If you see the donkey of one who hates you lying down under its burden, you shall refrain from leaving him with it; you shall rescue it with him.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This verse is more than just a call to aid an enemy's animal; it’s a radical command to "leave aside" your own grievances. The Hebrew phrasing suggests you should "surely leave behind" your resentment to actively help, demonstrating that true mercy means setting aside your personal feelings to address another's immediate need, even when it's difficult.
If you see the donkey of one who hates you lying down under its burden, you shall refrain from leaving him with it; you shall rescue it with him.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This command appears amidst a series of laws governing justice and community life in ancient Israel, directly following instructions on reporting truthfully and avoiding bias in legal proceedings. It abruptly shifts focus from human testimony to practical, compassionate action, even towards an enemy, emphasizing a broader ethical responsibility that transcends personal animosity. The text later elaborates on caring for animals and the poor, suggesting a theme of extending compassion beyond one's immediate circle.
When you see someone struggling, even someone you don't get along with, what does God ask of you?
This verse presents a powerful challenge: actively help your enemy when they are in need.
The Unexpected Command
It's easy to offer help to friends or even neutral parties. But God's law here pushes us further. If you see the donkey of someone who hates you struggling under its load, you must help.
Why This Command?
What does it mean to 'help with him' when your instinct is to turn away?
The phrase 'you shall rescue it him' is key. It implies partnership in the act of compassion, even with an adversary.
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Shared Effort, Shared Humanity
The Hebrew wording suggests a deep obligation, an active involvement that overrides personal dislike.
Understand the original words
sane · Hebrew Verb/Participle
An individual who harbors deep-seated aversion or ill-will. The text mandates providing practical help to such a person, demonstrating that love and moral obligation supersede personal feelings of conflict.
This passage shares the same core command to help an enemy's animal under its burden, highlighting this as a consistent principle of compassion in the Law.
Luke 10:30-37Jesus' parable of the Good Samaritan extends this principle beyond mere obligation to an enemy, illustrating radical, unexpected compassion for any neighbor in need.
Matthew 5:43-44Jesus calls His followers to a higher standard, to love their enemies and pray for those who persecute them, which fulfills the spirit of this command in Exodus by transforming the heart's disposition.
Proverbs 25:21-22This proverb echoes the sentiment of Exodus 23:5 by directly stating that feeding an enemy coals of fire is an act of kindness that can lead to repentance, showing the transformative power of benevolent action.
pulpitExodus 23:5: "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."
Verse 5. - If thou see the ass of him that hateth thee, etc. The general meaning of the passage is clear - assistance is to be given to the fallen ass of an enemy - but the exact sense of both the second and third clauses is doubtful. Many renderings have been suggested; but it is not clear that any one of them is an improvement on the Authorised…
gillExodus 23:5: "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."
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…
This verse is more than just a call to aid an enemy's animal; it’s a radical command to "leave aside" your own grievances. The Hebrew phrasing suggests you should "surely leave behind" your resentment to actively help, demonstrating that true mercy means setting aside your personal feelings to address another's immediate need, even when it's difficult.
This command appears amidst a series of laws governing justice and community life in ancient Israel, directly following instructions on reporting truthfully and avoiding bias in legal proceedings. It abruptly shifts focus from human testimony to practical, compassionate action, even towards an enemy, emphasizing a broader ethical responsibility that transcends personal animosity. The text later elaborates on caring for animals and the poor, suggesting a theme of extending compassion beyond one's immediate circle.
This command appears amidst a series of laws governing justice and community life in ancient Israel, directly following instructions on reporting truthfully and avoiding bias in legal proceedings. It abruptly shifts focus from human testimony to practical, compassionate action, even towards an enemy, emphasizing a broader ethical responsibility that transcends personal animosity. The text later elaborates on caring for animals and the poor, suggesting a theme of extending compassion beyond one's immediate circle.
"If you see the donkey of one who hates you lying down under its burden, you shall refrain from leaving him with it; you shall rescue it with him." — This verse is more than just a call to aid an enemy's animal; it’s a radical command to "leave aside" your own grievances. The Hebrew phrasing suggests you should "surely leave behind" your resentmen…
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Last reviewed October 2026