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Bible in Basic English
Exodus 23:4
If you come across the ox or the ass of one who is no friend to you wandering from its way, you are to take it back to him.
Jump to:Bible Study Tools • Parallel Bible Verse • Bible Contextual Overview • Bible Cross-References • Gill's Bible Notes • Clarke's Bible Notes • Barnes' Bible Notes
Bible Study Resources
Concordances:
- Nave'sDictionaries:
- BridgewayEncyclopedias:
- InternationalParallel Translations
Hebrew Names Version
"If you meet your enemy's ox or his donkey going astray, you shall surely bring it back to him again.
"If you meet your enemy's ox or his donkey going astray, you shall surely bring it back to him again.
King James Version
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 or his ass going astray, thou shalt surely bring it back to him again.
Lexham English Bible
"‘If you come upon the ox of your enemy or his donkey going astray, you will certainly bring it back to him.
"‘If you come upon the ox of your enemy or his donkey going astray, you will certainly bring it back to him.
New Century Version
"If you see your enemy's ox or donkey wandering away, you must return it to him.
"If you see your enemy's ox or donkey wandering away, you must return it to him.
New English Translation
"If you encounter your enemy's ox or donkey wandering off, you must by all means return it to him.
"If you encounter your enemy's ox or donkey wandering off, you must by all means return it to him.
Amplified Bible
"If you meet your enemy's ox or his donkey wandering off, you must bring it back to him.
"If you meet your enemy's ox or his donkey wandering off, you must bring it back to him.
New American Standard Bible
"If you encounter your enemy's ox or his donkey wandering away, you must return it to him.
"If you encounter your enemy's ox or his donkey wandering away, you must return it to him.
Geneva Bible (1587)
If thou meete thine enemies oxe, or his asse going astray, thou shalt bring him to him againe.
If thou meete thine enemies oxe, or his asse going astray, thou shalt bring him to him againe.
Legacy Standard Bible
"If you meet your enemy's ox or his donkey wandering away, you shall surely return it to him.
"If you meet your enemy's ox or his donkey wandering away, you shall surely return it to him.
Contemporary English Version
If you find an ox or a donkey that has wandered off, take it back where it belongs, even if the owner is your enemy.
If you find an ox or a donkey that has wandered off, take it back where it belongs, even if the owner is your enemy.
Complete Jewish Bible
"If you come upon your enemy's ox or donkey straying, you must return it to him.
"If you come upon your enemy's ox or donkey straying, you must return it to him.
Darby Translation
—If thou meet thine enemy's ox or his ass going astray, thou shalt certainly bring it back to him.
—If thou meet thine enemy's ox or his ass going astray, thou shalt certainly bring it back to him.
Easy-to-Read Version
"If you see a lost bull or donkey, then you must return it to its owner—even if the owner is your enemy.
"If you see a lost bull or donkey, then you must return it to its owner—even if the owner is your enemy.
English Standard Version
"If you meet your enemy's ox or his donkey going astray, you shall bring it back to him.
"If you meet your enemy's ox or his donkey going astray, you shall bring it back to him.
George Lamsa Translation
If you meet your enemys ox or his ass going astray, you shall surely bring it back to him again.
If you meet your enemys ox or his ass going astray, you shall surely bring it back to him again.
Good News Translation
"If you happen to see your enemy's cow or donkey running loose, take it back to him.
"If you happen to see your enemy's cow or donkey running loose, take it back to him.
Christian Standard Bible®
“If you come across your enemy’s stray ox or donkey, you must return it to him.
“If you come across your enemy’s stray ox or donkey, you must return it to him.
Literal Translation
When you happen on the ox of your enemy, or his wandering ass, returning you shall return it to him.
When you happen on the ox of your enemy, or his wandering ass, returning you shall return it to him.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Yf thou mete thine enemies oxe or Asse, goinge astraye, thou shalt brynge the same vnto him agayne.
Yf thou mete thine enemies oxe or Asse, goinge astraye, thou shalt brynge the same vnto him agayne.
American Standard Version
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 or his ass going astray, thou shalt surely bring it back to him again.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
If thou meete thyne enemies oxe or asse goyng astray, thou shalt bryng them to him agayne.
If thou meete thyne enemies oxe or asse goyng astray, thou shalt bryng them to him agayne.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
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 or his ass going astray, thou shalt surely bring it back to him again.
King James Version (1611)
If thou meete thine enemies oxe or his asse going astray, thou shalt surely bring it backe to him againe.
If thou meete thine enemies oxe or his asse going astray, thou shalt surely bring it backe to him againe.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And if thou meet thine enemy’s ox or his ass going astray, thou shalt turn them back and restore them to him.
And if thou meet thine enemy’s ox or his ass going astray, thou shalt turn them back and restore them to him.
English Revised Version
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 or his ass going astray, thou shalt surely bring it back to him again.
Berean Standard Bible
If you encounter your enemy's stray ox or donkey, you must return it to him.
If you encounter your enemy's stray ox or donkey, you must return it to him.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
If thou meetist `the oxe of thin enemye, ethir the asse errynge, lede thou ayen to hym.
If thou meetist `the oxe of thin enemye, ethir the asse errynge, lede thou ayen to hym.
Young's Literal Translation
`When thou meetest thine enemy's ox or his ass going astray, thou dost certainly turn it back to him;
`When thou meetest thine enemy's ox or his ass going astray, thou dost certainly turn it back to him;
Update Bible Version
If you meet your enemy's ox or his donkey going astray, you shall surely bring it back to him again.
If you meet your enemy's ox or his donkey going astray, you shall surely bring it back to him again.
Webster's Bible Translation
If thou shalt meet thy enemy's ox or his ass going astray, thou shalt surely bring it back to him again.
If thou shalt meet thy enemy's ox or his ass going astray, thou shalt surely bring it back to him again.
World English Bible
"If you meet your enemy's ox or his donkey going astray, you shall surely bring it back to him again.
"If you meet your enemy's ox or his donkey going astray, you shall surely bring it back to him again.
New King James Version
"If you meet your enemy's ox or his donkey going astray, you shall surely bring it back to him again.
"If you meet your enemy's ox or his donkey going astray, you shall surely bring it back to him again.
New Living Translation
"If you come upon your enemy's ox or donkey that has strayed away, take it back to its owner.
"If you come upon your enemy's ox or donkey that has strayed away, take it back to its owner.
New Life Bible
"If you meet a bull or donkey that belongs to a man who hates you, be sure to return the animal to him.
"If you meet a bull or donkey that belongs to a man who hates you, be sure to return the animal to him.
New Revised Standard
When you come upon your enemy's ox or donkey going astray, you shall bring it back.
When you come upon your enemy's ox or donkey going astray, you shall bring it back.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
When thou meetest the ox of thine enemy, or his ass, going astray, thou shalt, surely bring it back, to him.
When thou meetest the ox of thine enemy, or his ass, going astray, thou shalt, surely bring it back, to him.
Douay-Rheims Bible
If thou meet thy enemy’s ox or ass going astray, bring it back to him.
If thou meet thy enemy’s ox or ass going astray, bring it back to him.
Revised Standard Version
"If you meet your enemy's ox or his ass going astray, you shall bring it back to him.
"If you meet your enemy's ox or his ass going astray, you shall bring it back to him.
THE MESSAGE
"If you find your enemy's ox or donkey loose, take it back to him. If you see the donkey of someone who hates you lying helpless under its load, don't walk off and leave it. Help it up.
"If you find your enemy's ox or donkey loose, take it back to him. If you see the donkey of someone who hates you lying helpless under its load, don't walk off and leave it. Help it up.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
"If you meet your enemy's ox or his donkey wandering away, you shall surely return it to him.
"If you meet your enemy's ox or his donkey wandering away, you shall surely return it to him.
Contextual Overview
1 Do not let a false statement go further; do not make an agreement with evil-doers to be a false witness. 2 Do not be moved to do wrong by the general opinion, or give the support of your words to a wrong decision: 3 But, on the other hand, do not be turned from what is right in order to give support to a poor man's cause. 4 If you come across the ox or the ass of one who is no friend to you wandering from its way, you are to take it back to him. 5 If you see the ass of one who has no love for you bent down to the earth under the weight which is put on it, you are to come to its help, even against your desire. 6 Let no wrong decisions be given in the poor man's cause. 7 Keep yourselves far from any false business; never let the upright or him who has done no wrong be put to death: for I will make the evil-doer responsible for his sin. 8 Take no rewards in a cause: for rewards make blind those who have eyes to see, and make the decisions of the upright false. 9 Do not be hard on the man from a strange country who is living among you; for you have had experience of the feelings of one who is far from the land of his birth, because you yourselves were living in Egypt, in a strange land.
Bible Verse Review
from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge
Deuteronomy 22:1-4, Job 31:29, Job 31:30, Proverbs 24:17, Proverbs 24:18, Proverbs 25:21, Matthew 5:44, Luke 6:27, Luke 6:28, Romans 12:17-21, 1 Thessalonians 5:15
Reciprocal: Leviticus 6:3 - have found Leviticus 19:18 - not avenge Deuteronomy 22:4 - thou shalt surely Matthew 12:11 - and if Luke 10:34 - went Luke 14:5 - Which Romans 12:20 - if thine
Cross-References
Genesis 3:19
With the hard work of your hands you will get your bread till you go back to the earth from which you were taken: for dust you are and to the dust you will go back.
With the hard work of your hands you will get your bread till you go back to the earth from which you were taken: for dust you are and to the dust you will go back.
Genesis 17:8
And to you and to your seed after you, I will give the land in which you are living, all the land of Canaan for an eternal heritage; and I will be their God.
And to you and to your seed after you, I will give the land in which you are living, all the land of Canaan for an eternal heritage; and I will be their God.
Genesis 23:12
And Abraham went down on his face before the people of the land.
And Abraham went down on his face before the people of the land.
Genesis 23:13
And Abraham said to Ephron, in the hearing of the people of the land, If only you will give ear to me, I will give you the price of the field; take it, and let me put my dead to rest there.
And Abraham said to Ephron, in the hearing of the people of the land, If only you will give ear to me, I will give you the price of the field; take it, and let me put my dead to rest there.
Genesis 23:16
And Abraham took note of the price fixed by Ephron in the hearing of the children of Heth, and gave him four hundred shekels in current money.
And Abraham took note of the price fixed by Ephron in the hearing of the children of Heth, and gave him four hundred shekels in current money.
Genesis 47:9
And Jacob said, The years of my wanderings have been a hundred and thirty; small in number and full of sorrow have been the years of my life, and less than the years of the wanderings of my fathers.
And Jacob said, The years of my wanderings have been a hundred and thirty; small in number and full of sorrow have been the years of my life, and less than the years of the wanderings of my fathers.
Genesis 49:30
In the rock in the field of Machpelah, near Mamre in the land of Canaan, which Abraham got from Ephron the Hittite, to be his resting-place.
In the rock in the field of Machpelah, near Mamre in the land of Canaan, which Abraham got from Ephron the Hittite, to be his resting-place.
Genesis 50:13
For they took him into the land of Canaan and put him to rest in the hollow rock in the field of Machpelah, which Abraham got with the field, for a resting-place, from Ephron the Hittite at Mamre.
For they took him into the land of Canaan and put him to rest in the hollow rock in the field of Machpelah, which Abraham got with the field, for a resting-place, from Ephron the Hittite at Mamre.
Leviticus 25:23
No exchange of land may be for ever, for the land is mine, and you are as my guests, living with me for a time.
No exchange of land may be for ever, for the land is mine, and you are as my guests, living with me for a time.
1 Chronicles 29:15
For we, as all our fathers were, are like men from a strange country before you, who have got a place for a time in the land; our days on the earth are like a shade, and there is no hope of going on.
For we, as all our fathers were, are like men from a strange country before you, who have got a place for a time in the land; our days on the earth are like a shade, and there is no hope of going on.
Gill's Notes on the Bible
If thou meet thine enemy's ox or his ass going astray,.... Or any other beast, as the Samaritan version adds; for these are only mentioned for instances, as being more common, and creatures subject to go astray; now when such as these are met going astray, so as to be in danger of being lost to the owner, though he is an enemy; or as the Targum of Jonathan,
"whom thou hatest because of a sin, which thou alone knowest in him;''
yet this was not so far to prejudice the finder of his beasts against him, as to be careless about them, to suffer them to go on without acquainting him with them, or returning them to him, as follows:
thou shalt surely bring it back to him again; whether it be an ox, or an ass, or any other beast, the law is very strong and binding upon the finder to return it to his neighbour, though an enemy, and bring it either to his field or to his farm.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible
So far was the spirit of the law from encouraging personal revenge that it would not allow a man to neglect an opportunity of saving his enemy from loss.
Exodus 23:5
The sense appears to be: “If thou see the ass of thine enemy lying down under his burden, thou shalt forbear to pass by him; thou shalt help him in loosening the girths of the ass.”
Clarke's Notes on the Bible
Verse Exodus 23:4. 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 receive no other comment than that which its influence on the heart of a kind and merciful man produces in his life.
