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J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible

Deuteronomy 21:6

and, all the elders of that city who are nearest unto the slain, shall bathe their hands over the heifer that hath boon beheaded in the ravine,

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Ablution;   Church;   Government;   Hand;   Heifer;   Homicide;   Innocency;   Inquest;   Purification;   Washing;   Thompson Chain Reference - Hands;   Washing;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Blood;   Hands, the;   Murder;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Sacrifice;   Washing;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Elder;   Priest;   Uncleanness;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Kinsman-Redeemer;   Leadership;   Murder;   Priest, Priesthood;   Charles Buck Theological Dictionary - Alms;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Ablution;   Heifer;   Murder;   Purification;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Blood;   Murder;   Unclean and Clean;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Ablutions;   Blood;   Court Systems;   Crimes and Punishments;   Elder;   Gestures;   Heifer;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Clean and Unclean;   Crimes and Punishments;   Deuteronomy;   Hand;   Justice;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Gestures;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Elders;   Heifer;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Blood;   Elder;   Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary - Murder;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Gesture;   Heifer;   Heifer, Red;   Homicide;   Prayer;   Salvation;   Wash;   Kitto Biblical Cyclopedia - Ablution;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Abrogation of Laws;   Charity and Charitable Institutions;   Eleazar B. Dinai;   Homicide;   Judge;   Nashim;   Saul;   Soá¹­ah;   Teḥina, Abba;  

Parallel Translations

Geneva Bible (1587)
And all the Elders of that citie that came neere to the slayne man, shal wash their hands ouer the heifer that is beheaded in the valley:
Hebrew Names Version
All the Zakenim of that city, who are nearest to the slain man, shall wash their hands over the heifer whose neck was broken in the valley;
Easy-to-Read Version
All the leaders of the town nearest the dead body must wash their hands over the cow that had its neck broken in the valley.
English Standard Version
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,
American Standard Version
And all the elders of that city, who are nearest unto the slain man, shall wash their hands over the heifer whose neck was broken in the valley;
Bible in Basic English
And all the responsible men of that town which is nearest to the dead man, washing their hands over the cow whose neck was broken in the valley,
Contemporary English Version
The town leaders will wash their hands over the body of the dead cow
Complete Jewish Bible
All the leaders of the town nearest the murder victim are to wash their hands over the cow whose neck was broken in the vadi.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
And all the elders of that city, who are nearest unto the slain man, shall wash their hands over the heifer whose neck was broken in the valley.
King James Version (1611)
And all the Elders of that city that are next vnto the slaine man, shal wash their hands ouer the heifer that is beheaded in the valley.
Amplified Bible
"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;
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And all the elders of that city who draw nigh to the slain man shall wash their hands over the head of the heifer which was slain in the valley;
English Revised Version
and all the elders of that city, who are nearest unto the slain man, shall wash their hands over the heifer whose neck was broken in the valley:
Berean Standard Bible
Then all the elders of the city nearest the victim shall wash their hands by the stream over the heifer whose neck has been broken,
Lexham English Bible
And all of the elders of that city nearest to the slain person shall wash their hands over the heifer with the broken neck in the wadi.
Literal Translation
And all the elders of that city nearest to the one slain shall wash their hands by the stream, over the heifer whose neck was broken.
New Century Version
Then all the elders of the city nearest the murdered person should wash their hands over the young cow whose neck was broken in the valley.
New English Translation
and all the elders of that city nearest the corpse must wash their hands over the heifer whose neck was broken in the valley.
New King James Version
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 Living Translation
"The elders of the town must wash their hands over the heifer whose neck was broken.
New Life Bible
All the leaders of that city nearest to the dead man will wash their hands over the young cow whose neck was broken in the valley.
Douay-Rheims Bible
And the ancients of that city shall come to the person slain, and shall wash their hands over the heifer that was killed in the valley,
George Lamsa Translation
And all the elders of that city which is nearest to the slain man shall wash their hands over the heifer which is slaughtered in the valley;
Good News Translation
Then all the leaders from the town nearest the place where the murdered person was found are to wash their hands over the cow
New American Standard Bible
"And all the elders of that city which is nearest to the person killed shall wash their hands over the heifer whose neck was broken in the valley;
King James Version
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:
Darby Translation
And all the elders of that city, that are nearest unto him that is slain, shall wash their hands over the heifer whose neck is broken in the watercourse,
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And the grettere men in birthe of that citee schulen come to the slayn man, and thei schulen waische her hondis on the cow calf, that was slayn in the valei;
Young's Literal Translation
and all the elders of that city, who are near unto the slain one, do wash their hands over the heifer which is beheaded in the valley,
World English Bible
All the elders of that city, who are nearest to the slain man, shall wash their hands over the heifer whose neck was broken in the valley;
Revised Standard Version
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;
Update Bible Version
And all the elders of that city, who are nearest to the slain man, shall wash their hands over the heifer whose neck was broken in the valley;
Webster's Bible Translation
And 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:
Bishop's Bible (1568)
And all the elders of the citie that come foorth to the slayne man, shall washe their handes ouer the heyffer that is beheaded in the valley,
Christian Standard Bible®
All the elders of the city nearest to the victim will wash their hands by the stream over the young cow whose neck has been broken.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
And all the Elders of the same cite shall come forth vnto the slayne, & wash their handes ouer ye yonge cowe, whose heade is stricken of in the valley,
New Revised Standard
All the elders of that town nearest the body shall wash their hands over the heifer whose neck was broken in the wadi,
New American Standard Bible (1995)
"All the elders of that city which is nearest to the slain man shall wash their hands over the heifer whose neck was broken in the valley;
Legacy Standard Bible
And all the elders of that city who are nearest to the slain man shall wash their hands over the heifer whose neck was broken in the valley;

Contextual Overview

1 When there shall be found one slain on the soil which Yahweh thy God is giving unto thee to possess, lying prostrate in the field, - it not being known who smote him, 2 then shall thine elders and thy judges go forth, - and measure unto the cities that are round about the slain; 3 and it shall be that the city that is nearest unto the slain, the elders of that city shall take a heifer of the herd which hath not been wrought with, which hath not drawn in a yoke; 4 and the elders of that city shall take down the heifer into a ravine with an everflowing stream, which is neither tilled nor sown, - and shall behead there the heifer in the ravine. 5 Then shall the priests the sons of Levi come near, for of them, hath Yahweh thy God made choice to wait upon him, and to bless in the name of Yahweh, - and at their bidding, shall be settled every controversy and every punishment; 6 and, all the elders of that city who are nearest unto the slain, shall bathe their hands over the heifer that hath boon beheaded in the ravine, 7 and shall respond, and say, - Our hands, shed not this blood, neither did, our eyes, see the deed . 8 Be propitious unto thy people Israel whom thou hast redeemed, O Yahweh, and do not impute innocent blood in the midst of thy people Israel. So shall they obtain propitiation for the guilt of shedding blood. 9 Thou, therefore shalt consume the guilt of shedding innocent blood out of thy midst, - when thou shalt do that which is right in the eyes of Yahweh.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

wash their hands: Washing the hands was anciently a symbolical action, denoting that the person was innocent of the crime in question. Job 9:30, Psalms 19:12, Psalms 26:6, Psalms 51:2, Psalms 51:7, Psalms 51:14, Psalms 73:13, Jeremiah 2:22, Matthew 27:24, Matthew 27:25, Hebrews 9:10

Reciprocal: 1 Timothy 1:9 - manslayers

Cross-References

Genesis 17:17
And Abraham fell on his face and laughed, - and said in his heart To one a hundred years old, shall a child be born? And shall even Sarah, who is ninety years old, give birth?
Genesis 21:12
And God said unto Abraham Let it not be grievous in thine eyes concerning the boy and concerning thy bondwoman, In all that Sarah may say unto thee, hearken to her voice, - For in Isaac, shall there be called to thee - a seed.
Genesis 21:15
And the water out of the skin was spent, - so she cant the child under one of the shrubs;
Genesis 21:21
And he dwelt in the desert of Paran, - and his mother took him a wife out of the land of Egypt.
Genesis 21:22
And it came to pass at that time, that Abimelech, with Phicol chieftain of his host, spake unto Abraham, saying, - God, is with thee in all that, thou art doing.
Genesis 21:27
And Abraham took sheep and oxen, stud gave to Abimelech, - and they two solemnised a covenant
Genesis 21:28
So then Abram set seven young sheep of the flock by them-selves,
Psalms 113:9
Causing the barren woman to dwell in household, A mother of sons in her joy! Praise ye Yah.
Psalms 126:2
Then, was our mouth, filled with laughter, and our tongue with a shout of triumph, - Then, said they among the nations, Yahweh, hath done great things, with these!
Isaiah 49:15
Can, a woman, forget, her sucking child, Past taking compassion on the son of her womb? Even these, may forget, Yet will, I, not forget, thee:

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And all the elders of that city that are next unto the slain man,.... The whole court of judicature belonging to it, all the magistracy of it; even though there were an hundred of them, Maimonides x says:

shall wash their hands over the heifer that is beheaded in the valley: in token of their innocence, and this they did not only for themselves, but for the whole city, being the representatives of it; see

Psalms 26:6. Some think that this is a confirmation of the sense embraced by some, that it was a strong stream to which the heifer was brought; and there might be a stream of water here, and a valley also; though it would be no great difficulty to get from the city, which was near, a sufficient quantity of water to wash the hands of the elders with. This may denote the purification of sin by the blood of Christ, when it is confessed over him; and shows that priests and elders, ministers of the word, as well as others, stand in need of it; and that even those concerned in the death of Christ shared in the benefits of it.

x Hilchot Rotzeach, c. 9. sect. 3.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Deuteronomy 21:6. Shall 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.


 
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