into the house of the LORD with harps, lyres, and trumpets.

²⁰ They rose early in the morning and went out to the Wilderness of Tekoa. As they were going out, Jehoshaphat stood and said, "Hear me, Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem! Put your trust in the LORD your God, and you will be established; put your trust in his prophets, and you will prosper."

²¹ After consulting with the people, he appointed singers for the LORD who would praise him in holy splendor as they went out ahead of the armed forces, saying, "Give thanks to the LORD, for his steadfast love endures forever."

²² At the moment they began to sing and praise, the LORD set ambushes against the men of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir who were coming against Judah, and they were struck down. ²³ The Ammonites and Moabites turned against the inhabitants of Mount Seir, utterly destroying them. And when they had finished with the people of Seir, they turned to destroy one another.

²⁴ When the men of Judah came to the watchtower overlooking the wilderness, they looked toward the multitude, and there were only dead bodies fallen to the ground -- not one had escaped. ²⁵ Jehoshaphat and his people came to carry away the spoil, and they found among them an abundance of goods, clothing, and precious items. They stripped off more than they could carry, and they spent three days gathering the plunder, for there was so much of it.

²⁶ On the fourth day they assembled in the Valley of Beracah, for there they blessed the LORD. That is why that place is called the Valley of Beracah to this day.

²⁷ Then every man of Judah and Jerusalem returned, with Jehoshaphat leading them, going back to Jerusalem with joy, for the LORD had given them cause to rejoice over their enemies. ²⁸ They came to Jerusalem with harps, lyres, and trumpets, and entered the house of the LORD.

Notes

Jehoshaphat's exhortation in verse 20 contains a notable wordplay in Hebrew. The verb הַאֲמִינוּ ("believe/trust") comes from the root אמן, the same root that gives us "amen." The passive form וְתֵאָמֵנוּ ("you will be established/upheld") shares the same root. The effect in Hebrew is something like: "Trust in the LORD your God and you will be entrusted/established." The wordplay connects faith with stability -- to believe is to be made firm. This same root play appears in Isaiah 7:9: "If you do not stand firm in faith, you will not stand at all."

The appointment of singers to go out "before the armed forces" (לִפְנֵי הֶחָלוּץ) is an unusual military decision. Instead of soldiers at the vanguard, Jehoshaphat places worship leaders. They sing a liturgical refrain drawn from the Psalms: "Give thanks to the LORD, for his steadfast love endures forever" -- a phrase that appears in Psalm 136:1, 1 Chronicles 16:34, and 2 Chronicles 5:13, and that was sung at the dedication of Solomon's temple. The Hebrew word translated "loving devotion" or "steadfast love" is חֶסֶד, a central term in the Old Testament, denoting God's covenant faithfulness, loyal love, and unfailing kindness. By singing of God's חֶסֶד as they march, the people declare their trust not in military might but in God's covenant character.

The timing in verse 22 is precise: "at the moment they began to sing and praise" (וּבְעֵת הֵחֵלּוּ בְרִנָּה וּתְהִלָּה), the LORD acted. The Chronicler draws a direct link between worship and divine intervention. God "set ambushes" (מְאָרְבִים) -- the term suggests a military stratagem, but one orchestrated by God, not by Judah. The enemy coalition then turned on itself: first the Ammonites and Moabites attacked the men of Mount Seir, and after destroying them, they destroyed each other. This pattern of enemies destroying themselves is a hallmark of holy war narratives (cf. Judges 7:22; 1 Samuel 14:20).

The scene in verse 24 is vivid: when Judah arrives at the מִצְפֶּה ("lookout point/watchtower") overlooking the wilderness, they see nothing but corpses. The battle was over before they arrived. The three days spent gathering plunder recall the blessings God promises to those who trust him -- the victory is not only defensive but also yields material provision.

The Valley of בְּרָכָה ("Beracah") means "blessing." The Chronicler notes the place-name etiology: they named it Beracah "because there they blessed the LORD." The wordplay between בֵּרֲכוּ ("they blessed") and בְּרָכָה ("blessing") reinforces the theme that worship and blessing are inseparable. The return to Jerusalem with musical instruments -- נְבָלִים ("harps"), כִנֹּרוֹת ("lyres"), and חֲצֹצְרוֹת ("trumpets") -- mirrors the procession that brought the ark to Jerusalem in David's time (1 Chronicles 15:28) and the worship at the temple dedication (2 Chronicles 5:12-13). The Chronicler presents this victory celebration as a continuation of the same worship tradition.

Rest and Summary (vv. 29-34)

²⁹ And the fear of God came upon all the kingdoms of the lands when they heard that the LORD had fought against the enemies of Israel. ³⁰ Then Jehoshaphat's kingdom was at peace, for his God had given him rest on every side.

³¹ So Jehoshaphat reigned over Judah. He was thirty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem twenty-five years. His mother's name was Azubah daughter of Shilhi.

³² And Jehoshaphat walked in the way of his father Asa and did not turn away from it; he did what was right in the eyes of the LORD.

³³ The high places, however, were not removed; the people had not yet set their hearts on the God of their fathers.

³⁴ As for the rest of the acts of Jehoshaphat, from beginning to end, they are indeed written in the Chronicles of Jehu son of Hanani, which are recorded in the Book of the Kings of Israel.

²⁹ The dread of God fell upon all the kingdoms of the surrounding lands when they heard that the LORD had fought against the enemies of Israel. ³⁰ And the kingdom of Jehoshaphat was quiet, for his God gave him rest on every side.

³¹ Jehoshaphat reigned over Judah. He was thirty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned twenty-five years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Azubah, the daughter of Shilhi.

³² He walked in the way of his father Asa and did not turn aside from it, doing what was right in the eyes of the LORD.

³³ However, the high places were not removed, for the people had still not directed their hearts toward the God of their ancestors.

³⁴ The rest of the acts of Jehoshaphat, from first to last, are written in the annals of Jehu son of Hanani, which are included in the Book of the Kings of Israel.

Notes

The aftermath of the victory extends beyond Judah's borders. The פַּחַד אֱלֹהִים ("dread/fear of God") falls on the surrounding nations. This is a recurring motif in Chronicles: when God acts decisively on behalf of his people, the nations take notice and are afraid (cf. 2 Chronicles 17:10, where the same phenomenon occurs earlier in Jehoshaphat's reign). The result is מְנוּחָה -- "rest" -- the Chronicler's term for the peace God grants to faithful kings (cf. 2 Chronicles 14:6-7 for Asa).

The regnal summary in verses 31-34 parallels the account in 1 Kings 22:41-45. Jehoshaphat is commended for walking in the way of Asa, his father, though the note about the high places in verse 33 introduces a qualification. The Chronicler's wording differs slightly from Kings: where 1 Kings 22:43 says "the people still sacrificed and burned incense on the high places," the Chronicler says "the people had not yet directed their hearts toward the God of their ancestors." The Hebrew verb הֵכִין ("to establish/direct," from the root כון) is important in the Chronicler's vocabulary -- it conveys deliberate, wholehearted commitment. The people's failure is not merely behavioral (offering sacrifices in the wrong place) but dispositional (their hearts were not fully oriented toward God).

The reference to the "Chronicles of Jehu son of Hanani" is a citation from a now-lost prophetic source. Jehu the son of Hanani is the same prophet who confronted Jehoshaphat after his alliance with Ahab (2 Chronicles 19:2). The Chronicler frequently cites prophetic writings as his sources, presenting the history of Judah as interpreted through prophetic lenses.

The Failed Alliance with Ahaziah (vv. 35-37)

³⁵ Later, Jehoshaphat king of Judah made an alliance with Ahaziah king of Israel, who acted wickedly. ³⁶ They agreed to make ships to go to Tarshish, and these were built in Ezion-geber.

³⁷ Then Eliezer son of Dodavahu of Mareshah prophesied against Jehoshaphat, saying, "Because you have allied yourself with Ahaziah, the LORD has destroyed your works." So the ships were wrecked and were unable to sail to Tarshish.

³⁵ After this, Jehoshaphat king of Judah entered into a partnership with Ahaziah king of Israel, who acted wickedly. ³⁶ He joined with him to build ships to sail to Tarshish, and they built the ships at Ezion-geber.

³⁷ But Eliezer son of Dodavahu, from Mareshah, prophesied against Jehoshaphat, saying, "Because you have made a partnership with Ahaziah, the LORD has shattered your undertaking." And the ships were wrecked and could not go to Tarshish.

Notes

The chapter ends with a sharp contrast. The same king who trusted God against the Transjordanian coalition now enters into a commercial venture with Ahaziah son of Ahab, the wicked king of Israel. The Hebrew verb used for the alliance is אֶתְחַבַּר ("to join/partner with"), from the root חבר. This is the same root used in 2 Chronicles 18:1 for Jehoshaphat's earlier alliance with Ahab, and in 2 Chronicles 19:2, where Jehu rebuked him: "Should you help the wicked and love those who hate the LORD?" The Chronicler is drawing a clear pattern: Jehoshaphat repeatedly falls into foreign alliances with the house of Ahab, despite being warned.

The parallel account in 1 Kings 22:48-49 presents the events somewhat differently: there, Jehoshaphat builds the ships himself and Ahaziah offers to send his servants, but Jehoshaphat refuses. The Chronicler's version emphasizes the joint nature of the venture and presents it as a culpable alliance. This difference may reflect the Chronicler's theological emphasis on the danger of partnership with the unfaithful, though the relationship between the two accounts is debated.

The prophet Eliezer son of Dodavahu, from Mareshah (a city in the Judean lowlands), appears only here in Scripture. His message follows the Chronicler's standard pattern: a prophet delivers a word of judgment connected to a specific sin. The verb פָּרַץ ("to break/shatter") describes God's destruction of the ships. The venture fails completely -- the ships are wrecked at Ezion-geber (a port at the northern tip of the Gulf of Aqaba, modern Eilat) before they can sail.

Tarshish was a distant port, likely in the western Mediterranean (possibly Spain or Sardinia), and "ships of Tarshish" was a term for large, ocean-going merchant vessels. The failed venture recalls Solomon's successful maritime trade from the same port (2 Chronicles 8:17-18; 1 Kings 9:26-28) and sharpens the contrast: Solomon prospered because he acted within God's will; Jehoshaphat's venture fails because it is built on a condemned alliance.

Interpretations

The juxtaposition of Jehoshaphat's faith in the battle narrative with his failure in the Ahaziah alliance raises an important question about the nature of sanctification. Reformed interpreters often point to this passage as evidence that even genuine believers can fall into significant sin -- what is sometimes called the doctrine of remaining sin. The passage illustrates that past victories of faith do not guarantee future faithfulness; the believer must continue to depend on God in every new situation. Arminian interpreters may emphasize the warning aspect: Jehoshaphat's failure shows that faith must be continually exercised and that past obedience stores up no reserve against future disobedience. Both traditions agree that the passage is a reminder that no one is beyond the temptation to reach for human resources when God has already proved sufficient.