Deuteronomy 22:1
in Deuteronomy 22If you see your brother’s ox or sheep straying, you must not ignore it; be sure to return it to your brother.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Thou shalt not see thy brother’s ox or his sheep go astray, and hide thyself from them: thou shalt surely bring them again unto thy brother.
KJV
Thou shalt not see thy brother’s ox or his sheep go astray, and hide thyself from them: thou shalt in any case bring them again unto thy brother.
⋯
This verse in Deuteronomy 22
Commentary
8 notes on this verseThou shalt not see thy brother’s ox or his sheep go astray - The same humane, merciful, and wise regulations which we met with before, Exo 23:4, Exo 23:5, well calculated to keep in remembrance the second grand branch of the law of God, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. A humane man cannot bear to see even an ass fall under his burden, and not endeavor to relieve him; and a man who loves his neighbor as himself cannot see his property in danger without endeavoring to preserve it.
This site's exposition
If you see your brother’s ox or sheep straying
on Deuteronomy 22:1-4
The phrase “you must not ignore it” runs through the rule on lost property. Exodus 23:4-5 gave the same duty about an enemy's ox and donkey. Here the animal belongs to a brother, so the duty covers both ends of that range.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
Let no one deceive himself, nor put forward the pretext of having found such property. For it is not lawful, even for a man who has found anything, to aggrandize himself by it. For Deuteronomy says: "Thou shalt not see thy brother's ox or his …
Scripture teaches us by means of natural fellowship to treat the object found as a trust and not to hold hatred of an enemy.
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
Thou shall not see thy brother's ox or his sheep go astray,....
This must be done in pity to the very cattle, which, while they wandered, were exposed; and in civility and respect to the owner, nay, and in justice to him, for it was doing as we would be done by, which is one of the fundamental laws of equity.
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
The duty inculcated is an act of common justice and charity, which, while it was taught by the law of nature, was more clearly and forcibly enjoined in the law delivered by God to His people.
1 more voice on this verse
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
On the general character of the contents of this chapter see Deu 21:10 note.
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
You may not observe your brother’s ox or his sheep lost and conceal yourself from them; you must surely return them to your brother.
This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.
Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 6 further sources are cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.
The words behind it
14 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| לֹֽא־ | lo'- | not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| תִרְאֶה֩ | tireh | you will see | H7200 → | 1300 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| שׁ֨וֹר | shor | [the] ox of | H7794 → | 79 times |
| אָחִ֜יךָ | ʾachikha | countryman your | H251 → | 630 times |
| א֤וֹ | ʾo | or | H176 → | 321 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| שֵׂיוֹ֙ | seyo | sheep his | H7716 → | 47 times |
| נִדָּחִ֔ים | nidachim | going astray | H5080 → | 55 times |
| וְהִתְעַלַּמְתָּ֖ | vehitalamta | and you will hide yourself | H5956 → | 28 times |
| מֵהֶ֑ם | mehem | from <the> them | ||
| הָשֵׁ֥ב | hashev | certainly <to return> | H7725 → | 1056 times |
| תְּשִׁיבֵ֖ם | teshivem | you will return them | H7725 → | 1056 times |
| לְאָחִֽיךָ׃ | leachikha | to countryman your | H251 → | 630 times |
לֹֽא־not
lo'-H3808 →5168 times
תִרְאֶה֩you will see
tirehH7200 →1300 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
שׁ֨וֹר[the] ox of
shorH7794 →79 times
אָחִ֜יךָcountryman your
ʾachikhaH251 →630 times
א֤וֹor
ʾoH176 →321 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
שֵׂיוֹ֙sheep his
seyoH7716 →47 times
נִדָּחִ֔יםgoing astray
nidachimH5080 →55 times
וְהִתְעַלַּמְתָּ֖and you will hide yourself
vehitalamtaH5956 →28 times
מֵהֶ֑םfrom <the> them
mehem
הָשֵׁ֥בcertainly <to return>
hashevH7725 →1056 times
תְּשִׁיבֵ֖םyou will return them
teshivemH7725 →1056 times
לְאָחִֽיךָ׃to countryman your
leachikhaH251 →630 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Isaiah 58:7Isn’t it to share your bread with the hungry, to bring the poor and homeless into your home, to clothe the naked when you see him, and not to turn away from your own…
it leads to
- Matthew 25:35–45
For I was hungry and you gave Me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave Me something to drink, I was a stranger and you took Me in,
- Luke 3:11
John replied, “Whoever has two tunics should share with him who has none, and whoever has food should do the same.”
- Ezekiel 18:7
He does not oppress another, but restores the pledge to the debtor. He does not commit robbery, but gives his bread to the hungry and covers the naked with clothing.
- 1 John 3:17–18
If anyone with earthly possessions sees his brother in need, but withholds his compassion from him, how can the love of God abide in him?
- Proverbs 28:27
Whoever gives to the poor will not be in need, but he who hides his eyes will receive many curses.
- Matthew 25:35–45
Through
Ezekiel 34:16I will seek the lost, bring back the strays, bind up the broken, and strengthen the weak; but the sleek and strong I will destroy. I will shepherd them with justice.’
it leads to
- Luke 19:10
For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”
- Ezekiel 34:4
You have not strengthened the weak, healed the sick, bound up the injured, brought back the strays, or searched for the lost. Instead, you have ruled them with violence and cruelty.
- Luke 19:10
Through
Proverbs 24:11Rescue those being led away to death, and restrain those stumbling toward the slaughter.
it leads to
- Psalms 82:4
Rescue the weak and needy; save them from the hand of the wicked.
- Psalms 82:4
Where this verse is studied
About Deuteronomy
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Clement of Alexandria, The Stromata Book 2; Gregory of Neocaesarea, CANONICAL EPISTLE 4; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); Keil and Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament: The Pentateuch and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.