Exodus 23:5
If you see the donkey of one who hates you fallen under its load, do not leave it there; you must help him with it.
If you see
The phrase "If you see" implies a call to awareness and attentiveness. In the Hebrew context, the verb "to see" (רָאָה, ra'ah) often goes beyond mere physical sight to include understanding and perception. This suggests that God calls His people to be observant and discerning, not just in their immediate surroundings but also in recognizing opportunities to act righteously and compassionately.

the donkey
The donkey, or חֲמוֹר (chamor) in Hebrew, was a common beast of burden in ancient Israel. It symbolizes the everyday life and labor of the people. The donkey's presence in this verse highlights the importance of practical, everyday acts of kindness and the recognition of the burdens others carry, both literally and metaphorically.

of someone who hates you
This phrase challenges the believer to transcend personal animosities. The Hebrew word for "hate" (שָׂנֵא, sane) indicates a deep-seated enmity. The command to assist even those who harbor ill will towards us reflects the radical nature of God's love and the call to love one's enemies, a theme that Jesus later emphasizes in the New Testament (Matthew 5:44).

fallen under its load
The image of a donkey "fallen under its load" evokes a scene of struggle and helplessness. The Hebrew root for "fallen" (נָפַל, naphal) conveys a sense of being overwhelmed or defeated. This serves as a metaphor for the burdens people face in life, reminding believers of their duty to support and uplift those who are struggling, regardless of personal feelings.

do not leave it there
This command is a direct prohibition against indifference. The Hebrew construction here is emphatic, urging immediate action. It underscores the moral imperative to intervene and assist, reflecting God's justice and mercy. The believer is called to be proactive in addressing the needs of others, embodying the love and compassion of God.

you must help him with it
The phrase "you must help him with it" is a call to action and partnership. The Hebrew verb עָזַב (azab) means to assist or support. This command not only emphasizes the importance of helping others but also suggests a shared responsibility in alleviating burdens. It reflects the communal nature of God's people, where each member is responsible for the well-being of others, fostering a spirit of unity and love.

Persons / Places / Events
1. The Israelites
The original audience of the laws given in Exodus, including this commandment, were the Israelites, God's chosen people, who were being instructed on how to live righteously.

2. The Donkey
A common beast of burden in ancient times, representing the practical and everyday concerns of life. The donkey in this verse symbolizes the burdens and challenges faced by others, even those who may be considered enemies.

3. The Enemy
The person who "hates you" is a significant figure in this verse, representing those with whom we have conflict or enmity. The command challenges the believer to act with compassion and integrity regardless of personal feelings.

4. The Load
The burden under which the donkey has fallen symbolizes the struggles and difficulties that people face, which can be both physical and spiritual.

5. The Act of Helping
This event is a call to action, urging believers to assist others in need, regardless of personal animosity, reflecting God's love and justice.
Teaching Points
Compassion Over Conflict
This verse teaches that compassion should override personal animosity. Believers are called to act with kindness and mercy, even towards those who may oppose them.

Practical Love
Love is not just a feeling but an action. Helping an enemy's donkey is a tangible expression of love and obedience to God's commands.

Reflecting God's Character
By helping those who hate us, we reflect God's character, who shows kindness to both the just and the unjust.

Overcoming Evil with Good
This command encourages believers to overcome evil with good, a principle that is foundational to Christian ethics.

Community and Responsibility
The verse highlights the importance of community and the responsibility we have towards one another, regardless of personal relationships.
Bible Study Questions
1. How does the command in Exodus 23:5 challenge our natural inclinations towards those who oppose us?

2. In what ways can we apply the principle of helping our "enemy's donkey" in modern-day situations?

3. How does this verse connect with Jesus' teaching in the Sermon on the Mount about loving our enemies?

4. What are some practical steps we can take to ensure we are ready to help others, even those we may not get along with?

5. How does bearing one another's burdens, as mentioned in Galatians 6:2, relate to the command in Exodus 23:5?
Connections to Other Scriptures
Proverbs 25:21-22
This passage echoes the theme of kindness to one's enemy, suggesting that such actions can lead to reconciliation and divine reward.

Matthew 5:44
Jesus' teaching to love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you aligns with the spirit of Exodus 23:5, emphasizing the call to transcend personal grievances.

Galatians 6:2
The exhortation to bear one another's burdens connects with the practical application of helping others, as seen in the command to assist the fallen donkey.
Seeking the Things Which Make for JusticeD. Young Exodus 23:1-9
Doing Justice and Loving MercyJ. Orr Exodus 23:1-10
A Humane DispositionFrances E. Willard.Exodus 23:4-5
Neighbourly ConductExodus 23:4-5
On Duties to EnemiesJ. W. Burn.Exodus 23:4-5
People
Amorites, Canaanites, Hittites, Hivite, Hivites, Jebusites, Moses, Perizzites
Places
Euphrates River, Mount Sinai, Red Sea, Sea of the Philistines
Topics
Ass, Bent, Beware, Burden, Ceased, Certainly, Crouching, Desire, Donkey, Fallen, Forbear, Hast, Hates, Hateth, Hating, Helpless, Leave, Leaving, Lift, Load, Loosen, Love, Lying, Pass, Refrain, Release, Seest, Someone, Sure, Surely, Weight, Wouldest
Dictionary of Bible Themes
Exodus 23:5

     5053   responsibility, for world
     8737   evil, responses to

Exodus 23:1-9

     5361   justice, human

Exodus 23:4-5

     5972   unkindness
     8452   neighbours, duty to

Library
The Feast of Ingathering in the End of the Year
'And the feast of harvest, the first-fruits of thy labours, which them hast sown In thy field: and the feast of ingathering, which is in the end of the year, when thou hast gathered in thy labours out of the field.' --EXODUS xxiii. 16. The Israelites seem to have had a double beginning of the year--one in spring, one at the close of harvest; or it may only be that here the year is regarded from the natural point of view--a farmer's year. This feast was at the gathering in of the fruits, which was
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

Wesley Clothes French Prisoners
Monday, October 1 (Bristol).--All my leisure time, during my stay at Bristol, I employed in finishing the fourth volume of "Discourses"; probably the last which I shall publish. Monday, 15--l walked up to Knowle, a mile from Bristol, to see the French prisoners. About eleven hundred of them, we are informed, were confined in that little place, without anything to lie on but a little dirty straw, or anything to cover them but a few foul thin rags, either by day or night, so that they died like rotten
John Wesley—The Journal of John Wesley

The Consecration of Joy
'And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, 34. Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, The fifteenth day of this seventh month shall be the feast of tabernacles for seven days unto the Lord. 35. On the first day shall be an holy convocation: ye shall do no servile work therein. 36. Seven days ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto the Lord; on the eighth day shall be an holy convocation unto you; and ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto the Lord: it is a solemn assembly; and ye shall
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

The Wonderful.
Isaiah ix:6. HIS name shall be called "Wonderful" (Isaiah ix:6). And long before Isaiah had uttered this divine prediction the angel of the Lord had announced his name to be Wonderful. As such He appeared to Manoah. And Manoah said unto the angel of Jehovah, What is thy name, that when thy sayings come to pass we may do thee honor. And the angel of Jehovah said unto Him "why askest thou thus after my name, seeing it is Wonderful" (margin, Judges xiii:17-18). This angel of Jehovah, the Person who
Arno Gaebelein—The Lord of Glory

The Lord's Prayer.
(Jerusalem. Thursday Night.) ^D John XVII. ^d 1 These things spake Jesus; and lifting up his eyes to heaven [the action marked the turning of his thoughts from the disciples to the Father], he said, Father, the hour is come [see pp. 116, 440]; glorify thy Son, that the son may glorify thee: 2 even as thou gavest him authority over all flesh, that to all whom thou hast given him, he should give eternal life. [The Son here prays for his glorification, viz.: resurrection, ascension, coronation, etc.,
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel

Parable of the Good Samaritan.
(Probably Judæa.) ^C Luke X. 25-37. ^c 25 And behold, a certain lawyer stood up and made trial of him, saying, Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? [For the term lawyer see pp. 313, 314, The lawyer wished to make trial of the skill of Jesus in solving the intricate and difficult question as to how to obtain salvation. Jesus was probably teaching in some house or courtyard, and his habit of giving local color to his parables suggests that he was probably in or near Bethany, through
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel

Appendix viii. Rabbinic Traditions About Elijah, the Forerunner of the Messiah
To complete the evidence, presented in the text, as to the essential difference between the teaching of the ancient Synagogue about the Forerunner of the Messiah' and the history and mission of John the Baptist, as described in the New Testaments, we subjoin a full, though condensed, account of the earlier Rabbinic traditions about Elijah. Opinions differ as to the descent and birthplace of Elijah. According to some, he was from the land of Gilead (Bemid. R. 14), and of the tribe of Gad (Tanch. on
Alfred Edersheim—The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah

The Second Series of Parables - the Two Parables of Him who is Neighbour to Us: the First, Concerning the Love That, Unasked, Gives in Our
THE period between Christ's return from the Feast of the Dedication' and His last entry into Jerusalem, may be arranged into two parts, divided by the brief visit to Bethany for the purpose of raising Lazarus from the dead. Even if it were possible, with any certainty, chronologically to arrange the events of each of these periods, the variety and briefness of what is recorded would prevent our closely following them in this narrative. Accordingly, we prefer grouping them together as the Parables
Alfred Edersheim—The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah

Love in the Old Covenant.
"A new commandment I give unto you, that ye love one another."-- John xiii. 34. In connection with the Holy Spirit's work of shedding abroad the love of God in our hearts, the question arises: What is the meaning of Christ's word, "A new commandment I give unto you"? How can He designate this natural injunction, "To love one another," a new commandment? This offers no difficulty to those who entertain the erroneous view that during His ministry on earth Christ established a new and higher religion,
Abraham Kuyper—The Work of the Holy Spirit

Palestine Eighteen Centuries Ago
Eighteen and a half centuries ago, and the land which now lies desolate--its bare, grey hills looking into ill-tilled or neglected valleys, its timber cut down, its olive- and vine-clad terraces crumbled into dust, its villages stricken with poverty and squalor, its thoroughfares insecure and deserted, its native population well-nigh gone, and with them its industry, wealth, and strength--presented a scene of beauty, richness, and busy life almost unsurpassed in the then known world. The Rabbis never
Alfred Edersheim—Sketches of Jewish Social Life

Exhortations to those who are Called
IF, after searching you find that you are effectually called, I have three exhortations to you. 1. Admire and adore God's free grace in calling you -- that God should pass over so many, that He should pass by the wise and noble, and that the lot of free grace should fall upon you! That He should take you out of a state of vassalage, from grinding the devil's mill, and should set you above the princes of the earth, and call you to inherit the throne of glory! Fall upon your knees, break forth into
Thomas Watson—A Divine Cordial

The Blessing of Jacob Upon Judah. (Gen. Xlix. 8-10. )
Ver. 8. "Judah, thou, thy brethren shall praise thee; thy hand shall be on the neck of thine enemies; before thee shall bow down the sons of thy father. Ver. 9. A lion's whelp is Judah; from the prey, my son, thou goest up; he stoopeth down, he coucheth as a lion, and as a full-grown lion, who shall rouse him up? Ver. 10. The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come, and unto Him the people shall adhere." Thus does dying Jacob, in announcing
Ernst Wilhelm Hengstenberg—Christology of the Old Testament

In the Temple at the Feast of Tabernacles.
(October, a.d. 29.) ^D John VII. 11-52. ^d 11 The Jews therefore sought him at the feast, and said, Where is he? [It was now eighteen months since Jesus had visited Jerusalem, at which time he had healed the impotent man at Bethesda. His fame and prolonged obscurity made his enemies anxious for him to again expose himself in their midst. John here used the word "Jews" as a designation for the Jerusalemites, who, as enemies of Christ, were to be distinguished from the multitudes who were in doubt
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel

Concerning Justification.
Concerning Justification. As many as resist not this light, but receive the same, it becomes in them an holy, pure, and spiritual birth, bringing forth holiness, righteousness, purity, and all those other blessed fruits which are acceptable to God: by which holy birth, to wit, Jesus Christ formed within us, and working his works in us, as we are sanctified, so are we justified in the sight of God, according to the apostle's words; But ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in
Robert Barclay—Theses Theologicae and An Apology for the True Christian Divinity

Scriptures Showing the Sin and Danger of Joining with Wicked and Ungodly Men.
Scriptures Showing The Sin And Danger Of Joining With Wicked And Ungodly Men. When the Lord is punishing such a people against whom he hath a controversy, and a notable controversy, every one that is found shall be thrust through: and every one joined with them shall fall, Isa. xiii. 15. They partake in their judgment, not only because in a common calamity all shares, (as in Ezek. xxi. 3.) but chiefly because joined with and partakers with these whom God is pursuing; even as the strangers that join
Hugh Binning—The Works of the Rev. Hugh Binning

Gen. xxxi. 11
Of no less importance and significance is the passage Gen. xxxi. 11 seq. According to ver. 11, the Angel of God, [Hebrew: mlaK halhiM] appears toJacob in a dream. In ver. 13, the same person calls himself the God of Bethel, with reference to the event recorded in chap. xxviii. 11-22. It cannot be supposed that in chap xxviii. the mediation of a common angel took place, who, however, had not been expressly mentioned; for Jehovah is there contrasted with the angels. In ver. 12, we read: "And behold
Ernst Wilhelm Hengstenberg—Christology of the Old Testament

How to Make Use of Christ as the Truth, when Error Prevaileth, and the Spirit of Error Carrieth Many Away.
There is a time when the spirit of error is going abroad, and truth is questioned, and many are led away with delusions. For Satan can change himself into an angel of light, and make many great and fairlike pretensions to holiness, and under that pretext usher in untruths, and gain the consent of many unto them; so that in such a time of temptation many are stolen off their feet, and made to depart from the right ways of God, and to embrace error and delusions instead of truth. Now the question is,
John Brown (of Wamphray)—Christ The Way, The Truth, and The Life

A Discourse of Mercifulness
Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy. Matthew 5:7 These verses, like the stairs of Solomon's temple, cause our ascent to the holy of holies. We are now mounting up a step higher. Blessed are the merciful . . '. There was never more need to preach of mercifulness than in these unmerciful times wherein we live. It is reported in the life of Chrysostom that he preached much on this subject of mercifulness, and for his much pressing Christians to mercy, he was called of many, the alms-preacher,
Thomas Watson—The Beatitudes: An Exposition of Matthew 5:1-12

The Development of the Earlier Old Testament Laws
[Sidenote: First the principle, and then the detailed laws] If the canon of the New Testament had remained open as long as did that of the Old, there is little doubt that it also would have contained many laws, legal precedents, and ecclesiastical histories. From the writings of the Church Fathers and the records of the Catholic Church it is possible to conjecture what these in general would have been. The early history of Christianity illustrates the universal fact that the broad principles are
Charles Foster Kent—The Origin & Permanent Value of the Old Testament

The Best Things Work for Good to the Godly
WE shall consider, first, what things work for good to the godly; and here we shall show that both the best things and the worst things work for their good. We begin with the best things. 1. God's attributes work for good to the godly. (1). God's power works for good. It is a glorious power (Col. i. 11), and it is engaged for the good of the elect. God's power works for good, in supporting us in trouble. "Underneath are the everlasting arms" (Deut. xxxiii. 27). What upheld Daniel in the lion's den?
Thomas Watson—A Divine Cordial

Exodus
The book of Exodus--so named in the Greek version from the march of Israel out of Egypt--opens upon a scene of oppression very different from the prosperity and triumph in which Genesis had closed. Israel is being cruelly crushed by the new dynasty which has arisen in Egypt (i.) and the story of the book is the story of her redemption. Ultimately it is Israel's God that is her redeemer, but He operates largely by human means; and the first step is the preparation of a deliverer, Moses, whose parentage,
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament

Links
Exodus 23:5 NIV
Exodus 23:5 NLT
Exodus 23:5 ESV
Exodus 23:5 NASB
Exodus 23:5 KJV

Exodus 23:5 Commentaries

Bible Hub
Exodus 23:4
Top of Page
Top of Page