Deuteronomy 22:4

4 Yf thou se that thy brothers asse or oxe is fallen doune by the waye, thou shalt not withdrawe thy selfe from them: but shalt helpe him to heue them vp agayne.

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 Yf thy brother be not nye vnto the or yf thou knowe him not, then bringe them vnto thine awne housse and lett them be with the, vntyll thy brother axe after them, and then delyuer him them agayne.

3 In like maner shalt thou doo with his asse, with his rayment and with all lost thinges of thy brother which he hath lost and thou hast founde, and thou maist not withdrawe thy selfe.

4 Yf thou se that thy brothers asse or oxe is fallen doune by the waye, thou shalt not withdrawe thy selfe from them: but shalt helpe him to heue them vp agayne.

5 The woman shall not weere that whiche pertayneth vnto the man, nether shall a man put on womans rayment. For all that doo so, are abhomynacyon vnto the Lorde thi God.

6 Yf thou chaunce vppon a byrds nest by the waye, in what soeuer tree it be or on the groude, whether they be younge or egges, ad the dame sittenge vppon the younge or vppo the egges: Thou shalt not take the mother with the younge.