Deuteronomy 22:1

1 Thou shalt not see thy brother's ox, either sheep, erring, and shalt pass thereby, but thou shalt bring it again to thy brother. (Thou shalt not see thy brother's ox, or sheep, go astray, and pass by it, but thou shalt bring it back to thy brother, that is, thy kinsman.)

Deuteronomy 22:1 Meaning and Commentary

Deuteronomy 22:1

Thou shall not see thy brother's ox or his sheep go astray,
&c.] Or "driven away" ^F18; frightened and starved away from the herd or from the flock by a wolf or dog; and the ox and sheep are put for every other creature a man has, as camels, asses which last sort is after mentioned; and a brother means not one in the natural relation of kindred only, for it is supposed, in the next verse, that he might not only be at a distance, but unknown; nor by religion only, or one of the commonwealth or church of the Jews, for what is enjoined is a piece of humanity the law of nature requires and directs unto, and is even to be done to enemies, ( Exodus 23:4 ) and hide thyself from them; make as if he did not see them, and so be entirely negligent of them, and takes no care and show no concern about them, but let them go on wandering from the herd and flock from whence they were driven, and to which they cannot find the way of themselves:

thou shalt in any case bring them again to thy brother:
to his herd or flock, or to his house, and deliver them into his own hands, or to the care of his servants.

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FOOTNOTES:

F18 (Myxdn) "expulsos", Montanus; "impulsos", Munster; "depulsos", Piscator.

Deuteronomy 22:1 In-Context

1 Thou shalt not see thy brother's ox, either sheep, erring, and shalt pass thereby, but thou shalt bring it again to thy brother. (Thou shalt not see thy brother's ox, or sheep, go astray, and pass by it, but thou shalt bring it back to thy brother, that is, thy kinsman.)

2 And if thy brother is not nigh, neither thou knowest him, thou shalt lead those beasts into thine house (thou shalt bring those beasts back to thy house), and those shall be with thee, as long as thy brother seeketh them, and till he receive them (back again).

3 In like manner thou shalt do of thy brother's ass, and of his cloth, and of each thing of thy brother, that was lost; if thou findest it, be thou not negligent, as of an alien thing. (In like manner thou shalt do with thy brother's donkey, and his cloak, and with anything else of thy brother's, that was lost; if thou findest it, be thou not negligent, that is, do not just pass by it.)

4 If thou seest that the ass, either the ox, of thy brother hath fallen in the way, thou shalt not despise (it), but thou shalt raise (it up) with him. (If thou seest that thy brother's donkey, or his ox, hath fallen down along the way, thou shalt not just ignore it, but thou shalt help him lift it up again.)

5 A woman shall not be clothed in a man's cloak, neither a man shall use a woman's cloak; for he that doeth these things is abominable before God.