Exodus 23:4
2 You shall not follow the crowd in wrongdoing. When you testify in a lawsuit, do not pervert justice by siding with the crowd.
3 And do not show favoritism to a poor man in his lawsuit.
If you encounter your enemy’s stray ox or donkey, you must return it to him.
5 If you see the donkey of one who hates you fallen under its load, do not leave it there; you must help him with it.
6 You shall not deny justice to the poor in their lawsuits.
Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.
Compare
- BSB
- If you encounter your enemy’s stray ox or donkey, you must return it to him.
- KJV
- If thou meet thine enemy’s ox or his ass going astray, thou shalt surely bring it back to him again.
- WEB
- “If you meet your enemy’s ox or his donkey going astray, you shall surely bring it back to him again.
- ASV
- If thou meet thine enemy`s ox or his ass going astray, thou shalt surely bring it back to him again.
- DARBY
- If thou meet thine enemy's ox or his ass going astray, thou shalt certainly bring it back to him.
- BLB
- If you encounter the ox of your enemy or his donkey going astray, you shall surely return it to him.
- ÅB
- Når du treffer din fiendes okse eller hans esel som har gått seg vill, da skal du føre dem tilbake til ham.
- OTB
- "Hvis du møter din fiendes okse eller esel som har gått seg vill, skal du føre det tilbake til dem.
- B1930
- Når du treffer din fiendes okse eller hans asen som har gått sig vill, da skal du føre dem tilbake til ham.
Study notes (Tyndale)
Original text and word study
Cross references
Deuteronomy 22:1–4
If you see your brother’s ox or sheep straying, you must not ignore it; be sure to return it to your brother.
Read in context1 Thessalonians 5:15
Make sure that no one repays evil for evil. Always pursue what is good for one another and for all people.
Read in contextRomans 12:17–21
Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Carefully consider what is right in the eyes of everybody.
Read in contextMatthew 5:44
But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,
Read in contextLuke 6:27–28
But to those of you who will listen, I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you,
Read in contextProverbs 25:21
If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat, and if he is thirsty, give him water to drink.
Read in contextJob 31:29–30
If I have rejoiced in my enemy’s ruin, or exulted when evil befell him—
Read in contextProverbs 24:17–18
Do not gloat when your enemy falls, and do not let your heart rejoice when he stumbles,
Read in context