Deuteronomy 32:24Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

While it has been noted that temptation manifests in two forms—seeking happiness or encountering misfortune—one must recognize that humanity faces temptation for three primary reasons: predominantly for testing, occasionally for the purpose of correction, and frequently as punishment for transgressions. Regarding the punishment for sins, this reflects the warning the Lord delivers to the nation of Israel: ‘and I will send upon them the teeth of beasts, and poison that creepeth upon the earth’.