Deuteronomy 21:7
◄  Deuteronomy 21:7  ►
New International Version (©2011)
and they shall declare: "Our hands did not shed this blood, nor did our eyes see it done.

New Living Translation (©2007)
Then they must say, 'Our hands did not shed this person's blood, nor did we see it happen.

English Standard Version (©2001)
and they shall testify, ‘Our hands did not shed this blood, nor did our eyes see it shed.

New American Standard Bible (©1995)
and they shall answer and say, 'Our hands did not shed this blood, nor did our eyes see it.

King James Bible (Cambridge Ed.)
And they shall answer and say, Our hands have not shed this blood, neither have our eyes seen it.

Holman Christian Standard Bible (©2009)
They will declare, 'Our hands did not shed this blood; our eyes did not see it.

International Standard Version (©2012)
and they are to make this declaration: 'Our hands didn't shed this blood, nor were we witnesses to the crime.

NET Bible (©2006)
Then they must proclaim, "Our hands have not spilled this blood, nor have we witnessed the crime.

GOD'S WORD® Translation (©1995)
Then they must make this formal statement: "We didn't commit this murder, and we didn't witness it.

King James 2000 Bible (©2003)
And they shall answer and say, Our hands have not shed this blood, neither have our eyes seen it.

American King James Version
And they shall answer and say, Our hands have not shed this blood, neither have our eyes seen it.

American Standard Version
and they shall answer and say, Our hands have not shed this blood, neither have our eyes seen it.

Douay-Rheims Bible
And shall say: Our hands did not shed this blood, nor did our eyes see it.

Darby Bible Translation
and shall answer and say, Our hands have not shed this blood, neither have our eyes seen it.

English Revised Version
and they shall answer and say, Our hands have not shed this blood, neither have our eyes seen it.

Webster's Bible Translation
And they shall answer and say, Our hands have not shed this blood, neither have our eyes seen it.

World English Bible
and they shall answer and say, "Our hands have not shed this blood, neither have our eyes seen it.

Young's Literal Translation
and they have answered and said, Our hands have not shed this blood, and our eyes have not seen --

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

21:1-9 If a murderer could not be found out, great solemnity is provided for putting away the guilt from the land, as an expression of dread and detesting of that sin. The providence of God has often wonderfully brought to light these hidden works of darkness, and the sin of the guilty has often strangely found them out. The dread of murder should be deeply impressed upon every heart, and all should join in detecting and punishing those who are guilty. The elders were to profess that they had not been any way aiding or abetting the sin. The priests were to pray to God for the country and nation, that God would be merciful. We must empty that measure by our prayers, which others are filling by their sins. All would be taught by this solemnity, to use the utmost care and diligence to prevent, discover, and punish murder. We may all learn from hence to take heed of partaking in other men's sins. And we have fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, if we do not reprove them.

Pulpit Commentary

Verses 7, 8. - This act they were to accompany with a solemn declaration of their innocence of this crime, and of their entire ignorance of the perpetrator of it; and with an earnest cry to God that the sin which had been done might be forgiven. Be merciful... unto; be propitiated towards (literally, cover, כַּפֵּר לְעַמְך; for the phrase, כַּפֵר לְ, see Leviticus 1:4). And lay not innocent blood; the blood of the innocent man who has been slain.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

And they shall answer and say,.... The elders of the city, at the time of the washing of their hands:

our hands have not shed this blood; have been no ways concerned in it, nor accessory to it: the Targum of Jonathan is,"it is manifest before the Lord that he did not come into our hands, nor did we dismiss him, that has shed this blood;''which is more fully explained in the Misnah (y); for had they been aware of him, or had any suspicion of him or his design, they would have detained him, or at least would not have suffered him to have departed alone:

neither have our eyes seen; it, or him; so the Targum of Jerusalem,"our eyes have not seen him that hath shed this blood;''by which expression is meant, that they had no manner of knowledge of the murderer, nor of any circumstance that could lead them to suspect or conclude who he was.

(y) Ut supra, (Sotah. c. 9.) sect. 6.

Deuteronomy 21:7 Parallel Commentaries

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The Atonement for an Unsolved Murder
…6And all the elders of that city, that are next to the slain man, shall wash their hands over the heifer that is beheaded in the valley: 7And they shall answer and say, Our hands have not shed this blood, neither have our eyes seen it. 8Be merciful, O LORD, to your people Israel, whom you have redeemed, and lay not innocent blood to your people of Israel's charge. And the blood shall be forgiven them.

Numbers 35:33 "'Do not pollute the land where you are. Bloodshed pollutes the land, and atonement cannot be made for the land on which blood has been shed, except by the blood of the one who shed it.
Deuteronomy 21:6 Then all the elders of the town nearest the body shall wash their hands over the heifer whose neck was broken in the valley,
Deuteronomy 21:8 Accept this atonement for your people Israel, whom you have redeemed, LORD, and do not hold your people guilty of the blood of an innocent person." Then the bloodshed will be atoned for,