Deuteronomy 22:3

Verse

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.

American Standard Version (1901)

And so shalt thou do with his ass; and so shalt thou do with his garment; and so shalt thou do with every lost thing of thy brother’s, which he hath lost, and thou hast found: thou mayest not hide thyself.

Bible in Basic English

Do the same with his ass or his robe or anything which has gone from your brother's keeping and which you have come across: do not keep it to yourself.

Douay-Rheims 1899

Thou shalt do in like manner with his ass, and with his raiment, and with every thing that is thy brother’s, which is lost: if thou find it, neglect it not as pertaining to another.

Free Bible Version

Do the same for whatever else you find that someone has lost—a donkey, a cloak, anything. Don't just ignore it.

Geneva Bible 1599

In like maner shalt thou do with his asse, and so shalt thou do with his rayment, and shalt so doe with all lost things of thy brother, which he hath lost: if thou hast found them, thou shalt not withdraw thy selfe from them.

King James (Authorized) Version

In like manner shalt thou do with his ass; and so shalt thou do with his raiment; and with all lost thing of thy brother’s, which he hath lost, and thou hast found, shalt thou do likewise: thou mayest not hide thyself.

One Unity Resource Bible

So you shall do with his donkey. So you shall do with his garment. So you shall do with every lost thing of your brother’s which he has lost. If you find something of your brother’s that he has lost, you must not ignore it.

Translation for Translators

You must do the same thing if you see a donkey, or a piece of clothing, or anything else that someone has lost. Do not refuse to do what you should do.

Unlocked Literal Bible

You must do the same with his donkey; you must do the same with his garment; you must do the same with every lost thing of your fellow Israelite's, anything that he has lost and you have found; you must not hide yourself.

Noah Webster Bible

In like manner shalt thou do with his ass; and so shalt thou do with his raiment; and with all lost things of thy brother's, which he hath lost, and thou hast found, shalt thou do likewise: thou mayest not hide thyself.

World English Bible

So you shall do with his donkey. So you shall do with his garment. So you shall do with every lost thing of your brother’s, which he has lost and you have found. You may not hide yourself.

Young's Literal Translation

and so thou dost to his ass, and so thou dost to his garment, and so thou dost to any lost thing of thy brother's, which is lost by him, and thou hast found it; thou art not able to hide thyself.

Context

Various Laws

²If your brother does not live near you, or if you do not know who he is, you are to take the animal home to remain with you until your brother comes seeking it; then you can return it to him.³And 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.

Summary

Deuteronomy 22:3 instructs the Israelites to return any lost property they find to their neighbor. This command reflects God's concern for justice, honesty, and care for others within the community. By emphasizing the importance of returning lost items, this verse promotes a culture of integrity and compassion among God's people. It also teaches the principle of loving one's neighbor as oneself, showing that God values fairness and kindness in human interactions.

Commentary

John Gill

John Gill Bible Commentary

In like manner shall thou do with his ass,.... As with his ox or sheep when astray, and found, keep it until it is owned, and then restore it; this is expressly mentioned in Exo 23:4. and so shalt thou do with his raiment; if that is lost and found, it must be restored to the owner, he describing it; a garment is particularly mentioned, it is said (a), because in every garment there is a mark or sign by which the owners can inquire about it; for it is made by the hands of men, and does not come from anything common: and with all lost things of thy brother's, which he hath lost, and thou hast found, shalt thou do likewise: this comprehends everything that is lost, that is properly so; it is asked (b);"what is a lost thing? if a man finds an ox or a cow feeding in the way, this is not a lost thing; an ass whose instruments are inverted, and a cow running among the vineyards, this is a lost thing:" thou mayest not hide thyself: from seeing it and taking care of it, in order to restore it to the right owner; or dissemble a sight of it, and pretend he never saw it, and so entirely neglect it. In some instances the Jews allow they were not obliged to take any notice or care of it, as,"if a man find a cow in a cow house (which is not shut), he is not obliged (to take care of it); if in a public place, he is obliged; if it is in a burying ground he may not defile himself for it (c).'' (a) Bartenora in Misn. Bava Metzia, c. 2. sect. 5. (b) Misn. ib. sect. 9. (c) Ib. sect. 10.