John Gill's Bible Commentary Ver. 1. Thou shall not see thy brother’s ox or his sheep go astray , etc.] Or “driven away” f313 ; frightened and starved away from the herd or from the flock by a wolf or dog; and the ox and sheep are put for every other creature a man has, as camels, asses, etc. which last sort is after mentioned; and a brother means not one in the natural relation of kindred only, for it is supposed, in the next verse, that he might not only be at a distance, but unknown; nor by religion only, or one of the commonwealth or church of the Jews, for what is enjoined is a piece of humanity the law of nature requires and directs unto, and is even to be done to enemies, ( Exodus 23:4) and hide thyself from them; make as if he did not see them, and so be entirely negligent of them, and takes no care and show no concern about them, but let them go on wandering from the herd and flock from whence they were driven, and to which they cannot find the way of themselves: thou shalt in any case bring them again to thy brother : to his herd or flock, or to his house, and deliver them into his own hands, or to the care of his servants.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 1-4 - If we duly regard the golden rule of "doing to others as we would the 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.
Original Hebrew לא3808 תראה7200 את853 שׁור7794 אחיך251 או176 את853 שׂיו7716 נדחים5080 והתעלמת5956 מהם1992 השׁב7725 תשׁיבם7725 לאחיך׃251
