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 bring the heifer down to a wadi with flowing water, to a valley that is neither plowed nor sown. There at the wadi they are to break the heifer’s neck. 5Then the Levitical priests will approach (for the Lord your God has chosen them to serve him and to pronounce blessings in his name, and to decide every judicial verdict) and all the elders of that city nearest the corpse must wash their hands over the heifer whose neck was broken in the valley. 7Then they must proclaim, “Our hands have not spilled this blood, nor have we witnessed the crime. 8Do not blame your people Israel whom you redeemed, O Lord, and do not hold them accountable for the bloodshed of an innocent person.” Then atonement will be made for the bloodshed.

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 wash myself with snow water, and make my hands clean with lye,
• Psalms 19:12Who can know all his errors? Please do not punish me for sins I am unaware of.
• Psalms 26:6I maintain a pure lifestyle, so I can appear before your altar, O Lord,
• Psalms 51:2Wash away my wrongdoing! Cleanse me of my sin!
• Psalms 73:13I concluded, “Surely in vain I have kept my motives pure and maintained a pure lifestyle.
• Jeremiah 2:22You can try to wash away your guilt with a strong detergent. You can use as much soap as you want. But the stain of your guilt is still there for me to see,” says the Lord God.
• Matthew 27:24When Pilate saw that he could do nothing, but that instead a riot was starting, he took some water, washed his hands before the crowd and said, “I am innocent of this man’s blood. You take care of it yourselves!”
• Hebrews 9:10They served only for matters of food and drink and various washings; they are external regulations imposed until the new order came.

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