Deuteronomy 22:3

3 And thus [also] you shall do regarding his donkey, and thus you shall do concerning his garment, and so you shall do with respect to all [of] the lost property of your countryman that is lost from him and you find it; you are not allowed to withhold help.

Deuteronomy 22:3 Meaning and Commentary

Deuteronomy 22:3

In like manner shall thou do with his ass
As with his ox or sheep when astray, and found, keep it until it is owned, and then restore it; this is expressly mentioned in ( Exodus 23:4 )

and so shalt thou do with his raiment;
if that is lost and found, it must be restored to the owner, he describing it; a garment is particularly mentioned, it is said ^F1, because in every garment there is a mark or sign by which the owners can inquire about it; for it is made by the hands of men, and does not come from anything common:

and with all lost things of thy brother's, which he hath lost, and thou
hast found, shalt thou do likewise:
this comprehends everything that is lost, that is properly so; it is asked ^F2;

``what is a lost thing? if a man finds an ox or a cow feeding in the way, this is not a lost thing; an ass whose instruments are inverted, and a cow running among the vineyards, this is a lost thing:''

thou mayest not hide thyself:
from seeing it and taking care of it, in order to restore it to the right owner; or dissemble a sight of it, and pretend he never saw it, and so entirely neglect it. In some instances the Jews allow they were not obliged to take any notice or care of it, as,

``if a man find a cow in a cow house (which is not shut), he is not obliged (to take care of it); if in a public place, he is obliged; if it is in a burying ground he may not defile himself for it ^F3.''

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FOOTNOTES:

F1 Bartenora in Misn. Bava Metzia, c. 2. sect. 5.
F2 Misn. ib. sect. 9.
F3 Ib. sect. 10.

Deuteronomy 22:3 In-Context

1 "You shall not watch the ox of your neighbor or his sheep or goat straying and ignore them; certainly you shall return them to your neighbor.

2 And if your countryman [is] not near you or you do not know {who he is}, then you shall bring it {to your household}, and it shall be with you {until your countryman seeks after it}, and you shall return it to him.

3 And thus [also] you shall do regarding his donkey, and thus you shall do concerning his garment, and so you shall do with respect to all [of] the lost property of your countryman that is lost from him and you find it; you are not allowed to withhold help.

4 "You shall not see the donkey of your neighbor or his ox fallen on the road and you ignore them; certainly you must help them [get] up [along] with him.

5 "The apparel of a man shall not be [put] on a woman, and a man shall not wear the clothing of a woman, because everyone who does these things is detestable to Yahweh your God.

Footnotes

• [a]. Or "to"
• [b]. Or "to"
• [c]. Or "to"
• [d]. Or "brother"