Deuteronomy 22 · Verse 4

Deuteronomy 22:4

Thou shalt not see thy brother’s ass or his ox fall down by the way, and hide thyself from them: thou shalt surely help him to lift them up again.
Deuteronomy 22:4, King James Version

Deuteronomy 22:4 in other translations

BSBIf you see your brother’s donkey or ox fallen on the road, you must not ignore it; you must help him lift it up.
WEBYou shall not see your brother’s donkey or his ox fallen down by the way, and hide yourself from them. You shall surely help him to lift them up again.
ASVThou shalt not see thy brother’s ass or his ox fallen down by the way, and hide thyself from them: thou shalt surely help him to lift them up again.
YLT‘Thou dost not see the ass of thy brother, or his ox, falling in the way, and hast hid thyself from them; thou dost certainly raise them up with him.
DARBYThou shalt not see thy brother's ass or his ox fall by the way, and hide thyself from them: thou shalt in any case help him to lift them up.
BBEIf you see your brother's ox or his ass falling down on the road, do not go by without giving him help in lifting it up again.
WebsterThou shalt not see thy brother's ass or his ox fall down by the way, and hide thyself from them: thou shalt surely help him to lift them up again.

What does Deuteronomy 22:4 mean?

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Deuteronomy 22:1-4

If we duly regard the golden rule of "doing to others as we would they should do unto us," many particular precepts might be omitted. We can have no property in any thing that we find. Religion teaches us to be neighbourly, and to be ready to do all good offices to all men. We know not how soon we may have occasion for help.

Read the full comment on Deuteronomy 22:1-4 →

Deuteronomy 22:4 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

לֹא\־lo'-notH3808
תִרְאֶה֩tir.'Ehyou will seeH7200
אֶת\־'et-<obj.>H853
חֲמ֨וֹרcha.Mor[the] donkey ofH2543
אָחִ֜יךָ'a.Chi.khacountryman yourH251
א֤וֹ'oorH176
שׁוֹרוֹ֙sho.Roox hisH7794
נֹפְלִ֣יםno.fe.LimfallingH5307
בַּדֶּ֔רֶךְba.De.rekhby the wayH1870
וְהִתְעַלַּמְתָּ֖ve.hit.'a.lam.Taand you will hide yourselfH5956
מֵהֶ֑םme.Hemfrom <the> them
הָקֵ֥םha.Kemcertainly <to raise>H6965
תָּקִ֖יםta.Kimyou will raise [it] upH6965
עִמּֽוֹ\׃\ \סi.Mowith himH5973

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Deuteronomy 22:4

  • Romans 15:1

    We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves.

  • Luke 10:29-37

    But he, willing to justify himself, said unto Jesus, And who is my neighbour? And Jesus answering said, A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment, and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead. And by chance there came down a certain priest that way: and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. And likewise a Levite, when he was at the place, came and looked on him, and passed by on the other side. …

  • Exodus 23:4-5

    If thou meet thine enemy’s ox or his ass going astray, thou shalt surely bring it back to him again. If thou see the ass of him that hateth thee lying under his burden, and wouldest forbear to help him, thou shalt surely help with him.

  • 1 Thessalonians 5:14

    Now we exhort you, brethren, warn them that are unruly, comfort the feebleminded, support the weak, be patient toward all men.

  • 2 Corinthians 12:15

    And I will very gladly spend and be spent for you; though the more abundantly I love you, the less I be loved.

  • Galatians 6:1-2

    Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted. Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.

  • Matthew 5:44

    But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;

  • Hebrews 12:12-13

    Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees; And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
thou shalt surely.
Ex 23:4,5; Mt 5:44; Lu 10:29-37; Ro 15:1; 2Co 12:15; Ga 6:1,2
1Th 5:14; Heb 12:12,13

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Deuteronomy 22:3

    In like manner shalt thou do with his ass; and so shalt thou do with his raiment; and with all lost thing of thy brother’s, which he hath lost, and thou hast found, shalt thou do likewise: thou mayest not hide thyself.

  • Deuteronomy 22:4

    Thou shalt not see thy brother’s ass or his ox fall down by the way, and hide thyself from them: thou shalt surely help him to lift them up again.

  • Deuteronomy 22:5

    The woman shall not wear that which pertaineth unto a man, neither shall a man put on a woman’s garment: for all that do so are abomination unto the Lord thy God.

Read all of Deuteronomy 22

Deuteronomy 22:4 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909
No verás el asno de tu hermano, ó su buey, caídos en el camino, y te esconderás de ellos: con él has de procurar levantarlos.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885
Si tu vois l’âne de ton frère, ou son bœuf, tombés sur le chemin, tu ne te cacheras pas de devant eux: tu ne manqueras pas de les relever avec lui.
German
Elberfelder 1871
Du sollst nicht den Esel deines Bruders oder sein Rind auf dem Wege fallen sehen und dich ihnen entziehen; du sollst sie jedenfalls mit ihm aufrichten.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate
Si videris asinum fratris tui aut bovem cecidisse in via, non despicies, sed sublevabis cum eo.