“If you meet your enemy’s ox or his donkey going astray, you shall surely bring it back to him again.
Parallel translations
- KJV If thou meet thine enemy’s ox or his ass going astray, thou shalt surely bring it back to him again.
- BSB If you encounter your enemy’s stray ox or donkey, you must return it to him.
- NKJV “If you meet your enemy’s ox or his donkey going astray, you shall surely bring it back to him again.
- NASB “If you encounter your enemy’s ox or his donkey wandering away, you must return it to him.
- NLT “If you come upon your enemy’s ox or donkey that has strayed away, take it back to its owner.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
If you find your enemy's stray ox or donkey, you must return it to him. Love and integrity extend even to those who oppose you.
Overview
This remarkable command requires active good toward an enemy, returning his lost property rather than gloating or profiting. It anticipates the call to love one's enemies that Jesus made central to kingdom living (Matthew 5:44). Such selfless goodness toward foes reflects the heart of God, who loved us while we were still His enemies (Romans 5:10).
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 8
- Deut 22:1–4You shall not see your brother’s ox or his sheep go astray, and hide yourself from them. You shall surely bring them again to your brother.
- 1 Th 5:15See that no one returns evil for evil to anyone, but always follow after that which is good, for one another, and for all.
- Matt 5:44But I tell you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who mistreat you and persecute you,
- Luke 6:27–28“But I tell you who hear: love your enemies, do good to those who hate you,
- Prov 25:21If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat. If he is thirsty, give him water to drink:
- Rom 12:17–21Repay no one evil for evil. Respect what is honorable in the sight of all men.
- Prov 24:17–18Don’t rejoice when your enemy falls. Don’t let your heart be glad when he is overthrown;
- Job 31:29–30“If I have rejoiced at the destruction of him who hated me, or lifted up myself when evil found him
Themes, concepts, people & topics
Resources, by level
Commentaries & study tools
Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.
Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.
Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.
Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.
The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).
Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
Christ at the center
The Passover lamb whose blood turns away death, the exodus through the sea, the manna, the rock, and the tabernacle where God dwells with his people all foreshadow Jesus — our Passover, our redemption, the bread from heaven, and God-with-us in the flesh.
How Exodus 23:4 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.