Exodus 23:4

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

2You shall not follow the crowd in doing evil, nor shall you testify in a dispute so as to join together with a crowd in order to pervert justice; 3nor shall you show favor to a poor person in his dispute. “If you encounter your enemy’s ox or his donkey wandering away, you must return it to him. 5If you see the donkey of one who hates you lying helpless under its load, you shall not leave it helpless for its owner; you must arrange the load with him. 6“You shall not pervert the justice due to your needy brother in his dispute.

Exodus 23:4 word by word

כִּ֣י תִפְגַּ֞ע שׁ֧וֹר אֹֽיִבְךָ֛ א֥וֹ חֲמֹר֖וֹ תֹּעֶ֑ה הָשֵׁ֥ב תְּשִׁיבֶ֖נּוּ לֽוֹ׃ סRead the interlinear

• Ifכִּיkîy · forH3588
• you encounterפָּגַעpâga‛ · to fall onH6293
• your enemy’sאָיַב'âyab · be hostileH340
• oxשׁוֹרshôr · cattleH7794
• orאוֹ'ô 'av · orH176
• his donkeyחֲמוֹרchămôr chămôr · donkeyH2543
• wanderingתָּעָהtâ‛âh · to go astrayH8582
• you mustשׁוּבshûb · to return: rescueH7725
• returnשׁוּבshûb · to return: returnH7725

Cross-references for Exodus 23:4

• Deuteronomy 22:1“You shall not see your countryman’s ox or his sheep straying away, and avoid them; you shall certainly bring them back to your countryman.
• Job 31:29“Have I rejoiced at the misfortune of my enemy, Or become excited when evil found him?
• Proverbs 24:17Do not rejoice when your enemy falls, And do not let your heart rejoice when he stumbles,
• Proverbs 25:21If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat; And if he is thirsty, give him water to drink;
• Matthew 5:44But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,
• Luke 6:27“But I say to you who hear, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you,
• Romans 12:17Never repay evil for evil to anyone. Respect what is right in the sight of all people.
• 1 Thessalonians 5:15See that no one repays another with evil for evil, but always seek what is good for one another and for all people.

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

• Forgiveness
• Neighbor
• Stray

In the dictionaries

• Beware
• Book
• Countenance
• Ingathering
• Refresh
• Seethe
• Turn
• Wrest
• Astray
• Bible, the

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