Constructing “Janus-Faced” Exhortations 405 affirmed modus operandi. As such, Moses — like Abraham in the previous verse — lingers in the background as the model of the behaviour demanded by Hebrews’ author (18). Where 13,1-3 endorses a positive loving attitude towards others, verse 4 adopts a more negative focus, citing the rejection of those who are sexually immoral and therefore the judgement upon fornicators and adulterers. As with verse 13,3, there is no explicit comparative precedent for the action, and the explanatory ga;r serves only to elucidate the consequences of sexual malpractice. But, as also in 13,3, linguistic factors point towards previous scriptural — or possibly haggadic (19) — testimony. The letter’s prior appeal to povrno" is found within the portrayal of Esau in 12,16. In this earlier manifestation, the author’s concerns are ultimately spiritual, rather than physical, fornication, but Esau’s sexual malpractice remains the premise upon which such “spiritual” arguments are made. If such linguistic association holds, Esau’s promiscuous behaviour echoes within 13,4, and he continues the parade of OT exemplars, but provides — as in 12,16-17 — a negative manifestation of the desired behaviour. As this is the one exhortation that warns of the consequences of not carrying out the ethical behaviour, the introduction of a negative exemplar seems to be both permissible and invited. The exhortation against love of money in 13,5 is perhaps the hardest exhortation to fit within this grid. A precise OT example of a figure seeking after riches — or someone specifically eschewing them — is difficult to locate within Hebrews’ prior retelling of OT narratives. Some caution is therefore necessary, and tempers any over-enthusiasm for our proposal. A couple of tentative possibilities, however, might still be proposed. It is possible to see 13,5 as articulating a concept of not seeking after rewards, particularly in this life, therefore being happy with what one has on earth. As such, the figure of Enoch may be once more in the author’s mind; he pleased God (11,5) just by being faithful — he was happy, so to speak, with his lot. Alternatively, and perhaps more persuasively, the implied referent is once again Moses, the one who eschewed Egyptian treasures (11,26) in favour of following Christ, knowing that his real “reward” lay in the future. Monetarily speaking, Moses was content with what he had, and so, in Hebrews’ portrayal of him at least, he provides a suitable minatory example for the exhortation of 13,5. The rest of verse 5 is more straightforward. The text continues with a quotation whose precise orientation is contested, but whose covenantal context and prior association with Joshua remain undisputed. The provenance may be any, some, or all of Deut 31,6, 31,8 or Josh 1,5 (20), but in each instance the utterance is given to Joshua at the threshold of entry into the land of (17) Such empathy is — in both cases — with those who are being mistreated because of imprisonment, or denial of freedom. Although Moses’ empathy is said only to be with his fellow people (11,25), it remains a fellow people who were enslaved or imprisoned by a foreign power. (18) Another mooted OT backdrop to Heb 13,3 is 1 Kgs 2,26, though this is unlikely as the Samuel-Kings narratives are generally of little interest to Hebrews otherwise. (19) The appeal of 12,16 is generally ascribed to haggadic traditions of Esau; see the references in ATTRIDGE, Epistle, 368-369. (20) A version of the phrase also occurs in relation to Jacob (Gen 28,15), consistent with this covenant-making context.