The Meaning of Deuteronomy 22:4 Explained

Deuteronomy 22:4

KJV: Thou shalt not see thy brother's ass or his ox fall down by the way, and hide thyself from them: thou shalt surely help him to lift them up again.

YLT: Thou dost not see the ass of thy brother, or his ox, falling in the way, and hast hid thyself from them; thou dost certainly raise them up with him.

Darby: Thou shalt not see thy brother's ass or his ox fall by the way, and hide thyself from them: thou shalt in any case help him to lift them up.

ASV: Thou shalt not see thy brother's ass or his ox fallen down by the way, and hide thyself from them: thou shalt surely help him to lift them up again.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Thou shalt not see  thy brother's  ass  or his ox  fall down  by the way,  and hide  thyself from them: thou shalt surely  help him to lift [them] up again. 

What does Deuteronomy 22:4 Mean?

Chapter Summary: Deuteronomy 22

1  Of humanity toward brothers
5  The sex is to be distinguished by apparel
6  The bird is not to be taken with her young ones
8  The house must have battlements
9  Confusion is to be avoided
12  Tassels upon the vesture
13  The punishment of him who slanders his wife
22  of adultery
23  of rape
28  of fornication
30  of incest

What do the individual words in Deuteronomy 22:4 mean?

Not You shall see - donkey of your brother or his ox fall down along the road and hide yourself from them surely You shall help lift [them] up again him -
לֹא־ תִרְאֶה֩ אֶת־ חֲמ֨וֹר אָחִ֜יךָ א֤וֹ שׁוֹרוֹ֙ נֹפְלִ֣ים בַּדֶּ֔רֶךְ וְהִתְעַלַּמְתָּ֖ מֵהֶ֑ם הָקֵ֥ם תָּקִ֖ים עִמּֽוֹ ס

תִרְאֶה֩  You  shall  see 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, second person masculine singular
Root: רָאָה 
Sense: to see, look at, inspect, perceive, consider.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
חֲמ֨וֹר  donkey 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: חֲמֹור 
Sense: (he)ass.
אָחִ֜יךָ  of  your  brother 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, second person masculine singular
Root: אָח  
Sense: brother.
שׁוֹרוֹ֙  his  ox 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: שֹׁור  
Sense: ox, bull, a head of cattle.
נֹפְלִ֣ים  fall  down 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine plural
Root: נָפַל  
Sense: to fall, lie, be cast down, fail.
בַּדֶּ֔רֶךְ  along  the  road 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, common singular
Root: דֶּרֶךְ  
Sense: way, road, distance, journey, manner.
וְהִתְעַלַּמְתָּ֖  and  hide  yourself 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hitpael, Conjunctive perfect, second person masculine singular
Root: עָלַם  
Sense: to conceal, hide, be hidden, be concealed, be secret.
מֵהֶ֑ם  from  them 
Parse: Preposition-m, Pronoun, third person masculine plural
Root: הֵם 
Sense: they, these, the same, who.
הָקֵ֥ם  surely 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Infinitive absolute
Root: קוּם 
Sense: to rise, arise, stand, rise up, stand up.
תָּקִ֖ים  You  shall  help  lift  [them]  up  again 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Imperfect, second person masculine singular
Root: קוּם 
Sense: to rise, arise, stand, rise up, stand up.
ס  - 
Parse: Punctuation