Deuteronomy 21:6

Deuteronomy 21:6 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And all the elders of that city, that are next unto the slain man, shall wash their hands over the heifer that is beheaded in the valley:
• New International Version (NIV)Then all the elders of the town nearest the body shall wash their hands over the heifer whose neck was broken in the valley,
• English Standard Version (ESV)And all the elders of that city nearest to the slain man shall wash their hands over the heifer whose neck was broken in the valley,
• New King James Version (NKJV)And all the elders of that city nearest to the slain man shall wash their hands over the heifer whose neck was broken in the valley.

Context of Deuteronomy 21:6

4and the elders of that city shall bring the heifer down to a [river] valley with running water, which has not been plowed or planted, and shall break the heifer’s neck there in the valley. 5Then the priests, the sons of Levi, shall approach, for the Lord your God has chosen them to serve Him and to bless in the Name (Presence) of the Lord; and every dispute and every assault (violent crime) shall be settled by them. All the elders of that city nearest to the dead man shall wash their hands over the heifer whose neck was broken in the valley; 7and they shall respond, and say, ‘Our hands did not shed this blood, nor did our eyes see it. 8Forgive Your people Israel whom You have redeemed, O Lord, and do not put the guilt of innocent blood among Your people Israel.’ And the guilt of blood shall be forgiven them.

Deuteronomy 21:6 word by word

וְכֹ֗ל זִקְנֵי֙ הָעִ֣יר הַהִ֔וא הַקְּרֹבִ֖ים אֶל־הֶחָלָ֑ל יִרְחֲצוּ֙ אֶת־יְדֵיהֶ֔ם עַל־הָעֶגְלָ֖ה הָעֲרוּפָ֥ה בַנָּֽחַל׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And all the eldersזָקֵןzâqên · old: elderH2205
• of that cityעִיר‛îyr ‛âr ‛âyar · cityH5892
• nextקָרֹבqârôb qârôb · nearH7138
• unto the slainחָלָלchâlâl · slain: killedH2491
• shall washרָחַץrâchats · to wash: washH7364
• their handsיָדyâd · handH3027
• over the heiferעֶגְלָה‛eglâh · heiferH5697
• that is beheadedעָרַף‛âraph · to break the neckH6202
• in the valleyנַ֫חַלnachal nachlâh nachălâh · torrent: valleyH5158

Cross-references for Deuteronomy 21:6

• Job 9:30If I were to wash myself with snow And cleanse my hands with lye,
• Psalms 19:12Who can understand his errors or omissions? Acquit me of hidden (unconscious, unintended) faults.
• Psalms 26:6I will wash my hands in innocence, And I will go about Your altar, O Lord,
• Psalms 51:2Wash me thoroughly from my wickedness and guilt And cleanse me from my sin.
• Psalms 73:13Surely then in vain I have cleansed my heart And washed my hands in innocence.
• Jeremiah 2:22For though you wash yourself with lye And use much soap, The stain of your guilt is [still] before Me [and you are soiled and dirty],” says the Lord God.
• Matthew 27:24So when Pilate saw that he was getting nowhere, but rather that a riot was breaking out, he took water and washed his hands [to ceremonially cleanse himself of guilt] in the presence of the crowd, saying, “I am innocent of this [righteous] Man’s blood; see to that yourselves.”
• Hebrews 9:10For they [the gifts, sacrifices, and ceremonies] deal only with [clean and unclean] food and drink and various ritual washings, [mere] external regulations for the body imposed [to help the worshipers] until the time of reformation [that is, the time of the new order when Christ will establish the reality of what these things foreshadow—a better covenant].

Commentaries on Deuteronomy 21:6

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 6Shall wash their hands over the heifer - Washing the hands, in reference to such a subject as this, was a rite anciently used to signify that the persons thus washing were innocent of the crime in question. It was probably from the Jews that Pilate learned this symbolical method of expressing his innocence.Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 6wash their hands: In the ancient world, people sometimes washed their hands to show they were innocent. This action showed that they were not guilty of wrongdoing (compare Matthew 27:24). In this case, the community washed their hands to declare that they were not responsible for the crime. The crime had taken place near them, but they had not committed it.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-91-6. If one be found slain ... lying in the field, and it be not known who hath slain him--The ceremonies here ordained to be observed on the discovery of a slaughtered corpse show the ideas of sanctity which the Mosaic law sought to associate with human blood, the horror which murder inspired, as well as the fears that were felt lest God should avenge it on the country at large, and the pollution which the land was supposed to contract from the effusion…Read the comment

Topics related to Deuteronomy 21:6

• Ablution
• Church
• Government
• Hand
• Heifer
• Homicide
• Innocency
• Inquest
• Purification
• Washing

In the dictionaries

• Ablution
• Controversy
• Crucifixion
• Divers
• Heifer
• Murder
• Purification
• Rebellious
• Wrought
• Atonement, Day of

Commentaries on Deuteronomy 21

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings