Exodus 23:5

Study note

Setting — God delivers this command to Israel through Moses within the covenant law code, situated between instructions on returning stray property and administering impartial justice. The audience is the assembled community tasked with governing daily conduct.

The words — The Hebrew verb חָדַלְתָּ (cha.dal.Ta) literally means "you will refrain" or "you will not leave," paired with רֹבֵץ (ro.Vetz), "lying down," to depict the animal trapped beneath its burden.

The thread — The directive parallels Deuteronomy 22:4, which commands lifting a brother’s fallen donkey or ox, and directly follows Exodus 23:4’s order to return a stray animal to its owner.

Why it lands — The text commands physical assistance for an enemy’s distressed animal, overriding personal hostility with a concrete duty. It requires the reader to intervene practically rather than withdraw from another’s immediate need.

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.