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

4They must lead the cow down to a valley where no one has ploughed the ground or planted seed. There must be a stream of water in the valley. There they must break the cow's neck. 5The Levite priests must go there too. The Lord your God has chosen them to serve him and to ask him to bless his people. They also decide as judges what is right. After the leaders of the town have broken the cow's neck, they must wash their hands over it. 7Then they will say, ‘We did not kill this person. We did not see who killed him. 8Please Lord, accept this animal from your people, Israel, that you have rescued. Do not say that we are guilty of this murder. This person did not deserve to die like this.’ When they do that, the Lord will accept their gift and he will forgive you.

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 9:30I might wash myself with pure water. I might clean my hands with soap.
• Psalms 19:12Nobody realizes every time they do something wrong. Please forgive me for the sins that I do not know about.
• Psalms 26:6I wash my hands as a sign that I live in a pure way. I will worship you at your altar, Lord.
• Psalms 51:2I have done bad things, so wash me to make me clean again.
• Psalms 73:13I decided that I had tried to do what is right, but it did not help me at all! I had refused to do anything wrong, for no good reason!
• Jeremiah 2:22You may use strong soap to make yourselves clean. But I still see the dirt of your sins.’ That is what the Almighty Lord says.
• Matthew 27:24Then Pilate knew that he could not do anything to make them quiet. He thought that the people would start to fight his soldiers. So he took a dish of water and he washed his hands in front of the people. He said, ‘It is not because of me that this man will die. You are the people who have caused it to happen.’
• Hebrews 9:10The old rules taught people about different kinds of food and drink. They taught about how people should wash in special ways. Those rules were about people's bodies. They had authority only until the time when God would make things new and better.

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