XXII.

Deuteronomy 22:1-4. LOST PROPERTY.

(1) Go astray.--Literally, being driven away, as by wild beasts (Jeremiah 1:17), or by robbers. It is not simply straying. "I will seek that which was lost and bring again that which was driven away" (Ezekiel 34:16), and so in many other passages.

Thou shalt not . . . hide thyself from them.--Comp. Proverbs 24:12. "If thou sayest, Behold we knew it not . . . doth not He know it?" And Isaiah 58:7, "that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh."

(3) In like manner . . . with all lost thing of thy brother's.--This is only a particular case of the second great commandment. "Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself."

(4) Thou shalt not see thy brother's ass or his ox fall down . . . and hide thyself.--In Exodus 23:4-5, this is put even more strongly. "If thou meet thine enemy's ox or his ass going astray, thou shalt surely bring it back to him again. If thou see the ass of him that hateth thee lying under his burden . . . thou shalt surely help with him."

Verse 1. - Go astray; wandering at large. The Hebrew verb means primarily to seduce, draw aside, or entice (cf. Deuteronomy 13:6); and in the passive conveys the idea of wandering through being drawn away by some enticement. Hide thyself from them; i.e. withdraw thyself from them, avoid noticing them or having to do with them. In any case; certainly, without fail.

22:1-4 If we duly regard the golden rule of doing to others as we would they 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.Thou shall not see thy brother's ox or his sheep go astray,.... Or "driven away" (r); frightened and starved away from the herd or from the flock by a wolf or dog; and the ox and sheep are put for every other creature a man has, as camels, asses, &c. which last sort is after mentioned; and a brother means not one in the natural relation of kindred only, for it is supposed, in the next verse, that he might not only be at a distance, but unknown; nor by religion only, or one of the commonwealth or church of the Jews, for what is enjoined is a piece of humanity the law of nature requires and directs unto, and is even to be done to enemies, Exodus 23:4 and hide thyself from them; make as if he did not see them, and so be entirely negligent of them, and takes no care and show no concern about them, but let them go on wandering from the herd and flock from whence they were driven, and to which they cannot find the way of themselves:

thou shalt in any case bring them again to thy brother: to his herd or flock, or to his house, and deliver them into his own hands, or to the care of his servants.

(r) "expulsos", Montanus; "impulsos", Munster; "depulsos", Piscator.