Deuteronomy 22:1

If you see your brother’s ox or sheep straying, you must not ignore it; be sure to return it to your brother.

Berean Standard Bible

Study note

Setting — Moses addresses the Israelites with covenant stipulations before they cross the Jordan into the Promised Land.

The words — לֹא־תִרְאֶה (lo'- tir'eh) literally means "you will not see," functioning as a legal prohibition against ignoring what is visibly present, while שׁוֹר (shor) specifies the ox as the primary example of lost livestock.

The thread — Exodus 23:4 extends this obligation to an enemy’s stray animal, Deuteronomy 22:3 broadens it to include donkeys, garments, and other lost property, and Proverbs 24:11 applies the underlying principle to rescuing those facing death.

Why it lands — The text commands immediate action to restore a neighbor’s lost property and forbids passive indifference when need is in plain sight.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

לֹֽא־lo'-not תִרְאֶה֩tir.'Ehyou will see אֶת־'et-<obj.>שׁ֨וֹרShor[the] ox of אָחִ֜יךָ'a.Chi./khacountryman/ your א֤וֹ'oor אֶת־'et-<obj.>שֵׂיוֹ֙se.Y/osheep/ his נִדָּחִ֔יםni.da.Chimgoing astray וְהִתְעַלַּמְתָּ֖ve./hit.'a.lam.Taand/ you will hide yourselfמֵהֶ֑םme./Hemfrom <the>/ themהָשֵׁ֥בha.Shevcertainly <to return>תְּשִׁיבֵ֖םte.shi.Ve/myou will return/ them לְאָחִֽיךָ׃le./'a.Chi./khato/ countryman/ your

King James Version

Thou shalt not see thy brother’s ox or his sheep go astray, and hide thyself from them: thou shalt in any case bring them again unto thy brother.

Cross-references

Exodus 23:4 If you encounter your enemy’s stray ox or donkey, you must return it to him.
Deuteronomy 22:3 And you shall do the same for his donkey, his cloak, or anything your brother has lost and you have found. You must not ignore it.
Proverbs 24:11 Rescue those being led away to death, and restrain those stumbling toward the slaughter.
Isaiah 58:7 Isn’t it to share your bread with the hungry, to bring the poor and homeless into your home, to clothe the naked when you see him, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?
Ezekiel 34:16 I will seek the lost, bring back the strays, bind up the broken, and strengthen the weak; but the sleek and strong I will destroy. I will shepherd them with justice.’
Leviticus 20:4 And if the people of the land ever hide their eyes and fail to put to death the man who gives one of his children to Molech,
Proverbs 28:27 Whoever gives to the poor will not be in need, but he who hides his eyes will receive many curses.
Isaiah 8:17 I will wait for the LORD, who is hiding His face from the house of Jacob. I will put my trust in Him.
Ezekiel 34:4 You have not strengthened the weak, healed the sick, bound up the injured, brought back the strays, or searched for the lost. Instead, you have ruled them with violence and cruelty.
Matthew 10:6 Go rather to the lost sheep of Israel.