John Gill's Bible Commentary Ver. 4. Thou shall not see thy brother’s ox or his ass fall down by the way , etc.] And lie under his burden, not being able to rise with it of himself, nor with all the assistance about it, without further help: and hide thyself from them ; cover thine eyes, or turn them another way, and make as if thou didst not see them in distress: thou shalt surely help him to lift them up again ; that is, help the brother and owner of it, the ox and ass; assist him in getting them up again, and lay on their burden, and fasten them aright, which either were rolled off by the fall, or were obliged to be taken off in order to raise them up; and if this was to be done for an enemy, then much more for a brother, as is required, (see Gill on “ Exodus 23:5”), or “lifting up, thou shall lift them up with him” f324 ; that is, most certainly do it, and lift with all his strength, and as often as there is occasion; if they fell down again after raised up, help is still to be continued, even, as Maimonides says, though it was an hundred times.
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 חמור2543 אחיך251 או176 שׁורו7794 נפלים5307 בדרך1870 והתעלמת5956 מהם1992 הקם6965 תקים6965 עמו׃5973
