Deuteronomy 22:4

4 You shall not see your brother's ass or his ox fallen down by the way, and withhold your help from them; you shall help him to lift them up again.

Deuteronomy 22:4 Meaning and Commentary

Deuteronomy 22:4

Thou shall not see thy brother's ox or his ass fall down by the
way
And lie under his burden, not being able to rise with it of himself, nor with all the assistance about it, without further help:

and hide thyself from them;
cover thine eyes, or turn them another way, and make as if thou didst not see them in distress:

thou shalt surely help him to lift them up again;
that is, help the brother and owner of it, the ox and ass; assist him in getting them up again, and lay on their burden, and fasten them aright, which either were rolled off by the fall, or were obliged to be taken off in order to raise them up; and if this was to be done for an enemy, then much more for a brother, as is required, (See Gill on Exodus 23:5), or "lifting up, thou shall lift them up with him" ^F4; that is, most certainly do it, and lift with all his strength, and as often as there is occasion; if they fell down again after raised up, help is still to be continued, even, as Maimonides ^F5 says, though it was an hundred times.

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FOOTNOTES:

F4 (Myqt Mqh) "erigendo eriges", Pagninus, Montanus.
F5 Hilchot Rotzeach, c. 13. sect. 5.

Deuteronomy 22:4 In-Context

2 And if he is not near you, or if you do not know him, you shall bring it home to your house, and it shall be with you until your brother seeks it; then you shall restore it to him.

3 And so you shall do with his ass; so you shall do with his garment; so you shall do with any lost thing of your brother's, which he loses and you find; you may not withhold your help.

4 You shall not see your brother's ass or his ox fallen down by the way, and withhold your help from them; you shall help him to lift them up again.

5 "A woman shall not wear anything that pertains to a man, nor shall a man put on a woman's garment; for whoever does these things is an abomination to the LORD your God.

6 "If you chance to come upon a bird's nest, in any tree or on the ground, with young ones or eggs and the mother sitting upon the young or upon the eggs, you shall not take the mother with the young;