“If you meet your enemy’s ox or his donkey going astray, you shall bring it back to him.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This commandment is a profound, practical step beyond simple non-harm towards active kindness, even for someone who has wronged you. It highlights that showing compassion for another's lost possession isn't just about the animal, but about embodying a spirit of reconciliation that challenges personal animosity.
“If you meet your enemy’s ox or his donkey going astray, you shall bring it back to him.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This passage is part of a series of laws given to the Israelites, detailing how they should live justly and ethically within their community. Immediately before this, the laws address issues like false reports and being an unrighteous witness, emphasizing truthfulness in legal matters. Following these verses, the text shifts to laws concerning justice for the poor and avoiding favoritism, before moving into Sabbath regulations and festival observances.
Ever felt like treating someone you dislike with kindness is just… impossible? This ancient law challenges that very idea.
The Mosaic Law, often seen as a set of strict rules, also contained radical commands that seem far ahead of their time. Exodus 23:4 is a prime example.
Beyond Basic Neighborliness
Most laws of the time would expect you to help a friend or neighbor. But this verse goes further. It commands you to go out of your way to help someone you consider an enemy.
Why would God command His people to actively help their enemies? It seems so… counterintuitive!
Ask a follow-up
This command wasn't given in a vacuum. It was part of a larger vision for Israel's identity and its relationship with God and the world.
A Distinct Identity
God desired Israel to be a people set apart, reflecting His own character. This included demonstrating a mercy and justice that transcended personal feelings.
Understand the original words
oyeb · Hebrew Noun
A person who acts out of hostility or animosity toward another. The Bible commands believers to show care and responsibility even toward those who hold them in enmity, reflecting the nature of God's common grace.
This passage expands on the same principle, instructing Israelites to return lost animals not just to enemies, but to any neighbor, highlighting a consistent concern for neighborly care regardless of relationship.
Matthew 5:44Jesus directly quotes and elevates this principle, commanding his followers to 'love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,' showing the Old Testament command as a foundational step towards New Testament love.
Luke 10:25-37The parable of the Good Samaritan illustrates this principle by showing compassion and active help to a stranger (and implicitly, someone who could be considered an 'enemy' in a broader sense), demonstrating that mercy extends beyond typical boundaries.
Proverbs 25:21-22This proverb echoes the sentiment of Exodus 23:4, stating 'If your enemy is hungry, give him bread to eat, and if he is thirsty, give him water to drink,' directly linking kindness to enemies with divine favor.
pulpitExodus 23:4: "If thou meet thine enemy's ox or his ass going astray, thou shalt surely bring it back to him again."
Verse 4. - Thine enemy's ox. A private enemy is here spoken of, not a public one, as in Deuteronomy 23:6. It is remarkable that the law should have so far anticipated Christianity as to have laid it down that men have duties of friendliness even towards their enemies, and are bound under certain circumstances to render them a service. "Hate thine enemies" (Matthew 5:43) was no inj…
clarkeExodus 23:4: "If thou meet thine enemy's ox or his ass going astray, thou shalt surely bring it back to him again."
If thou meet thine enemy's ox - going astray - From the humane and heavenly maxim in this and the following verse, our blessed Lord has formed the following precept: "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;" Matthew 5:44 . A precept so plain, wise, benevolent, and useful, can recei…
This commandment is a profound, practical step beyond simple non-harm towards active kindness, even for someone who has wronged you. It highlights that showing compassion for another's lost possession isn't just about the animal, but about embodying a spirit of reconciliation that challenges personal animosity.
This passage is part of a series of laws given to the Israelites, detailing how they should live justly and ethically within their community. Immediately before this, the laws address issues like false reports and being an unrighteous witness, emphasizing truthfulness in legal matters. Following these verses, the text shifts to laws concerning justice for the poor and avoiding favoritism, before moving into Sabbath regulations and festival observances.
This passage is part of a series of laws given to the Israelites, detailing how they should live justly and ethically within their community. Immediately before this, the laws address issues like false reports and being an unrighteous witness, emphasizing truthfulness in legal matters. Following these verses, the text shifts to laws concerning justice for the poor and avoiding favoritism, before moving into Sabbath regulations and festival observances.
"“If you meet your enemy’s ox or his donkey going astray, you shall bring it back to him." — This commandment is a profound, practical step beyond simple non-harm towards active kindness, even for someone who has wronged you. It highlights that showing compassion for another's lost possess…
Get the original Greek and Hebrew, verse-by-verse context, and related passages inside the app.
Last reviewed October 2026