Exodus 23:4

Gereviseerde Lutherse Vertaling

Wanneer gij uws vijands os of ezel ontmoet, en ziet, dat hij dwaalt, zo zult gij dien weder tot hem brengen.

Parallel Translations

Gereviseerde Leidse Vertaling
Wanneer gij het rund of den ezel van uw vijand verdwaald aantreft, dan moet gij ze hem zonder feil terugbrengen.

Staten Vertaling
Wanneer gij uws vijands os, of zijn dwalenden ezel, ontmoet, gij zult hem denzelven ganselijk wederbrengen.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Deuteronomy 22:1-4, Job 31:29, Job 31:30, Proverbs 24:17, Proverbs 24:18, Proverbs 25:21, Matthew 5:44, Luke 6:27, Luke 6:28, Romans 12:17-21, 1 Thessalonians 5:15

Reciprocal: Leviticus 6:3 - have found Leviticus 19:18 - not avenge Deuteronomy 22:4 - thou shalt surely Matthew 12:11 - and if Luke 10:34 - went Luke 14:5 - Which Romans 12:20 - if thine

Gill's Notes on the Bible

If thou meet thine enemy's ox or his ass going astray,.... Or any other beast, as the Samaritan version adds; for these are only mentioned for instances, as being more common, and creatures subject to go astray; now when such as these are met going astray, so as to be in danger of being lost to the owner, though he is an enemy; or as the Targum of Jonathan,

"whom thou hatest because of a sin, which thou alone knowest in him;''

yet this was not so far to prejudice the finder of his beasts against him, as to be careless about them, to suffer them to go on without acquainting him with them, or returning them to him, as follows:

thou shalt surely bring it back to him again; whether it be an ox, or an ass, or any other beast, the law is very strong and binding upon the finder to return it to his neighbour, though an enemy, and bring it either to his field or to his farm.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

So far was the spirit of the law from encouraging personal revenge that it would not allow a man to neglect an opportunity of saving his enemy from loss.

Exodus 23:5

The sense appears to be: “If thou see the ass of thine enemy lying down under his burden, thou shalt forbear to pass by him; thou shalt help him in loosening the girths of the ass.”

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Exodus 23:4. If thou meet thine enemy's ox - going astray — From the humane and heavenly maxim in this and the following verse, our blessed Lord has formed the following precept: "Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you and persecute you;" Matthew 5:44. A precept so plain, wise, benevolent, and useful, can receive no other comment than that which its influence on the heart of a kind and merciful man produces in his life.