Exodus 23:5

5 If thou seest that the ass of him that hateth thee lieth under a burden, thou shalt not pass, but thou shalt raise up it with him. (If thou seest that the donkey of him who hateth thee lieth under a burden, thou shalt not pass by, but thou shalt raise it up with him.)

Exodus 23:5 Meaning and Commentary

Exodus 23:5

If thou see the ass of him that hateth thee lying under his
burden
Fallen down, and such a burden upon him that he cannot rise up again, but lies under it, and the owner of it is not able of himself to raise it up again:

and wouldst forbear to help him;
show an inclination to pass on without giving him any assistance to get up his beast again; or "wouldst thou forbear to help him?" ^F23 as Jarchi, and others, read with an interrogation, could it be in thine heart to forbear helping him? couldest thou go on, and take no notice of him and his case, and not join him in endeavouring to get up his beast again, that he may proceed its his journey? canst thou be so cruel and hardhearted, though he is thine enemy? but if thou art, know this,

thou shalt surely help with him;
to get up his ass again: hence the Jewish canon runs thus ^F24,

``if an ass is unloaded and loaded four or five times, a man is bound, i.e. to help, as it is said, "in helping thou shalt help"; if he (the owner) goes away, and sets himself down, seeing the command is upon thee, if it is thy will and pleasure to unload, unload, he is free; for it is said, with him; if he is an old man, or sick, he is bound, the command of the law is to unload, but not to load.''

The words may be rendered, "in leaving thou shalt leave with him" ^F25; either leave or forsake thine enmity to help him, as Onkelos; or leave thy business, thou art about, to lend him an hand to raise up his beast again.

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FOOTNOTES:

F23 (bzem tldxw) "num desines sublevare eum?" some in Vatablus; "cessabis auxitiari ei?" Drusius; "desines auxiliari ei?" Pagninus.
F24 Misn. Bava Metzia, c. 2. sect. 10.
F25 "Deserendo deseres cum eo", Montanus; so Ainsworth.

Exodus 23:5 In-Context

3 Also thou shalt not have mercy of a poor man in a cause, or doom. (And thou shalt not favour a poor person in his case, or in its judgement.)

4 If thou meetest thine enemy's ox, either his ass, straying, lead it again to him. (If thou seest thy enemy's ox, or his donkey, straying, lead it back to him.

5 If thou seest that the ass of him that hateth thee lieth under a burden, thou shalt not pass, but thou shalt raise up it with him. (If thou seest that the donkey of him who hateth thee lieth under a burden, thou shalt not pass by, but thou shalt raise it up with him.)

6 Thou shalt not bow [away] from truth in the doom of a poor man. (Thou shalt not turn away from the truth in the judgement of a poor person.)

7 Thou shalt flee leasing. Thou shalt not slay an innocent man, and just; for I am adversary to a wicked man. (Thou shalt flee from lies. Thou shalt not kill the innocent, or the just; for I am the adversary to the wicked.)