John Gill's Bible Commentary Ver. 3. Or have found that which was lost, and lieth concerning it , etc.] Who having found anything lost, at once concludes it his own, and converts it to his own use, never inquiring after the proprietor of it, or taking any method to get knowledge of him, and restore it to him; but so far from that, being suspected of finding it, and charged with it denies it:
Maimonides gives a reason why a lost thing should be restored, not only because so to do is a virtue in itself praiseworthy, but because it has a reciprocal utility; for if you do not restore another’s lost things, neither will your own be restored to you: and sweareth falsely ; which is to be understood, not of the last case only, but of all the rest, or of anyone of them, as it follows: in any of all these that a man doeth, sinning therein ; by unfaithfulness in a trust, cheating, defrauding, lying, and false swearing.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 1-7 - Though all the instances relate to our neighbour, yet it is called trespass against the Lord. Though the person injured be mean, and eve despicable, yet the injury reflects upon that God who has made the command of loving our neighbour next to that of loving himself. Huma laws make a difference as to punishments; but all methods of doin wrong to others, are alike violations of the Divine law, even keepin what is found, when the owner can be discovered. Frauds are generall accompanied with lies, often with false oaths. If the offender woul escape the vengeance of God, he must make ample restitution, accordin to his power, and seek forgiveness by faith in that one Offering whic taketh away the sin of the world. The trespasses here mentioned, stil are trespasses against the law of Christ, which insists as much upo justice and truth, as the law of nature, or the law of Moses.
Original Hebrew או176 מצא4672 אבדה9 וכחשׁ3584 בה ונשׁבע7650 על5921 שׁקר8267 על5921 אחת259 מכל3605 אשׁר834 יעשׂה6213 האדם120 לחטא2398 בהנה׃2007
