Deuteronomy

Deuteronomy 21:2–8

²your elders and judges must come out and measure the distance from the victim to the neighboring cities.

³Then the elders of the city nearest the victim shall take a heifer that has never been yoked or used for work, ⁴bring the heifer to a valley with running water that has not been plowed or sown, and break its neck there by the stream.

⁵And the priests, the sons of Levi, shall come forward, for the LORD your God has chosen them to serve Him and pronounce blessings in His name and to give a ruling in every dispute and case of assault. ⁶Then all the elders of the city nearest the victim shall wash their hands by the stream over the heifer whose neck has been broken, ⁷and they shall declare, “Our hands did not shed this blood, nor did our eyes see it. ⁸Accept this atonement, O LORD, for Your people Israel whom You have redeemed, and do not hold the shedding of innocent blood against them.”

And the bloodshed will be atoned for.

Read all of Deuteronomy 21

Word by word

Each English word or phrase beside the Hebrew it translates, in the order of the English. Choose a number to open that word’s study.

Deuteronomy 21:2

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
your elders	זְקֵנֶ֖יךָ	zə·qê·ne·ḵā	Adjective - masculine plural construct; second person masculine singular	H2205 old
and judges	וְשֹׁפְטֶ֑יךָ	wə·šō·p̄ə·ṭe·ḵā	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural construct; second person masculine singular	H8199 judge, govern
must come out	וְיָצְא֥וּ	wə·yā·ṣə·’ū	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person common plural	H3318 go or come out
and measure the distance	וּמָדְדוּ֙	ū·mā·ḏə·ḏū	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person common plural	H4058 measure
from the victim	הֶחָלָֽל׃	he·ḥā·lāl	Article; Noun - masculine singular	H2491 pierced
to	אֶל־	’el-	Preposition	H413 motion to
the neighboring	סְבִיבֹ֥ת	sə·ḇî·ḇōṯ	Adverb	H5439 circuit, round about
cities	הֶ֣עָרִ֔ים	he·‘ā·rîm	Article; Noun - feminine plural	H5892 excitement

Deuteronomy 21:3

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Then	וְהָיָ֣ה	wə·hā·yāh	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular	H1961 fall out, come to pass, become, be
the elders	זִקְנֵי֩	ziq·nê	Adjective - masculine plural construct	H2205 old
of the city	הָעִ֔יר	hā·‘îr	Article; Noun - feminine singular	H5892 excitement
nearest	הַקְּרֹבָ֖ה	haq·qə·rō·ḇāh	Article; Adjective - feminine singular	H7138 near
the victim	הֶחָלָ֑ל	he·ḥā·lāl	Article; Noun - masculine singular	H2491 pierced
shall take	וְלָֽקְח֡וּ	wə·lā·qə·ḥū	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person common plural	H3947 take
a heifer	עֶגְלַ֣ת	‘eḡ·laṯ	Noun - feminine singular construct	H5697 heifer
that	אֲשֶׁ֤ר	’ă·šer	Pronoun - relative	H834 particle of relation
has never	לֹֽא־	lō-	Adverb - Negative particle	H3808 not
been yoked	בְּעֹֽל׃	bə·‘ōl	Preposition-b; Noun - masculine singular	H5923 yoke
or used for work	עֻבַּד֙	‘ub·baḏ	Verb - QalPass - Perfect - third person masculine singular	H5647 work, serve

Deuteronomy 21:4

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
bring	וְהוֹרִ֡דוּ	wə·hō·w·ri·ḏū	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive perfect - third person common plural	H3381 come or go down, descend
the heifer	הָֽעֶגְלָה֙	hā·‘eḡ·lāh	Article; Noun - feminine singular	H5697 heifer
to	אֶל־	’el-	Preposition	H413 motion to
a valley	נַ֣חַל	na·ḥal	Noun - masculine singular	H5158 torrent, torrent-valley, wady
with running water	אֵיתָ֔ן	’ê·ṯān	Adjective - masculine singular	H386 perennial, ever-flowing
that	אֲשֶׁ֛ר	’ă·šer	Pronoun - relative	H834 particle of relation
has not	לֹא־	lō-	Adverb - Negative particle	H3808 not
been plowed	יֵעָבֵ֥ד	yê·‘ā·ḇêḏ	Verb - Nifal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular	H5647 work, serve
or sown	יִזָּרֵ֑עַ	yiz·zā·rê·a‘	Verb - Nifal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular	H2232 sow, scatter seed
its	הָעֶגְלָ֖ה	hā·‘eḡ·lāh	Article; Noun - feminine singular	H5697 heifer
neck	וְעָֽרְפוּ־	wə·‘ā·rə·p̄ū-	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person common plural	H6202 break the neck
there	שָׁ֥ם	šām	Adverb	H8033 there, thither
by the stream	בַּנָּֽחַל׃	ban·nā·ḥal	Preposition-b, Article; Noun - masculine singular	H5158 torrent, torrent-valley, wady

Deuteronomy 21:5

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
And the priests	הַכֹּהֲנִים֮	hak·kō·hă·nîm	Article; Noun - masculine plural	H3548 priest
the sons	בְּנֵ֣י	bə·nê	Noun - masculine plural construct	H1121 son
of Levi	לֵוִי֒	lê·wî	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3878 Levi
shall come forward	וְנִגְּשׁ֣וּ	wə·nig·gə·šū	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Nifal - Conjunctive perfect - third person common plural	H5066 draw near, approach
for	כִּ֣י	kî	Conjunction	H3588 burning, branding
the LORD	יְהוָ֤ה	Yah·weh	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3068 Yahweh
your God	אֱלֹהֶ֙יךָ֙	’ĕ·lō·he·ḵā	Noun - masculine plural construct; second person masculine singular	H430 God
has chosen them	בָּחַ֞ר	bā·ḥar	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular	H977 choose
to serve Him	לְשָׁ֣רְת֔וֹ	lə·šā·rə·ṯōw	Preposition-l; Verb - Piel - Infinitive construct; third person masculine singular	H8334 minister, serve
and pronounce blessings	וּלְבָרֵ֖ךְ	ū·lə·ḇā·rêḵ	Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l; Verb - Piel - Infinitive construct	H1288 kneel, bless
in His	יְהוָ֑ה	Yah·weh	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3068 Yahweh
name	בְּשֵׁ֣ם	bə·šêm	Preposition-b; Noun - masculine singular construct	H8034 name
and to give a ruling	וְעַל־	wə·‘al-	Conjunctive waw; Preposition	H5921 height
in every	כָּל־	kāl-	Noun - masculine singular construct	H3605 the whole, all
dispute	רִ֥יב	rîḇ	Noun - masculine singular	H7379 strife, dispute
and case of assault	נָֽגַע׃	nā·ḡa‘	Noun - masculine singular	H5061 stroke, plague, mark, plague-spot

Deuteronomy 21:6

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Then all	וְכֹ֗ל	wə·ḵōl	Conjunctive waw; Noun - masculine singular construct	H3605 the whole, all
the elders	זִקְנֵי֙	ziq·nê	Adjective - masculine plural construct	H2205 old
of the city	הָעִ֣יר	hā·‘îr	Article; Noun - feminine singular	H5892 excitement
nearest	הַקְּרֹבִ֖ים	haq·qə·rō·ḇîm	Article; Adjective - masculine plural	H7138 near
the victim	הֶחָלָ֑ל	he·ḥā·lāl	Article; Noun - masculine singular	H2491 pierced
shall wash	יִרְחֲצוּ֙	yir·ḥă·ṣū	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural	H7364 wash, wash off, away, bathe
their hands	יְדֵיהֶ֔ם	yə·ḏê·hem	Noun - feminine dual construct; third person masculine plural	H3027 hand
by the stream	בַנָּֽחַל׃	ḇan·nā·ḥal	Preposition-b, Article; Noun - masculine singular	H5158 torrent, torrent-valley, wady
over	עַל־	‘al-	Preposition	H5921 height
the heifer	הָעֶגְלָ֖ה	hā·‘eḡ·lāh	Article; Noun - feminine singular	H5697 heifer
whose neck has been broken	הָעֲרוּפָ֥ה	hā·‘ă·rū·p̄āh	Article; Verb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - feminine singular	H6202 break the neck

Deuteronomy 21:7

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
and they shall declare	וְעָנ֖וּ	wə·‘ā·nū	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person common plural	H6030 answer, respond
Our hands	יָדֵ֗ינוּ	yā·ḏê·nū	Noun - feminine dual construct; first person common plural	H3027 hand
did not	לֹ֤א	lō	Adverb - Negative particle	H3808 not
shed	שָׁפְכָה	šå̄·p̄ə·ḵå̄h	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural	H8210 pour out, pour
this	הַזֶּ֔ה	haz·zeh	Article; Pronoun - masculine singular	H2088 this, that
blood	הַדָּ֣ם	had·dām	Article; Noun - masculine singular	H1818 blood
nor did	לֹ֥א	lō	Adverb - Negative particle	H3808 not
our eyes	וְעֵינֵ֖ינוּ	wə·‘ê·nê·nū	Conjunctive waw; Noun - cdc; first person common plural	H5869 eye
see it	רָאֽוּ׃	rā·’ū	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural	H7200 see

Deuteronomy 21:8

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Accept this atonement	כַּפֵּר֩	kap·pêr	Verb - Piel - Imperative - masculine singular	H3722 cover over (figurative), pacify, make propitiation
O LORD	יְהוָ֔ה	Yah·weh	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3068 Yahweh
for Your people	לְעַמְּךָ֨	lə·‘am·mə·ḵā	Preposition-l; Noun - masculine singular construct; second person masculine singular	H5971 people
Israel	יִשְׂרָאֵ֤ל	yiś·rā·’êl	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3478 Israel
whom	אֲשֶׁר־	’ă·šer-	Pronoun - relative	H834 particle of relation
You have redeemed	פָּדִ֙יתָ֙	pā·ḏî·ṯā	Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine singular	H6299 ransom
and do not	וְאַל־	wə·’al-	Conjunctive waw; Adverb	H408 prohibition, do not . . ., let not . . .
hold	תִּתֵּן֙	tit·tên	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular	H5414 give, put, set
the shedding of innocent	נָקִ֔י	nā·qî	Adjective - masculine singular	H5355 clean, free from, exempt
blood	דָּ֣ם	dām	Noun - masculine singular	H1818 blood
against	בְּקֶ֖רֶב	bə·qe·reḇ	Preposition-b; Noun - masculine singular construct	H7130 inward part, midst
them	עַמְּךָ֣	‘am·mə·ḵā	Noun - masculine singular construct; second person masculine singular	H5971 people
And the bloodshed	הַדָּֽם׃	had·dām	Article; Noun - masculine singular	H1818 blood
will be atoned for	וְנִכַּפֵּ֥ר	wə·nik·kap·pêr	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Nithpael - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular	H3722 cover over (figurative), pacify, make propitiation

Cross-references

Other passages that speak to the same thing. Point at one to read it.

Deuteronomy 21:3 Numbers 19:2

Deuteronomy 21:5 1 Chronicles 23:13 · Deuteronomy 10:8 · Malachi 2:7 · Deuteronomy 19:17 · Deuteronomy 18:5 · Numbers 6:22–27

Deuteronomy 21:6 Psalm 26:6 · Psalm 73:13

Deuteronomy 21:8 Jonah 1:14

Cross-references from OpenBible.info, used under CC BY 4.0. The best-supported references for each verse are shown.

Scripture text: Berean Standard Bible.