American Standard Version
Exodus 23:4
4If thou meet thine enemy’s ox or his ass going astray, thou shalt surely bring it back to him again.
Exodus 23:4 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)If thou meet thine enemy’s ox or his ass going astray, thou shalt surely bring it back to him again.
- New International Version (NIV)“If you come across your enemy’s ox or donkey wandering off, be sure to return it.
- English Standard Version (ESV)"If you meet your enemy's ox or his donkey going astray, you shall bring it back to him.
- New King James Version (NKJV)“If you meet your enemy’s ox or his donkey going astray, you shall surely bring it back to him again.
Context of Exodus 23:4
2Thou shalt not follow a multitude to do evil; neither shalt thou speak in a cause to turn aside after a multitude to wrest justice: 3neither shalt thou favor a poor man in his cause. If thou meet thine enemy’s ox or his ass going astray, thou shalt surely bring it back to him again. 5If thou see the ass of him that hateth thee lying under his burden, thou shalt forbear to leave him, thou shalt surely release it with him. 6Thou shalt not wrest the justice due to thy poor in his cause.
Read all of Exodus 23Exodus 23:4 word by word
כִּ֣י תִפְגַּ֞ע שׁ֧וֹר אֹֽיִבְךָ֛ א֥וֹ חֲמֹר֖וֹ תֹּעֶ֑ה הָשֵׁ֥ב תְּשִׁיבֶ֖נּוּ לֽוֹ׃ סRead the interlinear
Cross-references for Exodus 23:4
- Deuteronomy 22:1Thou shalt not see thy brother’s ox or his sheep go astray, and hide thyself from them: thou shalt surely bring them again unto thy brother.
- Job 31:29If I have rejoiced at the destruction of him that hated me, Or lifted up myself when evil found him
- Proverbs 24:17Rejoice not when thine enemy falleth, And let not thy heart be glad when he is overthrown;
- Proverbs 25:21If thine enemy be hungry, give him bread to eat; And if he be thirsty, give him water to drink:
- Matthew 5:44but I say unto you, Love your enemies, and pray for them that persecute you;
- Luke 6:27But I say unto you that hear, Love your enemies, do good to them that hate you,
- Romans 12:17Render to no man evil for evil. Take thought for things honorable in the sight of all men.
- 1 Thessalonians 5:15See that none render unto any one evil for evil; but always follow after that which is good, one toward another, and toward all.
Commentaries on Exodus 23:4
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 4If 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…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 4So 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.”Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1-9This call for justice includes a mixed list of covenant requirements. Most of these requirements deal with fairness and honesty in daily life. They show how God’s people should treat others with integrity.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-331. put not thine hand--join not hands.Read the comment
Topics related to Exodus 23:4
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Exodus 23
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
American Standard Version — 1901 — Public Domain
Commentaries