If thou meet thine enemy’s ox or his ass going astray, thou shalt surely bring it back to him again.
If you come across your enemy's ox or donkey that has wandered off, you must definitely return it to him.
This verse teaches that we should help our enemies by returning their lost property, showing kindness even to those who oppose us.
📚 Historical Context
In the context of the Exodus narrative, God was delivering the Israelites from Egypt and establishing laws for their new society through the Mosaic Covenant. This verse is part of the ethical instructions in the Covenant Code, which emphasized treating even enemies with fairness in a world where retaliation was common in ancient Near Eastern cultures. It reflected God's character of justice and mercy, guiding the Israelites to live differently from surrounding nations.
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